Citizens' Advisory Committee
Power Subcommittee

MINUTES

Tuesday, April 1, 2008
5:45 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
1155 Market Street, 4th Floor Conference Room
San Francisco, CA

Members
Kimia Mizany – Chair
Nick Carlin
Aaron Israel
Steve Lawrence
Winchell Hayward

Members present: Kimia Mizany (Chair), Nick Carlin, Steve Lawrence, Aaron Israel

Members not present: Winchell Hayward

Staff: Jim Chien

Members of the Public: Oliver Bock, Albin Nilsson, Curt Clarks, Jim Spar, Lynne Berrktouze, Kevin Taylor, Ed Dieraut, Alex Martin

ORDER OF BUSINESS

Roll Call
 
1. Call to Order
Kimia Mizany, Chair, called the meeting to order at 5:45 pm.
 
2. Approval of Minutes
Minutes of meeting of March 4, 2008 was adopted unanimously without revision.

3. Announcements
Chair Kimia announced that supervisor McGoldrick put the pilot solar incentive program on-hold and she encouraged committee members to show support by attending meeting. There was a discussion on adding agenda item to next meeting in supporting of the pilot program.

4. Public Comment
There was a big turn-out for the presentation. Chair Kimia asked the public to briefly introduce themselves.

5. Presentations and Discussion
John O’Donnell of Ausra, INC. began the presentation with a brief history of Solar Thermal power.  He said that the first commercial solar thermal power facility was built in 1913 in Egypt, with a 55-Kilowatt solar power. The State of California joined the modern era of solar thermal power development in 1980 in the Mojave Desert. One industry giant presently operating in the US is Nevada Solar One.  The 64 megawatt project just came online a few months ago outside Las Vegas, Nevada.  Solar One can generate power at 17 cents per kilowatt hour, the lowest cost solar thermal in the US.

Mr. O’Donnell then went on to talk about Solar Thermal technology. He said that Solar Thermal first captured sunlight as heat, then converted it to electricity.  It’s most valuable because energy can be stored when the sun is shining and released for electricity generation when the power is needed most. Often peak electricity demand extends well into the evening on hot summer days; solar thermal electric power is uniquely able to deliver zero-carbon electric power to meet demands.

Mr. O’Donnell discussed cost and efficiency as the challenges for the development of solar Thermal power. Weather pattern radiation also affected seasonal energy.  Location affects the efficiency and cost of the facility.  Arizona and Nevada have lower land cost and higher potential for solar thermal, therefore they have the best potential for solar thermal power.

Mr. O’Donnell indicated government policy has played a key role in solar thermal power development.  The US Congress’ inconsistency on solar incentives has diminished the future of US market.

There was a question about the Sunol Valley location that the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission proposed for solar thermal. Mr. O’Donnell said he will need to run a climate model and obtain the average cost of energy. It would not be economical if the Sunol Valley location can generate power only in the summer.  It might be cheaper for the SFPUC to buy Solar Thermal power from other plants.  

6. The meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM.