Fall 2020 Community Solar Green Tariff Shared Renewables (CSGT) 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.

• 8/19/2020 -Solicitation launched!

SDG&E’s Fall 2020 RFO Seeking Community Solar Green Tariff Shared Renewable Program Power Purchase Agreements

In accordance with Decision (D.)18-06-027, D.18-10-007, and Resolution E-4999 issued by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC or Commission), San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) is issuing this Community Solar Green Tariff (“CSGT”) Request for Offers (RFO or the solicitation) seeking contracts with solar generating facilities that produce Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)-eligible energy for the purpose of implementing its CSGT program.    

Pub. Util. Code § 2827.1 required the Commission to develop specific alternatives designed to increase adoption of renewable generation in disadvantaged communities (DACs). 

The CSGT program is intended to provide low-income households located in a census tract that is in the top 25% statewide disadvantaged communities or in the highest 5% of CalEnviroScreen’s Pollution Burden that do not have a CalEnviroScreen Score, as well as contain a border that is within 5 miles of a designated CSGT renewable generating facility, to meet 100% of residential electric needs through local renewable generation and receive a 20% bill discount from their current electric rate.  Community sponsors can also receive up to 25% of the project’s generation capacity.

This solicitation is not requesting bids for feed-in-tariff projects (e.g. Re-MAT, Bio-MAT), BioRAM, EcoChoice, Disadvantaged Community Green Tariff or other RPS procurement activities that currently exist or are being contemplated.

Overall, SDG&E’s CSGT program is designed to ensure sufficient eligible capacity is available to meet customer demand of up to 5 MW.  SDG&E is soliciting CSGT projects that are classified as eligible renewable resources.  Projects must be located within SDG&E’s service territory, as well as within a top 25% of disadvantaged communities or in the highest 5% of CalEnviroScreen’s Pollution Burden that do not have a CalEnviroScreen Score.  For purposes of CSGT, a DAC is a community that is identified, by using CalEnviroScreen 3.0, as among the top 25% of communities statewide, as well as census tracts in the highest 5% of CalEnviroScreen’s Pollution Burden that do not have a CalEnviroScreen Score.  CalEnviroScreen identifies California communities that are most effected by and vulnerable to sources of pollution.

Solicitation Protocols:

Details regarding the solicitation process and eligibility requirements are provided in the RFO document below.

CSGT Protocol Document  (pdf)

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 (Solar Only) - 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.  

CSGT Power Purchase Agreement

SDG&E Credit Application 

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 September 30, 2020.  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=107849&pubEvent=true

RFO Communication

All questions or other communications regarding this RFO should be submitted via e-mail to [email protected] for the EcoShare product. Respondents MUST CC the Independent Evaluator, Harold Judd [email protected] and Sheri Vincent-Crisp [email protected].

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.

SDG&E's 2020 CSGT Solicitation Summary 

2020 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.
 

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/more-information/doing-business-with-us/supplier-diversity and

http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/puc/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 [email protected].

Frequently Asked Questions

To be posted September 16, 2020