The City of Lancaster has long been on the forefront of renewable energy, achieving its goal of becoming a net-zero electricity community in 2019.   

In 2019, the California Energy Commission awarded Lancaster a $5 million grant to lay the groundwork for its "Advanced Energy Community," a comprehensive project designed to advance the City's ongoing renewable energy objectives. The Advanced Energy Community encompasses several different components, including:

Virtual Power Plant

• Integrates 5 MW of solar
• 10 MWH of storage
• Lowers procurement costs for Lancaster Choice Energy, the City's community choice aggregator

Community Microgrids

Flexible Building and EV Loads

Affordable Housing Developments

• 78 units of townhomes
• 164 single-family homes
• Innovative microgrids to provide renewable backup power
• A test site for evaluating the performance and economics of kinetic flywheel vs. lithium ion energy storage technologies

Community Resiliency Centers

• Upgrades to existing community centers that provide emergency shelter and safeguard essential services
• Powered by renewable microgrids

Commercial Energy Storage

Innovative Energy Data Management and Rate Design

The City's grant team includes the ZNE Alliance, Energy Solutions, Olivine, NHA Advisors, Gridscape, Terra Verde Energy, and Blue Strike Environmental.

For in-depth details regarding the Advanced Energy Community, view the report to the California Energy Commission here.