Net energy metering agreement heco speakers

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Content:

• News and Events
• Net Metering for Rooftop Solar: How to Fix the Problems
• Get Connected
• Press Archive
• Uzbekistan planning two tenders for 400MW of solar
• Extreme home improvement: DIY photovoltaic array
• Lessons Learned from Hawaii: Bold Visions Require New Paradigms
• HECO Seeks to Make Rooftop Solar More Common, Less Lucrative - Honolulu Civil Beat
• 2021 SEPA Power Players Award Finalists

WATCH RELATED VIDEO: CONSENSUS Program: Sustainable Water Management For Decarbonizing Fossil Power Generation

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This goal challenges the state to tap its plentiful, natural, clean sources of power, while its utilities must build grids, interconnection infrastructure, and business models that will make these power sources accessible and affordable.

Investor-owned utility Hawaiian Electric Co. As of December , the Hawaiian Electric utilities had, on average, achieved Increasing levels of customer-sited rooftop solar PV have created a surplus of daytime, non-dispatchable generation on all of the Hawaiian islands.

As a result, they must manage other generation resources — conventional or renewable, company-owned or private — around the output of these rooftop solar systems. As principal co-authors of the report, our ultimate goal for this new model PPA, called the Renewable Dispatchable Generation RDG model, is to convert utilities from passive takers of power generation produced by various sources into proactive asset managers.

With the RDG, curtailment, if necessary, is scheduled based not on the seniority of projects — that is, the most recently commissioned projects are curtailed first — but on specific, real-time needs and costs to the system.

The RDG model also improves project economics by allocating the risk of potential revenue loss due to curtailment more equitably between renewable energy developers and utilities. Concerns related to curtailment are not unique to the state of Hawaii. The issue has emerged in California and other states where high levels of distributed solar PV have resulted in potential curtailment of other large, lower-cost renewable assets.

Electricity prices in Hawaii are among the highest in the U. Hawaiian Electric Co. At the same time, the utility is planning to significantly increase utility-scale wind and solar generation on each island. The result is the potential for a growing need for curtailment. At its most basic, curtailment is the reduction of a given purchased power resource below its otherwise theoretical output level.

Since variable renewable resources like wind and solar are not dispatchable by nature, their production profile cannot be modified to meet system needs without forfeiting energy production. And because each island has its own, self-contained grid that can neither import nor export power, the potential need for curtailment could be significant. It is expected that midday distributed solar generation in Hawaii will continue to increase, which may mean that a greater percentage of new grid-scale projects including potential community solar projects may likely face curtailment.

Traditional PPAs handle this risk in one of two ways. In the first, the utility compensates the project developer or independent power producer IPP only for the power actually delivered, and the uncertainty resulting from any curtailment must be absorbed by the developer or IPP. Either way, the dollars-and-cents impact is higher prices, with the cost of curtailment ultimately passed to customers.

Specifically, developers today must account for curtailment risks within their PPAs. The higher price raises costs for utilities and customers, increases potential losses for curtailment, and may make projects harder to finance. Under these contracts, the utility can schedule a percentage of potential production from a renewable project, based on solar or wind resource availability on any given day, factoring in the needs of the system from both a cost and reliability perspective.

Under ideal circumstances, the contract would require a solar developer or IPP to do the following:. These guarantees form the basis for the energy production — or megawatt-hours — expected for a given solar irradiance or wind speed.

The utility, in turn, controls the real and reactive power output of the facility on a real-time basis. Any unscheduled energy, up to the amount capable of being produced given existing weather, becomes spinning reserves — unloaded generation that can be called upon in minutes.

The power can also be deployed automatically, according to defined frequency response parameters. Traditional curtailment order — under which the newest projects are curtailed first — would also be changed for new projects going forward. Under the RDG model, curtailment order would be based more closely on economics and system needs than on the date of first operation.

For standard agreements, the PPA price is the most logical trigger for curtailment order, with flexibility outside of economic dispatch based on specific local system needs. The ability to ramp up that solar asset could create more than 3 MW of upward spinning reserves on this average day, with over 2 MW of increased generation actually leveraged between 3 p. This project could also provide downward spinning reserves during all producing hours. Alternatively, that same unloaded generation could be used for regulation purposes, with inverters varying output based on the system frequency at any given moment.

By purposefully under-scheduling the solar asset, the solar generator can contribute to the provision of ancillary services. Historically, variable renewable resources have not provided these types of grid services.

Adding the ability to provide spinning reserves and frequency response reduces the integration costs of adding these assets to the system, effectively increasing their overall value to the Hawaiian Electric utilities. Risks are therefore more equally shared between utilities and IPPs. Several iterations may be needed to refine resource forecasting and associated availability metrics and to overcome any additional operational challenges.

Research is ongoing into how customers may be affected by these new agreements. Potential unintended consequences as a result of increased fixed payments and the curtailment conditions need to be identified and further discussed.

