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Posts Tagged ‘SREC’

FirstEnergy Closes SREC and REC RFP

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

FirstEnergy’s Ohio utilities announced the close of its Request for Proposal (RFP) for 10 year SREC and REC contracts. The utility issued the RFP seeking 5,000 Solar Renewable Energy Credits and 20,000 Renewable Energy Credits per year for the compliance periods covering 2011-2020.

The utility noted they were able to successfully fill the requested volumes. The contracted supply will allow FirstEnergy to meet its 2011 RPS requirements including the SRECs not retired under their 2010 compliance obligations. The RFP received submissions from 28 qualified participants offering more than two times the requested SREC volumes and four times the requested REC volumes. Contract pricing was not disclosed.

FirstEnergy Closes SREC and REC RFP

Pennsylvania SREC Bill’s Hearing Offers PA Citizens An Opportunity To Show Support

Monday, November 14th, 2011

The much discussed PA Solar Jobs Bill (HB 1580) goes up for review in the PA House Consumer Affairs Committee on Thursday, 11/17/2011 (the hearing date was rescheduled after this post was originally published to Wednesday, December 8th at 10 am)*. This is a critical juncture for the bill. In order for HB 1580 to make it out to the PA State House of Representatives for general vote, it must first pass out of the House Consumer Affairs Committee. The Committee is chaired by Rep. Bob Godshall of the 53rd District. PennFuture, a grassroots Pennsylvania advocacy group, has put together an e-petition for contacting members of the House Consumer Affairs Committee and voicing support for HB 1580.

For more information on the state of the PA SREC market click here. For historic PA SREC pricing click here.

If you are a Pennsylvania resident and you’d like to show your support for HB 1580 click here.

*This announcement was made on 11/16/2011 by Rep. Godshall’s office.

Pennsylvania SREC Bill’s Hearing Offers PA Citizens An Opportunity To Show Support

Rhode Island Passes Renewable Energy Law

Monday, November 14th, 2011

The Ocean State took a step forward in promoting solar energy recently as Rhode Island Governor Lincoln D. Chafee signed §723 Sub A into law on June 29, 2011 to encourage the generation and use of renewable energy in the state.

The legislation requires at least 40 MWs worth of distributed generation projects in the small New England state by the end of 2014. The contracting shall be spread over 4 years based on annual targets set by the Board. Though the specific rules are still being sorted out, the program should proceed quickly as the first 5 MW are due to be contracted by the end of this year.

(1) By Dec 30, 2011, minimum 5 MW;
(2) By Dec 30, 2012, minimum aggregate of 20 MW;
(3) By Dec 30, 2013, minimum aggregate of 30 MW;
(4) By Dec 30, 2014, minimum aggregate of 40 MW.

The Board will recommend to the Commission the standard contract ceiling price by October 15 each year and it will be announced by December 15. The ceiling price for each technology should allow a private owner to receive a reasonable rate of return, based on recent reported and forecast information on the cost of capital and the cost of generation equipment. The reasonable rate of return shall include applicable state or federal incentives including but not limited to tax incentives.

This program represents the first statewide Feed-In Tariff law passed in the U.S. The implementation will be a key factor in how this program will ultimately impact the state. A target of 40 MW over 4 years is not very large, especially considering that a single wind turbine can be larger than 5 MW. All it would take is eight 5MW wind turbines (not wind farms; individual turbines!). Therefore, if Rhode Island has any ambition of developing a lasting industry, it is important that the program is designed in a way that provides access to a diverse group of participants rather than a few “winners” selected by the state and the utility companies.

To that effect, the legislation mandates that by Dec 31, 2012, there shall be at least 4 technology classes and of which, 2 shall be for solar generation technologies. A standard contract term is for 15 years. Besides distributed generation facilities having to be located within the Utility Company’s load zone, small projects shall have a nameplate capacity no larger than 500 kw for solar, 1.5 MW for wind and no more than 1 MW for other renewable energy. Large distributed generation projects may not exceed 5 MW and a project developer will not be allowed to segment a project into smaller sized projects in order to fall under the “small” definition. As long as electric distribution companies fulfill the required technology classes, they are free to mix and match small and large projects to achieve their goals.

