City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: June 8, 2021
Agenda Item: 3.E
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Acting Public Works Director, Public Works, Office of Sustainability & the Environment
Subject: Authorization to Accept Cal OES Community and Power Resiliency Grant and Approve a Purchase Order with FreeWire Technologies
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the City Manager to accept a grant awarded in the amount of $291,611 from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) for the procurement of emissions-free back-up generators for essential facilities for the Office of Sustainability and the Environment in the Public Works Department, and to accept all grant renewals;
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to accept the grant and all grant renewals;
3. Authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a purchase order with FreeWire Technologies for four MobiGen energy storage units for the Public Works Department. This recommended award is made as an exception to the competitive bidding process pursuant to Section 2.24.250(b) and is for a total amount not to exceed $291,150 with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval; and
4. Authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report.
Summary
Council previously directed staff to search for ways to add resilient energy supplies to critical community facilities and utilize grant funding for implementation. Staff recommends accepting a grant for $291,611 from the Community Power Resiliency Allocation to Cities Program from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). The grant would cover the costs of procuring four emissions-free, mobile battery back-up generators from FreeWire Technologies and associated educational documentation that would be designed and printed in-house. The generators may be used during grid outages to power critical electric devices. The generators are transportable, and staff is recommending that two be hosted at Virginia 2 of 5
Avenue Park, one at Memorial Park, and one at the Airport Administration Building.
Staff recommends these sites since they do not currently have a back-up power supply and are designated as family assistance centers, emergency shelters, and back-up emergency operations, respectively.
Discussion
CalOES issued a Request for Proposals for the Community Power Resiliency Allocation to Cities Program which provides competitive grants made available by CalOES to help incorporated cities prepare for power outage events. The City of Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment applied for and was awarded $291,611. Funds may be used to procure generators and generator connections for essential facilities, with an emphasis on clean energy and green solutions, where possible, or other alternative backup sources. Funds may also be used for public education materials or supplies focused on individual family preparedness for electric disruptions and one-time costs associated with identifying and equipping resource centers for the public to access during electrical disruptions.
The procurement of emissions-free battery back-up generators supports the City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (Attachment A) goals to pilot and promote distributed energy resources and increase resilience of local energy infrastructure by deploying energy storage at existing facilities. The generators would provide a practical and resilient energy supply to support community hubs during power outages and other disruptive community events.
According to Southern California Edison, the average Santa Monica customer experiences 85.1 minutes of power outage on average 0.7 times per year. From an energy resiliency perspective, Virginia Avenue Park, Memorial Park, and the Airport Administration Building are vulnerable to power outages because they do not have a back-up electricity source. The grant funds would be used to procure zero-emissions battery back-up generators that would be used to benefit these sites. 3 of 5
Each generator can last more than seven hours before a recharge is needed. With minimal usage they could last days before needing a recharge. The generators have a joystick controlled internal drivetrain for mobility up to 4 mph around the site – a critical feature so the power can be brought to where it is needed. For example, during the COVID health emergency most of the Family Assistance Center operations were held outside. The battery generators have the capability to power emergency lighting, communications, fans, computers, food trucks, and electric vehicles.
The grid-electricity the City purchases to charge the generators is 100% renewable.
With respect to ongoing costs, the electricity needed to charge each unit from empty to full is approximately $12 per charge session. The ongoing electricity costs are anticipated to be minimal and would be paid by the facility where the generators are stored and utilized. Staff from the Office of Sustainability and the Environment would manage procurement, prepare training materials, operations manuals, and signage for the generators.
Vendor Selection
Exception to Competitive Bidding
Staff recommends FreeWire Technologies to furnish and deliver the mobile, emissions-free battery back-up generators as an exception to competitive bidding per City of Santa Monica Muni Code
2.24.250 (b). This purchase meets the City’s exception to competitive bidding criteria when a good or service is copyrighted, patented or only available form one license holder, including, proprietary goods, original equipment manufacturers and/or exclusive distributor. Based on market research, FreeWire’s Mobi Gen appears to be the only zero-emission generator on the market that meets the City’s needs in terms of energy storage capacity, mobility, and power output capabilities. b. when a good or service is copyrighted, patented or only available form one license holder, including, proprietary goods, original equipment manufacturers and/or exclusive distributors; FreeWire Technologies (FreeWire) is a California-based company located in a disadvantaged community in San Leandro. The generators the City would purchase are made in California. FreeWire was founded in 2014 and is an alumnus of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator. FreeWire was the recipient of the 2020 Business Environmental Award, Global Cleantech Company Top 100, 2016 Innovator of the Year from the California State Assembly, and a recipient of a U.S. Congress Certificate of Special Recognition. FreeWire’s key clients include the Los Angeles Department of 4 of 5
Water and Power, the County of Los Angeles, the State of Washington, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, New York City, Google, LinkedIn, and Microsoft.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
5/28/19 (Attachment B) Climate Action and Adaptation Plan Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to accept a grant from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services from the Community Power Resiliency Allocation to Cities Program and to award a purchase order with FreeWire Technologies to procure emissions-free back-up energy generators in direct support of local goals to add resilient energy supplies in response to power outages and community disruptions. If renewals are awarded, budget changes would be included in subsequent year budgets, contingent on Council budget approval.
FY 2020-21 Grant Budget Changes
Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds
Account Number(s) Amount Account Number(s) Amount
20500010.405770 $291,611 C2008100.689000 $291,611
Total $291,611 Total $291,611
Purchase Order Request
FY 2021-22
Budget
Request Amount
Department
Account # Total Contract Amount
$291,150 C2008100.689000 $291,150
Prepared By: Drew Johnstone, Sr. Sustainability Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Climate Action & Adaptation Plan
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B. Staff Report - City Council Adoption of Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (Web Link)
C. FreeWire Oaks Form