A Connected City Strategy for Oakland: Leveraging Distributed Energy Resources Across Building and Transportation Infrastructure to Improve Environmental and Operational Efficiency

摘要

With utilities shifting to a business model structured around when and how people use energy, states gearing up to meet renewable energy carve-outs, and the catastrophic effects of climate change increasingly present, the economic, political, and environmental pressures to adapt are finally converging on cities. Oakland is capable of meeting these challenges through modern urban infrastructure that integrates distributed energy generation, energy storage, and electric transportation. Distributed energy generation and on-site energy storage can provide energy security and meet government mandates, but they need to be part of a city-wide communication network that can prioritize the distribution of load and energy resources in a way that optimally navigates matters of functionality, cost, and environmental impact. This connected whole provides the flexibility to adapt to mounting constraints on energy availability and cost affecting the way we live, work, and travel in urban environments.