Each electric distribution company shall conduct at least 3 standard contract enrollments during each program year except for 2011 where only 1 is required. During the two week enrollment period, the electric distribution company is required to receive standard short-form applications requesting standard contracts for distributed generation energy projects. Contracts for small distributed generation projects are awarded on a first-come first-serve basis. Contracts for large distributed generation projects will be awarded based on the lowest proposed prices received. Eligible systems that are net-metered may apply to sell excess output.

Rhode Island Passes Renewable Energy Law

November 2011 SREC Auction Results

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

SRECTrade’s November 2011 SREC Auction has completed. Below are the clearing prices at which SRECs traded this month.

November SREC Prices Energy Year Ending
State 2010 2011 2012*
Delaware - - $88.99
Maryland In-State $174.98 $200.00
Maryland Out-of-State - -
Massachusetts - $535.00**
New Jersey - $670.00 $225.00
Ohio In-State - $380.00
Ohio Out-of-State - $55.00
Pennsylvania - $10.00 -
Washington, DC $119.00 $150.00

Notes:
*Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania operate on a June-May energy year.
**Massachusetts Q2 auction occurred on October 17th
Green text represents a price improvement over October, red text represents a decrease.
“-” reflects no sale, which would result if there were no matching bids and offers that cleared for a sale in the auction.

State Market Observations:

Delaware (Supply: 22.7 MW | Demand: 19.5 MW): Legislation increasing the SREC requirement went into effect this past June but the market has yet to pick up in response. Stakeholders in DE continue to work to wards a long-term SREC contract solicitation program for new facilities. This program should be approved within the next month. Meanwhile, the SREC market will likely pick up at the end of the energy year when electricity suppliers are more active.

Maryland (Supply: 30.8 MW | Demand: 26.9 MW): SRECs continue to hover around $200. The state seems on a good pace to maintain a balanced supply relative to demand. As 2011 comes to an end, a shortage of SRECs in the state, if any, will be reflected by an increase in prices at the end of the trading period in the first quarter of 2012. Out-of-state SRECs continue to be a non-factor in Maryland.

Massachusetts (Supply: 27.1 MW | Demand: 55.7 MW): Mass SREC values rose to $535 in the Q2 2011 sale on October 18th. This trend should continue as the SREC shortage becomes more apparent. The next big quarterly MA SREC auction will close on Monday January 16th. In the meantime, solar owners can offer unsold SRECs in our regular monthly auctions.

New Jersey (Supply: 448 MW | Demand: 368 MW): The 2012 market continues to rebound up to $225 from $205 last month. As more buyers become active in the 2012 market, prices should continue to correct, though the oversupply continues to grow as 18 more megawatts were added in September.

Ohio (Supply: 82.0 MW | Demand: 37.7 MW) : In-State SRECs demand dropped slightly. Activity in the out-of-state SREC market increased this month.

Pennsylvania (Supply: 146.4 MW | Demand 40.4 MW): HB 1508 was recently introduced to address the state’s SREC market. This marks the beginning of a long process to rescue the PA SREC market. Until then, SRECs will continue to bottom out.

Washington, DC (Supply: 21.4 MW | Demand: 41.9 MW): Prices continue to increase as new legislation closing the DC market borders and increasing requirements take effect on the market.

For historical pricing please see this link. The order period for the December auction will close on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 5:00 p.m Eastern. For more information, please visit www.srectrade.com.

November 2011 SREC Auction Results

Brad Bowery to Speak at PV Power Generation Mid-West & East Conference

Friday, October 28th, 2011

The PV Power Generation, Mid-West & East conference will be held from 8th – 9th November 2011, at the Marriott in Downtown New York. This event promises to be an in-depth study of large scale solar power generation in the Mid-West and East. Local utilities, state regulators, grid operators and land and building operators will be attending, and it will be a vital meeting point for those who wish to expand their operations in these regions.

