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GFO-23-303 – A Decision Tool to Electrify Homes with Limited Electrical Panel Capacity

CA Energy Commission · 53712

Eligibility details

This solicitation is open to all public and private entities with the exception of local publicly owned electric utilities. In accordance with CPUC Decision 12-05-037, funds administered by the CEC may not be used for any purposes associated with local publicly owned electric utility activities.

Matching funds & resources

Source matching-funds field: 20%. Match funding is required in the amount of at least 20% minimum of the requested CEC funds.

Matching funds and leveraged resources are different requirements. Read the description and reviewed rules below before determining resource commitments.

About this opportunity

The purpose of this solicitation is to develop and demonstrate a decision tool that can provide homeowners with detailed information on their electricity use and panel capacity and provide actionable pathways to achieve electrification. This information can: 1) Help electricians verify whether the existing electrical panel is adequate for the electrification options planned by homeowners. 2) Help homeowners decide if they need to upsize their electrical service panel to allow for partial or full electrification; and 3) Provide homeowners with recommendations and options on a variety of strategies and electrical appliances to help avoid costly electrical service panel upsizing, With the switch to all-electric appliances and the increasing adoption of electric vehicles, there is concern about whether residents’ existing electrical panels can accommodate the additional electric loads. Those that need upsizing the most may be homes with 100-amp panels or less, which are common in homes built before 1970. Two major barriers preventing wider adoption of electric appliances include: 1) Most homeowners lack the necessary data to understand how much of their existing electrical panel is being used and are unaware of the specific approaches to electrify that will not trigger an electrical panel upsize; and 2) The cost of an electrical service panel upsize can be prohibitively expensive, on average costing between $3,000 to $10,000 depending on the work needed, such as trenching for new electrical conduit, pulling new feeders, and upgrading utility distribution infrastructure. These utility upgrade costs often flow down to the building owner, exacerbating the cost of an upgrade. While it is possible for some homes with 100-amp electrical panels to achieve full electrification without upsizing the panel, others may require panel upsizing to accommodate the increased electrical demand. The objective of this solicitation is to support homeowners in exploring various viable pathways toward achieving full electrification. By considering existing and emerging technologies, the goal is to identify innovative solutions that can enable electrification while minimizing cost. While this tool may not solve full electrification in all homes, it will help provide a pathway for homeowners to decide on which equipment to electrify. Most homeowners replace a piece of equipment once it stops working or when there are financial incentives to help pay for costs. This tool will help the homeowner make sound decisions about their electrification goals and next steps.

Funding geography: No local publicly owned electric utilities.

Funding instrument: Grant. Issuing jurisdiction: California. This is not a geographic eligibility determination.