Moving from concept to execution on this new model will also require a reshaping of utility procurement processes. Rather than focusing primarily on the lowest price for delivered energy, procurement will need to balance multiple pricing and delivery options against long-term price risk for consumers.

IPPs, regulators, utility companies, and other major stakeholders will need to work together to determine how future requests for proposals will be designed. In particular, IPPs must have a clear picture of how projects will be valued, and utilities must be able to receive clear, transparent and detailed information from developers to expedite the review process.

All stakeholders will also need to agree on how to translate these new ideas into contract language. The procurement team at Hawaiian Electric Co.

Fast-evolving technology — such as energy storage — is another key variable. This and other applications for energy storage warrant further discussion and research, as the best solution for Hawaii is most likely a holistic package of customer, developer and utility investments that are collaboratively planned.

Such considerations can be part of a robust integrated resource planning process that weighs the relative pros and cons of different resources and contract structures for the benefit of all customers over the long term. Whatever solutions are found in Hawaii will undoubtedly have a ripple effect for other U. Although the diversity of U.

Proactive, collaborative innovation is the new normal. He can be reached at jsterling sepapower. John Pang is a partner at ScottMadden, and he can be reached at johnpang scottmadden. Bidders would incorporate their curtailment risk outlook into the proposed breakdown between fixed and variable components.

This approach provides a guaranteed income stream for developers while also reducing risk for utilities and their customers. Time-of-Day-based PPAs: These contracts would be based on energy prices being lower or negative during expected low-load periods and higher during peak-load hours.

Price caps would be set for every hour of every day of the year, taking into account seasonal variations. The uncertain ty of predicting the long-term system load profile makes this option difficult to align with forecast production costs and, therefore, appropriate energy prices. Setting up and administering these contracts would also be extremely complex.

The U. A confluence of events has generated the current solar market situation. Interest rates remain low, meaning investors with good credit can raise large amounts of capital. Utilities and energy funds are looking to expand their solar capacity, adding competition for project acquisition. Finally, new tax equity investors are increasingly comfortable with the solar investment tax credit ITC subsequent to its extension and want to enter the market.

However, the move to available markets and the rush to beat the ITC cliff picked off most of the low-hanging development fruit, leaving scarce options for the funds flowing into the non-residential solar markets.

The challenge currently facing the U. Although the variables have changed, the same scalable business formula that has always underpinned solar success remains constant: understanding local markets and pursuing the development process with the right partners. At the local level, this includes understanding land entitlement, a knowledge of interconnection and how to get power to the market, and being able to put the right contracts in place to sell power and renewable energy credits to generate revenue streams.

For instance, developers agree to project power purchase agreements PPAs at rates that are attractive to the customers but are too low to produce adequate revenues needed for financing, leading to difficulty in getting the projects financed or sold. This way, developers and customers can catch the low part of the market and hedge out pricing volatility in order to move forward in a way that generates energy cost savings and consistent profits for asset owners.

For example, solar development has been successfully concentrated in some parts of southern New York, where higher tariffs are offered to projects, but it is challenging in other regions that maintain lower tariffs under the current state program design. In New Jersey, interconnection is difficult in southern utility service territories despite favorable state incentives. Even in Virginia, where favorable project development opportunities are linked to the liquid PJM markets, power prices in some regions of the state are extremely low.

In selecting and addressing development opportunities like these across the U. These partnerships help drive both the developer and investor through the decision-making processes, from site selection and entitlement, to engineering and interconnection, and right through permitting and accurate PPA pricing. If a partnership like this is locked in early on, projects will be developed with an investment exit in mind, de-risking the all-important question of who will ultimately take over the project ownership once it has been successfully developed.

Beyond fundamental development skills, building a replicable business strategy requires adapting to market-proven investment standards by understanding the current and evolving solar investment thesis. This includes awareness of the risks and rewards project owners are looking to sign onto, if they are willing to assume long-term ownership through asset investments, and how developers can ensure projects have sufficient funds to take asset development through construction into term ownership.

The solar investment thesis is slightly different in each market, but it ultimately comes down to whether or not projects clear the economic hurdles to ownership. The risk side of the investment thesis is specific to each project: What are the regulatory regimes each project will interact with?

What off-taker contracts and lengths will make financial sense? Will projects be developed for a single credit-rated utility, or will they be community solar developments with to entities per megawatt on the other side of the contract? Evolving interest rates also complicate the solar investment thesis and investment universe dynamic. General industry consensus is that interest rates have nowhere to go but up, and this will likely translate to a universe in which projects with lower investment rates of return and lower PPAs will face a more challenging funding environment.

Using fundamental solar development skills alongside an understanding of emerging solar investors and owners reveals promising opportunities to turn development work and investment dollars into projects through emerging solar industry verticals.

Just as declining costs and steady returns have broadened the opportunity for solar development and investment across the U. This trend has been most prominent in the southeast U. For instance, Georgia Power is targeting 1. Utility solar demand is also being driven by PURPA requirements, which GTM Research forecasts will supplant renewable portfolio standards to spur a majority of new solar capacity installations starting in This trend has been on display across solar-leading states like North Carolina and is projected to be increasingly evident in non-traditional markets like Montana, Oregon, Nevada and South Carolina.

