Rancho Goleta Lakeside (RGL) Community Microgrid: A master metering showcase

The Clean Coalition, partnered with Rancho Goleta Lakeside Mobileers Inc., is facilitating a Community Microgrid that will provide clean energy and resilience to a disadvantaged community (DAC), utilize master metering, and serve as a critical model for future multi-unit housing (MUH) projects and master metering policies. 

 RGL community consisting of 200 mobile homes

Rancho Goleta Lakeside (RGL) consists of 200 owner-occupied mobile homes spanning across 28 acres within the City of Goleta, California. RGL is located within the only DAC in the Goleta Load Pocket (GLP) region — a 70-mile stretch of disaster-prone, transmission-vulnerable Southern California coastline. In addition to being located within a transmission-vulnerable DAC, the region struggles with significant environmental challenges. According to CalEnviroScreen, California’s statewide tool for identifying communities facing the greatest environmental and health burdens, the area ranks in the 96th percentile statewide for groundwater contamination risk, 88th percentile for hazardous waste exposure, 87th percentile for impaired water bodies, and 83rd percentile for elevated pesticide exposure. These cumulative burdens underscore the urgency of investing in local infrastructure to improve environmental and economic conditions and to bring resilience to this underserved area. 

This map shows RGL in a disadvantaged community designated by CalEPA for the purpose of SB 535. This area represents a 25% highest scoring census tract in CalEnviroScreen 4.0 – the only disadvantaged community in the entire GLP region.

The RGL Community Microgrid will provide indefinite, renewables-driven backup power for prioritized loads and will offer a sustainable, secure, and cost effective energy system to the community. Community Microgrids offer an unparalleled trifecta of economic, environmental, and resilience benefits. Using the Clean Coalition’s VOR123 approach, electrical loads identified as critical will maintain 100% resilience, meaning they will never shut off in an outage. This system will enable solar-driven electrification for electric vehicle (EV) charging, electric heat pumps for heating and cooling, electric water heaters, pool heating, induction cooktops, electric dryers, and more.

RGL will operate under a single master meter with Southern California Edison (SCE), combined with private submeters at each home. This master metering configuration enables behind-the-meter (BTM) solar and battery storage to serve critical loads during grid outages — an option typically unavailable to multi-unit communities due to current utility metering rules. As detailed in the Clean Coalition’s article on SB 1148 and Master Metering, this approach overcomes longstanding regulatory barriers that have historically prevented DAC from accessing renewables-driven resilience. Typical MUH sites utilize individual meters for each unit. Without a master meter, a Community Microgrid would need to be developed front-of-meter (FOM), requiring lengthy permitting processes which makes them more difficult to develop than BTM projects. Putting an entire MUH site behind a single master meter enables a smoother pathway for permitting, development, and energy management.

Master metering allows the site to function as a unified energy system. Paired with private submeters, this model maintains consumer protections and accurate billing for individual residents while enabling centralized energy management. The result is resilience during outages, reduced energy costs, simplified grid interconnection, and a scalable pathway to achieve local sustainability and electrification goals — especially critical for communities vulnerable to grid disruptions.

Diagram of RGL electrical infrastructure. Master meter configuration with private submeters. Each submeter will be accurately billed individually, at the proper rate schedule.

The RGL Community Microgrid will serve as a powerful model for mobile home parks and other MUH across California and beyond. It also provides a blueprint for electrification at MUH sites — including the integration of EV charging — and offers evidence for policymakers on the critical role of master metering.

Several challenges must be addressed to ensure successful implementation. The site relies on approximately two miles of private underground distribution infrastructure, which is significantly constrained and will require upgrades to support widespread electrification, including the addition of EV charging. To achieve the necessary solar capacity, the design will distribute solar panels across new verandas at each of the 200 homes. These structures must be engineered for both structural integrity and ease of disassembly to accommodate future home replacements.

Typical RGL mobile home

In addition, funding is still needed to support a comprehensive feasibility study encompassing engineering, policy, and economic analysis to guide the project’s development and ensure long-term viability. The Clean Coalition has submitted the RGL project for funding through the California Public Utilities Commission’s Clean Equity Access (CEA) Grant Program and the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) Equity rebate. 

The RGL Community Microgrid represents a significant step forward for equitable energy resilience. This initiative not only delivers meaningful local benefits but also helps shape the policy and implementation pathways needed to scale similar solutions statewide. By proving the viability of master-metered Community Microgrids in DACs, the RGL Community Microgrid lays the groundwork for regulatory reforms. Its success could unlock a scalable pathway to clean, resilient energy systems for MUH sites across California.