1. California Energy Commission
Distributed Energy Resource Pilot Study
The Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Pilot Study is a collaborative effort between the
California Energy Commission and Southern California Edison (SCE) to study the potential and
value of DER to meet system needs and energy policy objectives. The DER Pilot Study will
focus on a specific area within SCE’s service territory and evaluate how DER planning should
take into account forecasted transmission and distribution system needs, local system hosting
capacity, and local area resource potential and constraints.
San Joaquin Valley StudyArea
 Primarily located in Tulare County,
extending slightly into Kings County to
the west and Kern County to the south.
Tulare County
 1.3 million acres of agricultural lands:
860,120 acres of important farmland
(defined by the CA Dept. of
Conservation), and 439,940 acres of
grazing land.
 1.1 million acres of agricultural lands
are under the California Land
Conservation Act (Williamson Act)
contracts, which limit conversion of
farmland to urban or other uses.
 California’s largest dairy and cattle
producing county.
 In 2013, ranked first in agricultural
production in California ($7.8 billion
gross production value), producing
various commodities such as milk,
grapes, oranges, pistachios, walnuts,
almonds, and much more.
SCE System
 Northernmost load center in SCE
service territory.
 Significant agricultural industry
load.
Big Creek Hydroelectric System
 Approximately 1 GW of generation
capacity.
 Accounts for approximately 90 percent
of SCE’s hydroelectric generation
capacity.
 SJV area relies on Big Creek for
significant generation capacity and
system reliability.
 Generation output significantly
impacted by drought.

2. California Energy Commission
Distributed Energy Resource Pilot Study
Big Creek Hydro Project – Annual GWh
Pilot Study
 SJV area has 10-year forecasted load and
reliability needs of more than 100 MW.
 Forecasted needs largely due to the
droughts impact on Big Creek
generation output, and increased
demand from groundwater pumping.
 Study will evaluate DER’s potential to
meet forecasted needs, rather than
investing in new transmission line.
 SJV area has significant potential for
solar and bioenergy resources, but
development must be balanced with
system (distribution and transmission)
and land use/environmental constraints.
Objective
 Study the potential of DER portfolios to
meet SJV area forecasted load and
reliability needs.
 Develop a simple, transparent benefit-
cost method to properly value DER
investments to compare and contrast
DER options to each other, and to a
potential new transmission line.
 Identify real world challenges and
opportunities of DER development.
 Engage all stakeholders that are pivotal
to successful DER deployment.
Approach
 Model DER scenarios to determine what
mix of technologies are capable of
meeting SJV area forecasted load and
reliability needs.
 Conduct benefit-cost analysis to
illustrate the value of each DER scenario
in meeting SJV area forecasted load and
reliability needs.
Goal
 Conduct a real-world study of the
potential and value of DER to meet
forecasted load and reliability in SJV
area, while meeting state policy
objectives.
 Provide insights and recommendations
to decision-makers on planning for an
electricity system that relies increasingly
on DER.
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