Across these markets with large energy participants, developers are traditionally employing one of two models. With development for third-party ownership, the focus is on establishing interconnection and striking PPAs with the utilities at rates that will support efficient financing of the solar asset, as well as the creation of a long-term valuable investment or ownership opportunity.

In other cases, utilities can be interested themselves in buying projects developed in their service territory. In this scenario, the developer will be developing and contracting the solar asset with a view to ultimately selling the solar project in whole or in part to the utility.

Either of these strategies creates a credible pathway for solar developers to build portfolios in these service territories, with the goal of selling power or projects to utilities seeking to grow their solar capacity. Large corporate renewable clients are no secret, but developers are targeting all of the same opportunities, and that market has become a crowded space.

Net Metering for Rooftop Solar: How to Fix the Problems

In particular, the mission explored the impact of increasing renewable energy penetrations as well as regulatory and customer engagement strategies in Hawaii. This article attached and below shares key lessons on planning for long-term goals, enhancing customer engagement, and improving grid operation. To access the complete Public Utilities Fortnightly Magazine, please click here. Inspired to continue his education in electrification, the King visited the office of Thomas Edison in New York. During long conversations with the American inventor, the two men discussed not only the science of electricity, but also the practicalities and business of selling power. Upon his return home, the King pursued electrification as a way to bring innovation and investment to his kingdom.

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That was never going to be me. The changes began two years ago, Alm says. It was the technological, structural and regulatory challenges of meeting these goals that gave birth to the Clean Energy Team. But Alm believes that the leaders of this group, 10 mid-level managers and young vice presidents, will lead the company far into the future. He also believes one of them is likely to be its next CEO. In the s, the parent company always ranked fourth or fifth. How it Started.

Press Archive

Demand for solar energy is on the rise. Due to increasing concerns over global warming and a desire to reduce energy costs and personal carbon emissions, an ever-increasing number of consumers are weighing solar power as a serious option. That said, the statistics about interest in solar energy might seem quite dubious to struggling solar installation businesses. Getting new leads is often a difficult task, and closing them, even more so.

Uzbekistan planning two tenders for 400MW of solar

San Francisco—Pacific Gas and Electric today reached its MW cap for offering the original net metering tariff to customers. In addition, residential customers will need to be on one of three available time-of-use rate plans. Customers that already have solar will not be subject to the new charges and will continue to have the original net metering tariff for the first 20 years of operation of their solar systems. SCE customers can therefore expect to take service under the current net metering tariff if they interconnect by June 30, Parker served as Deputy Executive Director from to

Extreme home improvement: DIY photovoltaic array

The federal government's Clean Power Plan aims to compel states to cut carbon emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants, but two states that have made the most progress in cutting emissions say other factors are the main drivers of climate-friendly innovation in their states. The Florida Supreme Court has issued a ruling that will allow property-assessed clean energy PACE financing programs to expand across the state. PACE financing has come under fire from federal housing regulators worried about how programs would impact mortgages. An 'earthquake' shook Hawaii last week, but it only rattled the buildings that don't yet have rooftop solar. His solution: put a price on carbon.

Lessons Learned from Hawaii: Bold Visions Require New Paradigms

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HECO Seeks to Make Rooftop Solar More Common, Less Lucrative - Honolulu Civil Beat

RELATED VIDEO: Explaining a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

LAR identified three focus areas — education, employment and finance. In the education focus area, Leyline is introducing renewable energy as a knowledge area and career option to people of color through active skill-sharing at important points along their educational path. Leyline also recently completed a full revision of its hiring policy, with a focus on the integration of best Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion JEDI practices. Leyline is building contacts and partnerships with nonprofits and financing peers to identify projects in lower-income communities that promote equitable access to renewable energy. Leyline will utilize its skills to simplify project financing, streamline the development process and overcome execution hurdles to help these communities and their nonprofit partners develop projects in their neighborhoods.

2021 SEPA Power Players Award Finalists

A New York bill that has been sent to the governor would create a climate change mitigation and adaptation account within the state Environmental Protection Fund. The account would fund municipal participation in climate smart community projects, which include flood mitigation, coastal and riparian resiliency, greenhouse gas reductions outside the power sector, adaptation planning and clean vehicle projects. The Georgia General Assembly has sent a bill H. The moratorium would last until June 30, and give the legislature time to study existing laws related to petroleum pipelines. South Carolina is considering similar legislation S. Proponents support the effort to lower customer bills while opponents say the move will increase bills by reducing customer access to efficiency services.

Your photovoltaic PV system should have been sized to offset a portion or all of your typical electricity use. As you continue to manage your household or facility s energy use, it is important to practice good energy conservation habits and understand factors that can impact the amount of electricity you produce and consume. Seasonal use of appliances or equipment, such as air conditioners, can also impact your electricity consumption.