Fall 2023 Enhanced Community Renewables (“EcoShare”) Solicitation
Latest News & Update
Respondents are encouraged to check this Request for Offers (RFO or the solicitation) Website periodically for updates, notices, and postings. SDG&E, at its sole discretion, pursuant to orders from the CPUC, may change the terms, requirements and schedule of this solicitation. Respondents should monitor the RFO Website for announcements regarding any updates or changes including posted questions & answers. SDG&E will post all solicitation announcements, including scheduling changes or RFO amendments to this website. In particular, participants should check the RFO website for (i) details on the pre-bid conference call and (ii) posting of answers to submitted questions.
SDG&E’s Fall 2023 RFO Seeking Green Tariff Shared Renewable Program Power Purchase Agreements
In accordance with Decision (D.)16-05-006, D.15-01-051, D.17-07-007, and Resolution (R-)4734 (together the GTSR Decisions) issued by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC or Commission), San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) is issuing this Green Tariff Shared Renewables (GTSR) Program RFO seeking contracts with facilities that produce Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)-eligible energy for the purpose of implementing its Enhanced Community Renewables and Green Tariff programs, as described below.
The GTSR Decisions mandate SDG&E to implement the GTSR Program, which includes two components: (1) a Green Tariff (GT) program (“EcoChoice”), allowing customers to choose a higher percentage of renewable generation than they already get from SDG&E; and (2) an Enhanced Community Renewables program (“EcoShare”), allowing customers to participate in community-based projects.
The programs are intended to: 1) make clean, renewable energy available to bundled utility customers, whether they own a home and/or can afford a significant capital investment; (2) increase the overall volume of renewable energy in the San Diego area; and (3) increase options for institutional, commercial and residential customers to meet their renewable energy goals. Overall, SDG&E’s GTSR program is designed to ensure sufficient eligible capacity is available to meet customer demand of up to 59 MW, with 10 MW of the total program capacity being set aside for projects located in designated Environmental Justice areas.
SDG&E’s GTSR program is designed to ensure that eligible capacity is available to meet customer demand of up to 59 MW, with a 10 MW set aside for projects located in designated EJ areas. These EJ areas are top 20% disadvantaged communities as determined by CalEnviroScreen. SDG&E has held four solicitations for GT and six solicitations for ECR, this solicitation marks SDG&E’s seventh solicitation for EcoShare. To date, SDG&E has procured 2.4 MW for EcoShare. To date, no projects procured or bid into previous solicitations have qualified for EJ.
SDG&E was directed to hold two ECR solicitations a year through 2018 if program capacity remains. Per resolution E-5025 SDG&E will solicit one ECR per year. Of SDG&E’s 59 MW capacity target, 16.6 MW of capacity remains. In this Fall 2023 GTSR solicitation, SDG&E seeks .5 up to 16 MW of capacity for EcoShare, and .5 up to 1 MW of EJ capacity.
SDG&E seeks new renewable energy located within SDG&E’s service territory or Imperial Valley,[1] with PPA delivery terms of 10-years, 15-years or 20-years. Qualifying criteria for new energy being solicited is outlined in SDG&E’s Protocol documents.
On May 31, 2022, SDG&E submitted an application before the Commission to review its Green Access Programs, which includes a request for authorization to suspend the two GTSR programs – EcoChoice and EcoShare. SDG&E reserves the right to end this solicitation and not fully execute potential contract(s) as soon as the request is granted.
Solicitation Protocols:
Details regarding the solicitation process and eligibility requirements are provided in the RFO document below.
Required Forms and Documents:
- Offer Form - There is no limit on the number of Forms that can be submitted. Therefore, respondents are encouraged, but not required, to submit additional offers for our consideration with shorter tenors or with escalators.
- Interconnection Agreement or Phase II Interconnection Study (or distribution level equivalent) and / or Fast Track Documentation - Submit a copy of the most recent completed interconnection agreement, Phase II interconnection study or equivalent Fast Track documentation. For Projects located in Imperial Valley and dynamically transferred via pseudo-tie into SDG&E's service territory by the CAISO, submit copies of a completed Phase II interconnection study and provide documentation certifying the existence of the dynamic transfer arrangements.