Key topics influencing the solar market in the Mid-West and East to be covered includes

  • REC Markets
  • Legislative updates
  • Site Sourcing
  • Grid connection issues

SRECTrade CEO Brad Bowery will be speaking at the conference and will discuss several key issues affecting SREC markets such as

  • The current landscape of supply and demand in SREC markets
  • Key benefits of an in-state SREC market
  • Variations of SREC program in each state, and how to evaluate them
  • Essential ingredients for creating a successful SREC market
  • How solar can compete with other renewable technologies in the green space
  • The intricacies of Solar Alternative Compliance Payments(SACP) in each state
  • Obtaining a long term SREC contract

View the conference agenda to find out more, and register here.

Brad Bowery to Speak at PV Power Generation Mid-West & East Conference

MA2011 SREC Auction Closes at $535/SREC

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

The Q2 2011 (April – June 2011) MA SRECs were issued on October 15, 2011. Unlike other SREC markets, the MA Solar Carve-Out program mints SRECs quarterly, three and a half months after the close of the calendar quarter. In coordination with the Q2 2011 issuance, SRECTrade recently held a separate auction for MA2011 SRECs.

The auction closed on Monday, October 17th at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. SRECs transacted at a clearing price of $535.00 per SREC. The clearing price, more than 97% of the 2011 Solar Alternative Compliance Payment (SACP), represents a strong demand for MA2011 SRECs due to a shortfall of supply in the market.

Any SRECs that went unsold in the auction will be available for sale in the next SRECTrade auction closing on Monday, October 31, 2011. This auction will cover all of the SREC markets including DC, DE, MA, MD, NJ, OH, and PA. The order window is currently open. All buyers and self-serve sellers can login here to place an order. Sellers utilizing SRECTrade’s management service, EasyREC, will have orders automatically placed on their behalf. If these sellers need to make changes to their minimum offer prices, they must do so prior to the 5:00 p.m. close on October 31.

The next issuance of MA2011 SRECs will be on January 15, 2012, and will cover the Q3 2011 (July – September) generation period.

MA2011 SREC Auction Closes at $535/SREC

Massachusetts SREC Auction Closes October 17th at 5 p.m. Eastern

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

In coordination with the upcoming Massachusetts Q2 2011 Solar REC issuance, SRECTrade will be hosting an auction for MA2011 SRECs. The auction order window is currently open and closes on Monday, October 17th at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Auction clearing price results will be published on Wednesday, October 19th on SRECTrade.

Haven’t created an account yet? All self-serve sellers managing their own SRECs can create one here. If you are a buyer and have not yet signed up for an account you can do so here.

All sellers with a managed EasyREC account will have orders automatically placed on their behalf. If managed sellers need to make any changes to their offer prices, they can do so through their online account prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Monday, October 17th.

The next SRECTrade auction covering all Solar Renewable Energy Credit markets (i.e. DC, DE, MD, MA, NJ, OH and PA) will close on Monday, October 31st at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. The order window is currently open. To place orders please login here.

Massachusetts SREC Auction Closes October 17th at 5 p.m. Eastern

New Improvements for EasyREC customers!

Monday, October 10th, 2011

SRECTrade is launching a new round of website updates to provide customers with greater ease and versatility in selling SRECs. Some of these changes are already visible for customers when they log onto their EasyREC account. Here are two of the important new features released this week:

A New Account Home Page! This new home page is designed to provide you with all the information you need to know about your unsold SRECs in an streamlined, easy-to-read format. You can simply hover your cursor over your SRECs “Eligible Markets” to see in which states (and which Energy Years) they are eligible, as well as alter their minimum prices. The “Notices” section of the account page will keep you up-to-date on the most recent actions involving your SRECs, so check back whenever you want to get a quick update on your status!

Account

Multiple Minimum Prices! This feature allows customers to set different minimum prices for each of their SREC vintages. This provides customers the ability to stagger their offer prices, potentially selling some of their SRECs now and placing a higher value on others. The “Future Minimum SREC Price” acts as the default minimum price that will be applied to new SRECs as they get created at the end of the month:

Prices

SRECTrade will be adding more new features to your account over the next few months, so stay tuned! Many exiting things are on the way!

We’re continually working to improve our service and would love to hear what you make of these latest improvements.  Send us some feedback »

New Improvements for EasyREC customers!

