Project Title: Unlocking Utility Data to Address Solar Soft Costs through an OpenESPI Data Custodian
Funding Opportunity: Technology to Market 3
Solar Subprogram: Technology to Market
Location: Oakland, CA
Amount Awarded: $923,750
Awardee Cost Share: $923,750

The North American Energy Standards Board’s Open Energy Services Provider Interface (OpenESPI), commonly called Green Button Connect, is an interface that utilities can deploy that enables customers to easily share their historical and ongoing bill and usage data with companies that need it. This project is building a Green Button Connect product that will be the first specifically for solar consumers and providers.  

The project team will write the backend software and create the user interface alongside writing technical and legal documentation, with the goal of getting the product certified by the Green Button certification body.  At each step, the team will ensure each of the components passes the necessary tests in order to be UL certified. They will also incorporate a security audit to ensure the product passes cybersecurity testing.

With a standardized, solar-friendly Green Button Connect tool, solar installers and financiers can evaluate projects and savings for potential customers faster and with more accuracy. Currently, an entire step of the solar sales cycle consists of requesting a utility customer’s usage and billing data. By removing this step of the sales cycle, customer acquisition costs can be reduced and new sales channels created, resulting in savings that can be passed on to solar customers.