Design-Build Services for Battery Energy Storage Systems

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to invite proposals from qualified firms to assist the City of Pinole with design and installation of battery energy storage systems (BESS) at two sites: Pinole Youth Center (635 Tennent Ave) and joint Pinole Tiny Tots/Pinole Swim Center (2450/2454 Simas Avenue). The City adopted its inaugural 2024 Pinole Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) with ambitious goals in municipal and community building decarbonization, microgrids, EV charging infrastructure, and climate resilience.

The City of Pinole is advancing community-wide building decarbonization through multiple, coordinated strategies. In 2024, the City launched the Pinole Energy Enhancement Rebate program (PEER) to help offset project cost of various energy-efficiency measures for single-family and multi-family property owners. The City is also developing an all-electric building virtual concierge—a one-stop platform designed to streamline adoption of electrification measures.

In tandem, the City is also pursuing reach codes to establish stronger standards that support long-term decarbonization goals. The City also modernized its permitting systems by launching eTRAKiT for online permitting and Symbium for instant solar permit approvals, significantly improving efficiency and accessibility. Building on this foundation, the Community Development Department is preparing to roll out additional instant permit options for energy efficiency-projects via Symbium, further aligning implementation efforts with the City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP).

The City of Pinole adopted its inaugural CAAP [1] in August 2024 to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, aligning with State goals and reducing the City’s contribution to global emissions. Building energy consumption from fossil fuels makes up approximately 22% of the Pinole municipal greenhouse gas emissions with building electrification identified as a key strategy.

One of the central measures in the CAAP’s City Infrastructure and Operations section is CIO-1, which directs the City to “upgrade all City accounts to MCE’s Deep Green option by 2025 and electrify or otherwise decarbonize all municipal buildings and facilities by 2035” (emphasis added). In addition, CAAP Action CIO-1d envisions the development of an actionable and implementable municipal building decarbonization plan to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the City’s building portfolio.

CIO-1d - Develop a plan to electrify or otherwise decarbonize all municipal buildings and facilities by 2035 which will include:

▪ An inventory of existing fossil fuel-powered buildings and facility equipment, available electric or zero/low-carbon alternatives for replacing each, and relevant costs and benefits of replacing each (e.g., lifespan, equipment costs, operational quality).

▪ A prioritized schedule for completion based on potential to reduce natural gas and propane usage.

▪ Prioritize upgrades that benefit vulnerable communities first, such as the Library, Senior Center, Youth Center, and Tiny Tots facilities.

The need for battery energy storage systems are further reinforced with the following CAAP goals (BE=Building Energy, CAR=Community Adaptation and Resilience).

BE-5 Increase generation and storage of local community-scale renewable energy

CAR-2f Identify critical facilities in need of reliable sources of sustained electrical power during events of extreme climate. Assess power loads at each critical facility, determine costs and technology options for battery storage, and make any additional recommendations to the City Council prior to advancing construction

The City was noticed of a pre-award of Federal grant funds through the Marin Clean Energy (MCE) Energy Storage Program for design and installation of two BESS systems. Because this Project will be funded in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the resulting contract and scope of services shall comply with all applicable federal statutes, regulations, and award terms, including but not limited to 2 CFR Part 200 and the Build America, Buy America Act (2 CFR Part 184).

Federal compliance includes not only performance of the work, but also the provision of complete, accurate, and auditable documentation sufficient to support DOE reimbursement. The selected proposal is contingent on Federal Department of Energy approval. The City is seeking proposals from vendors that are DOE-ready and are confident in their ability to pass DOE inspection.

A 2024 Energy Conservation, Generation, and Storage Assessment (see attachments) conducted by Tetra Tech offers insight into the energy demand and PV system of both sites to inform cost of the design-build services. A brief summary is provided here.

The Pinole Youth Center (2-story; 9,000 sqft) The electric account purchases energy at the NEM A6 rate, which has time-of-use charges. The annual net electric usage is ~30,000 kWh which is significantly offset by a 25-kW PV system. The system was installed in 2013 and consists of 114 Canadian Solar CS6P-250P solar panels and 114 Enphase M215 micro inverters. The system was evaluated in 2024 and demonstrated production at its expected capacity.

Pinole Tiny Tots (1-story; ~6,000 sqft)/Swim Center (spans ~25,000 sqft) Their shared electric account purchases energy at the new energy meter (NEM) A6 rate, which has time-of-use energy charges. The annual net electric usage is ~45,000 kWh which is significantly offset by the production of the 49-kW PV array. The pool area has a 49-kW solar PV canopy at the southside of the property. The system was installed in 2013 and consists of 221 Canadian Solar CS6P-250P solar panels and 221 Enphase M215 microinverters. At time of inspection in 2024, the PV array was operating at 80% of its expected capacity. Broken panels and inverters may be the source of the faulty production and both components come with 25-year warranties. Tetra Tech estimated ~$9,000 in PV repair.