Report on Resilient Energy System Installation at Port Angeles Senior Center

Project Overview and Objectives

A collaborative project has been initiated in Port Angeles to enhance the energy resilience of the local Senior Center. The installation of a battery energy storage system, coupled with a solar array, was completed through a partnership involving A&R Solar, Millican Crane Service, and Trane Technologies. The primary objective of this initiative is to ensure the provision of essential heating and cooling services for the facility, particularly during power outages, thereby safeguarding a vulnerable segment of the community.

The project was facilitated by a significant financial contribution from the public sector:

1. Funding Source: State of Washington, Department of Commerce
2. Grant Amount: $450,000
3. Purpose: Installation of a solar array and battery energy storage system.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This initiative directly contributes to the advancement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), demonstrating a commitment to creating sustainable and resilient community infrastructure.

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The project promotes the transition to clean energy by installing a solar array to generate renewable power. The battery storage system ensures a reliable and affordable energy supply, particularly for critical services, advancing the goal of universal access to modern energy.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: By fortifying a key community facility against climate-related disruptions like power outages, the project enhances urban resilience. It makes the Port Angeles community safer and more inclusive, with a specific focus on protecting the well-being of senior citizens.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The adoption of solar power is a direct measure for climate change mitigation, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Furthermore, ensuring operational heating and cooling during extreme weather events is a critical climate change adaptation strategy, strengthening resilience to its impacts.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The system guarantees a stable indoor climate, which is crucial for the health and well-being of the elderly, who are often more susceptible to temperature-related health issues. This directly supports the goal of ensuring healthy lives for all ages.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The project exemplifies a successful multi-stakeholder partnership, bringing together a municipal entity (the city), a state government body (Department of Commerce), and private sector companies (A&R Solar, et al.) to achieve shared sustainability objectives.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The article discusses the installation of a solar array, which is a form of clean energy. The project is funded by a state grant, making this clean energy solution affordable for the senior center.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The project enhances the resilience of a key community facility (a senior center) by ensuring it has power during an outage. This contributes to making the city and its infrastructure more sustainable and safe, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • By installing a solar array, the project promotes the use of renewable energy, which is a key strategy for mitigating climate change. Furthermore, by providing a backup power system, it helps the community adapt to the potential impacts of climate change, such as more frequent or severe weather events causing power outages.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
   • The article highlights the installation of a battery energy storage system to provide heating and cooling “in case of a power outage.” This directly addresses the goal of ensuring reliable energy for the occupants of the Port Angeles Senior Center.
2. Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
   • The installation of a “solar array — solar cells wired together to create energy” is a direct contribution to increasing the share of renewable energy at the local level.
3. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected… by disasters… with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.
   • The project specifically benefits a “Senior Center,” which serves a vulnerable population. The system’s purpose is to provide essential services (heating and cooling) during a power outage, which can be a localized disaster, thereby protecting these individuals.
4. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • The battery and solar array function as a resilience measure, strengthening the senior center’s capacity to adapt to power outages, which can be caused by climate-related hazards like storms.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Installation of renewable energy and resilient infrastructure:
   • The article explicitly mentions the installation of “a battery energy storage system” and a “solar array.” The existence of this completed project serves as a direct indicator of progress.
2. Financial flows for sustainable development:
   • The article states that the city received a “$450,000 grant from the state Department of Commerce.” This financial investment is a quantifiable indicator of resources being allocated to clean energy and community resilience projects.
3. Number of community facilities with disaster-resilient services:
   • The project focuses on one specific facility, the “Port Angeles Senior Center.” This implies that progress could be measured by counting the number of critical community facilities equipped with similar resilient energy systems.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: peninsuladailynews.com