Planning Board allows Natel Energy to use outdoor space at Alameda Point for FishSafe turbine testing
Following a public hearing on Monday, April 22, the Planning Board [1] voted to approve a Use Permit that will allow Natel Energy [2] to expand its operations into outdoor space at its facility located at Building 23 on Alameda Point [3].
[4]Natel, a technology and engineering company at the intersection of green energy and biodiversity, specializes in the “data-driven design of turbines for hydropower that are both highly fish-safe and high-performance,” according to Gia Schneider, Natel’s co-founder and CEO.
In an applicant presentation to the Board, Schneider explained that hydroelectric power is one of the world’s largest sources of renewable energy. However, much of the global hydropower infrastructure is outdated and requires upgrades to continue functioning efficiently. Furthermore, existing hydropower plants often intersect fish migration patterns, and their conventional turbines kill one in five fish that pass through.
[5]Natel’s FishSafe turbine allows more than 98% of fish to pass safely through while also maintaining high turbine efficiency.
With a recent multimillion-dollar contract award from an unnamed major U.S. utility to design turbines for eel passage, Natel sought the City of Alameda’s Planning Board permission to build a larger outdoor fish loop structure and reservoir in order to scale its testing capabilities to meet client demand.
[6]City Planner Brian McGuire detailed several planning considerations, noting that Natel’s expansion would reinforce Alameda’s support for STEM-driven startups and is consistent with adopted City plans and policies. The new loop infrastructure would be located on the north side of Building 23, because an Endangered Species Act “biological opinion [7]” by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) prohibits structures over four feet in height in areas behind the buildings on Monarch Street to protect least tern habitat. To preserve views of the bay, the City additionally imposed a 50-by-50-foot “No Build Area” that may only contain temporary uses.
[8]Comment
Public commenters generally spoke in favor of the expansion, with Natel staff members and Alameda Point neighbors applauding Natel’s innovative research and highlighting the importance of the expansion.
“Natel Energy adds a significant economic development value to Alameda, and will increase job opportunities in various sectors, such as engineering, manufacturing, and research and development,” said Madlen Saddik, President of the Alameda Chamber & Economic Alliance. “We fully endorse Natel Energy’s use permit.”
Board members lingered on several topics, including the amount of noise potentially generated by a larger testing loop. During the applicant presentation, Natel COO Gregor Cadman confirmed that current testing noise is around 55 to 60 decibels, below City thresholds. However, Board President Hanson Hom and Board Member Teresa Ruiz asked Natel to confirm whether those levels are below the thresholds laid out in the USFWS biological opinion.
On the topic of adding screens, Board members generally favored adding wood screening around the proposed outdoor fish tanks but suggested that the test loop structures remain uncovered.
“I think you should celebrate them,” noted Board Member Andy Wang. “Right now, they’re just informal opportunities for people to come by and explore what’s happening…but I would much rather people be able to see what those things are than have them be screened.”
Vote and amendments
The Board voted 6-0, with one Board Member absent, to approve the Use Permit with the conditions outlined by City staff, as well as three additional conditions—that Natel confirms its use will conform with the USFWS biological condition, that Natel screens its fish tanks, and that City staff will specify time constraints on items placed in the “No Build Area.”
Later in the evening, the Board discussed a proposed amendment to the Alameda Municipal Code that would update language governing non-conforming buildings and uses. City zoning regulations change over the years, which means that certain pre-existing buildings or uses that were allowed under prior rules would become inconsistent with new rules.
[9]The Code lays out strategies to modify or replace existing buildings and uses to conform to updated zoning regulations, while also respecting the rights and investments of property owners. Proposed amendments included updates and clarification of definitions, dates, and applicability.
The Board voted 6-0, with one Board Member absent, to approve the amendments along with Board feedback.
Ken Der is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post [10]. Contact him via [email protected] [11]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Ken-Der [12].