Environment Department details BayREN work, new refrigerant replacement and equity-focused programs

At the Sept. 26 meeting, the environment department’s energy-efficiency team described accomplishments and upcoming initiatives under BayREN and other funding streams.

Manager Lowell Chu said the energy team has seven staff and a current fiscal-year budget of about $6.8 million, with roughly $5 million earmarked for professional services and rebates. "For the current fiscal year, our program boasts a substantial budget of 6,800,000.0," he said.

Staff described outreach and equity goals: BayREN’s business program targets small, hard‑to‑reach businesses and reopened to enrollment in June; residential programs have retrofitted thousands of units and provided over $4 million in incentives; the multifamily program has retrofitted more than 10,000 units in San Francisco since 2013. New programs set for 2024 include BRRRR, a BayREN refrigerant-replacement program funded with nearly $18 million over four years at the state level to address high global‑warming‑potential refrigerants and provide free leak detection and refrigerant exchanges for small food‑service operations, and a complementary partnership with Clean Power SF to improve energy efficiency in restaurants and groceries.

Commissioners asked about transitions from prior partnerships (PG&E) and how BayREN timing aligned; staff said the PG&E local-government partnership ended June 30 and BayREN’s regional rollout started mid-June, leaving the programs roughly equivalent in magnitude for staff and budgets. Staff also reported pilots for electrification and plans to pursue federal and state funding opportunities.