Georgia: Going Gangbusters for...
Transcript of Georgia: Going Gangbusters for...
Georgia: Going
Gangbusters for
Solar Solar Focus 2014
Hannah Masterjohn, VoteSolar
Joel Cohn, CohnReznick
Jason Rooks, Clean Energy Strategies
Scott Thomasson, NewBuild Strategies LLC
Debbie Dooley, Green Tea Party
Moderator:
Joel Cohn CohnReznick
Jason Rooks Clean Energy Strategies
Scott Thomasson NewBuild Strategies LLC
GEORGIA GOES BIG ON SOLAR
“Georgia is the fastest-growing solar market in the nation.”
- SEIA 2013 Top 10 Solar States (GA ranked #7)
Solar jobs grew 225% in from 2012-2013, to 2,600 total.
- Solar Foundation, 2013 Solar Jobs Census
Georgia Power Company has “the largest and fastest-growing voluntary renewable energy portfolio in the United States” with 900 MW of solar capacity planned by the end of 2016.
- SEPA 2014 “Investor-Owned Utility of the Year”
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Expected Commercial Operation
Georgia Power 5-Year Solar Growth by PSC Program
US Army (2014)
ASI Prime (2013)
Advanced SolarInitiative (2012)
Large-Scale Solar(2011)
DG Tariffs, GreenEnergy, and QFs
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2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
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Georgia Power 5-Year Solar Growth Distributed vs Utility-Scale
DG (< 1 MW)
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An unlikely state for growth?
• No RPS
• No state incentives
• No third-party ownership
• No net metering: Graded “F” by Freeing the Grid
• Red-state politics: Republicans control Public Service Commission, legislature, and governor’s office
• History of utility and co-op resistance to renewables
HOW DID IT HAPPEN? • Bubba McDonald championed solar at the Georgia Public
Service Commission
• 2011 breakthrough: falling prices allowed PSC to nudge utility to add 50 MW of utility-scale solar with “no upward pressure” on retail rates.
• 2012 collaboration between utility, solar industry, and PSC to develop 210 MW Advanced Solar Initiative (“ASI”).
• 2013 expansion of ASI: Commissioner McDonald proposed 525 MW of solar below utility’s avoided cost.
Advanced Solar Initiative
• Price caps to prevent “upward rate pressure.” – DG received standard-offer price (13 cents) in 2013-14. – DG price included extra 1 cent/kWh for grid and capacity benefits. – “Not to exceed” price cap for utility-scale PPAs, based on avoided cost over
term of the PPA.
• Competitive RFPs for all utility-scale solar. – All bidders use pro-forma PPAs, terms ranging from 15 to 30 years.
• No behind-the-meter DG. – All distributed solar is delivered to grid and separately metered, credited to
customer on site.
• Results: Georgians saving $$$ with solar! – 2013 RFP averaged 8.5 cents/kWh (“downward pressure”) – 2014 RFP averaged 6.5 cents/kWh (“well below avoided cost”)
What’s next in Georgia?
• 100 MW solicitation for DG solar – Georgia Power proposed immediate “market-based” solicitation for
2015-2016 DG projects, similar to utility-scale RFP. – Resistance from GA SEIA and PSC to RFP process for small projects. – GA SEIA alternate proposal for 100 MW solicitation in Q1 2015
• Value of Solar proceeding – GASEIA petitioned PSC to open a Value of Solar proceeding, now
pending. – “Indifference price” to be used across all solar programs and tariffs.
• “Solar Power Free-Market Financing and Property Rights Act” – Republican-sponsored bill to let customers finance solar with PPAs,
leases. – Negotiations underway now with Georgia Power and co-ops.
Debbie Dooley Green Tea Party
Introduction
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