$4.5M solar grant bridges Connecticut’s transition to SRECs (a.k.a. ZRECs)

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

After successfully passing Bill 1243, Connecticut will be moving to an SREC-based solar financing program in 2012 (technically referred to as ZREC or LREC for “low-” or “zero-” emission). Per the guidelines set forth in the legislation, the state’s electricity suppliers must propose plans for the SREC solicitation program by the end of this year. Given that the law doesn’t require the first contracts to be signed until the end of 2012, we expect the details for the Connecticut SREC program to be finalized in mid- to late-2012.

In an effort to bridge the time until SRECs launch in Connecticut, the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (formerly CT Clean Energy Fund) has developed a solicitation for solar projects by experienced developers. $4.5M in solar funding is available through the competitive RFP. The solicitation period will be open until December 30, 2011 and results will be announced in March 2012. However, any projects that take the grant will not be eligible for the SREC program commencing in late 2012. The CEFIA will hold an information session at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT on October 12, 2011. See below for more information and check out this website for complete details.

The Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA), formerly the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), has combined the former Best of Class and Public Buidlings solicitations.  The new solicitation, the On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation (OSDG) Program Best of Class, Public Buildings and Affordable Housing Request for Proposals (RFP) solicits applications from eligible entities working with experienced renewable energy developers. There will be a strong emphasis on evaluating the financial feasibility of proposed projects as well as the ability of applicants to complete project construction in a timely manner. The intent of the funding is to enable owners of eligible renewable energy systems to “break even” over the life of the equipment, with a fair and reasonable return on investment compared to purchasing the equivalent amount of power from an electric utility company.

CEFIA is currently offering OSDG grants through an RFP format. The OSDG Best of Class, Public Buildings and Affordable Housing RFP will be offered to bridge the time until the launch of the Zero-Emission and Low-Emission Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) programs become available to the market and to prepare the market for the transition from a grant-based program model to a REC-based program model. The competitive, solar photovoltaic (PV) only RFP will close at 5:00 p.m. EST on December 30, 2011. The closing date for the rolling submission, other technologies RFP will be announced in early October 2011.

Funding available under this RFP is as follows:

Best of Class, Public Buildings and Affordable Housing

Type of RFP

PV

$4,500,000

Competitive

Fuel Cell

To Be Announced

Rolling Submission

Other Technologies

To Be Announced

Rolling Submission
Competitve, PV-only RFP Timeline Activities
Activity Date
Issue RFP document
September 12, 2011
Issue press release
September 12, 2011
Questions accepted in writing – E-mail only – info@ctcleanenergy.com
September 12, 2011 to
October 12, 2011

Information session – Phoenix Room, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, 79 Elm Street, Hartford
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

October 12, 2011
Final question responses posted on CEFIA Website
October 31, 2011
RFP response due date – Competitive solicitation only
December 30, 2011
5:00 p.m. EST
Eligibility rejection/acceptance letters issued – Competitive solicitation only
January 2012
CEFIA staff recommendations to the Board – Competitive solicitation only
February 2012
Funding authorization letters issued – Competitive solicitation only
March 2012

The timeline for the rolling submission, other technologies RFP will be announced in early October 2011.

Links to Important Information

Competitive Solicitation RFP document – PV only
Competitive Solicitation RFP application – PV only

$4.5M solar grant bridges Connecticut’s transition to SRECs (a.k.a. ZRECs)

Pennsylvania Solar Advocacy Day (Monday, Oct. 24th)

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

On Monday, October 24th PennFuture, Vote Solar, the Solar Alliance, and SUNWPA will hold a Solar Advocacy Day and Evening Reception at the Capitol building in Harrisburg. If you are part of Pennsylvania solar community this is an opportunity to educate policymakers and the media about solar in your state. The main focus of the advocacy day will be the support of the Solar Jobs Bill, which we’ve written a few blog postings about.

Here are the websites for the participating groups:

Vote Solar: national grassroots solar advocacy group
PennFuture: Pennsylvania environmental advocacy group
Solar Alliance: state-focused solar industry group
SUNWPA (Solar Unified Network of Western Pennsylvania): sub-group of PennFuture without a formal website

Click here to take action. Use the link to let your local PA state representative know that you support solar in PA.

If you have an advocacy event that you’d like SRECTrade to know about please email installers@srectrade.com

Pennsylvania Solar Advocacy Day (Monday, Oct. 24th)