- Site Control Documentation - Submit copies of site control documents demonstrating: a) direct ownership; b) a lease; or c) an option to lease or purchase upon PPA approval (must be an exclusive option to the Bidder that will last until the completion of the RFO cycle).
- Site Maps - Submit copies of all project maps showing location, facilities, layout, Interconnection, etc. and the Project single line diagram.
- Resource Report - please submit a verifiable fuel resource plan.
- Full Pvsyst Model - the full PVSyst file must be submitted by exporting the entire project that contains the prj, met, inv, pan, etc. files.
Reference Forms and Documents:
This solicitation employs a non-modifiable Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) structure. These documents are pre-approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and may not be changed by either SDG&E or the winning bidder(s). Only the blanks may be filled in with project specific information. All respondents should submit bids per the terms of these agreements only.
RFO Response Instructions:
A Respondent must submit their offer electronically via PowerAdvocate® and attach all required forms and bid materials to the offer. All offers must be uploaded to PowerAdvocate® no later than 12:00 p.m. (i.e. Noon), Pacific Standard Time, on December 19, 2023. Offerors intending to submit an Offer but who do not yet have an existing account must first register to create a username/password to receive access to the event. The PowerAdvocate® solicitation website can be accessed at:
https://www.poweradvocate.com/pR.do?okey=215581&pubEvent=true
RFO Communication
All questions or other communications regarding this RFO should be submitted via e-mail to ECRRAMSolicitation@sdge.com for the EcoShare product. Respondents MUST CC the Independent Evaluator, Harold Judd hjudd@acciongroup.com and Sheri Vincent-Crisp svincentcrisp@acciongroup.com.
SDG&E will not accept questions or comments in any other form. Question submitted after the deadline as specified in RFO Schedule will only be answered at the sole discretion of SDG&E or the IE. All questions and their answers will be posted publicly on this website anonymously soon after receipt. We cannot respond directly to or confidentially to any questions. Respondents are encouraged to check this RFO Website periodically for updates, notices, and postings.
SDG&E will publish a solicitation summary document to help ensure participants have access to detailed program information.
2023 GTSR Schedule
The following schedule and deadlines apply to this RFO. SDG&E reserves the right to revise this schedule at any time and in SDG&E’s sole discretion. Respondents are responsible for monitoring the RFO Website for updated schedules and possible amendments to the RFO or the solicitation process. For a detailed schedule, please see the protocols document.
|
No |
Event |
Date |
|
1 |
Launch RFO |
December 5, 2023 |
|
2 |
Deadline to submit questions |
December 8, 2023 |
|
3 |
Answers to all Questions will be posted on SDG&E's website |
December 14, 2023 |
|
4 |
Offer package due no later than 12 pm PPT on this date |
December 19, 2023 |
|
5 |
SDG&E Notifies Offerors of selection |
January 22, 2024 |
|
6 |
SDG&E issues appreciation notices to unsuccessful Respondents |
January 29, 2024 |
|
7 |
All PPAs are executed |
February 2024 |
|
8 |
SDG&E submits Tier 2 Advice Letter with PPAs to CPUC for approval |
March 29, 2024 |
|
9 |
Anticipated CPUC approval (prior to any appeal and/or suspension) |
Q3 2024 |
Participation from Diverse Business Enterprises
SDG&E encourages Diverse Business Enterprises (“DBEs”), “Women-Owned Businesses” or “Minority-Owned Businesses” or “Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises” as defined in G.O. 156[1], to participate in this All Source RFO.
Furthermore, SDG&E encourages developers to utilize DBEs during various stages of project development and construction. As a part of G.O. 156, SDG&E will require developers to identify and verify their DBE contractor/subcontractor spending if any.
Additional information on SDG&E’s DBE program and utilizing DBEs can be found at:
https://www.sdge.com/supplierdiversity and https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/supplierdiversity/
SDG&E’s DBE Program representatives will provide a presentation during the bidders’ outreach event. DBEs can request additional information by contacting SDG&E at supplierdiversity@sempra.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
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