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Are there a procurement targets for each product in the RS REC RFPs?
No. In the Rate Stability (“RS”) Winter procurements, there will be preferences for wind and solar photovoltaic (“photovoltaic”) based on the thresholds (expressed as percentages) established by the Act for the time periods under consideration. Those percentages are 75% for wind for all compliance periods, 1.5 % for photovoltaic in the May 14 compliance period, 3% for photovoltaic in the May15 compliance period, and 6% for photovoltaic starting with the May16 compliance period. A compliance period is designated by the month in which the compliance period ends. All compliance periods begin on June 1 of the prior year. For example, the May15 compliance period is from June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015.
The RS REC Rules provide the targets (i.e., the total number of RECs to be procured) in each compliance period. The thresholds of the Act are applied to the total quantity of RECs needed for a year from June 1 to the following May 31. The threshold for each compliance period that will apply to the RS REC RFP are based the quantity of wind RECs or photovoltaic RECs needed for a given compliance period less the amount of wind or photovoltaic RECs that ComEd will purchase pursuant to existing contracts from the 2010 long-term RFP. Thus, the threshold for each compliance period will vary. The evaluation process first selects RECs based on cost effectiveness, second based on resource type, and lastly based on location. To the extent that budget is available after RECs are selected on a cost effectiveness basis, preferred resource types (wind and photovoltaic) will be substituted for non-preferred resource types in a manner that equalizes the percent of the threshold achieved for each of wind and photovoltaic. To the extent that budget is available after RECs are selected on a cost effectiveness basis and after substitution for preferred resource types, Illinois and adjoining state RECs will be substituted for other RECs in a manner that does not undo the resource type selection.
Please note that the Procurement Administrator has posted sample calculations, for illustrative purposes only, of implied thresholds for wind and solar photovoltaics under various scenarios of the mix of resources in the 2010 long-term RFP.
Originally posted January 27, 2012. Updated February 17, 2012.
Does curtailment of a wind energy facility excuse the failure to provide the stated amount of RECs?
No, the deliveries of RECs are not facility-specific and the Rate Stability ("RS") Master Agreement does not identify a specific facility or facilities. The Supplier agreeing to supply 1,000 RECs must supply 1,000 RECs. RECs can be purchased and supplied from any facility of the same type and location or a more preferred type and location.
Does submission of a Part 1 Proposal for the Rate Stability Winter Procurements commit a potential bidder to submit a Part 2 Proposal? Does submission of a Part 2 Proposal commit a potential bidder to submit bids? What is the process if a bidder wants to withdraw its Part 1 or Part 2 Proposal?
A Bidder’s Bids are evaluated if the Bidder meets all the requirements of the Part 1 and Part 2 Proposals. A Bidder may meet all requirements of the Part 1 and Part 2 Proposals and not submit Bids; submission of a Part 2 Proposal (excluding Bids) does not commit the Bidder to submitting Bids. A Bidder may submit a Part 1 Proposal and not submit a Part 2 Proposal; submission of a Part 1 Proposal does not bind or commit the Bidder to the submission of a Part 2 Proposal. There is no formal process to withdraw your Proposal.
Please confirm that if a potential bidder has a wind farm with a capacity of 80MW, it may only bid in a 50MW block and may not bid in the entire 80MW.
The product in the Rate Stability (“RS”) Block RFP is divided into nine (9) blocks of 50 MW 7x 24 energy and Bidders can only offer in 50 MW increments. These blocks are not tied to any identified resource and may be supplied from any mix of sources that the supplier selects from time to time. It seems unlikely that a wind farm would be the source of 7x24 block energy, although it could contribute to that supply. The products in the RS REC RFP are “standard RECs”, namely RECs that include all environmental attributes represented by renewable electricity generation associated with the RECs. RECs are offered per REC and there is no block restriction or minimum quantity. An 80 MW wind farm could offer to sell all its expected production, or could offer to sell more or less than its expected production.
Where is Supplement to the Part 1 Form posted? Should it be included with the Part 1 Proposal or the Part 2 Proposal?
The Supplement to the Part 1 form was posted on the RFP Web site and is dated 12 January 2012. You will find it the Rate Stability Winter Procurements page under each of the Rate Stability (“RS”) Block RFP and the RS REC RFP. A fully completed Supplement is required with the Part 1 Proposal.
Can this web site assist me in deciding whether to choose service from an ARES?
No. The web site to which you have directed your question is web site established for the Illinois Power Agency by the Procurement Administrator in connection with procurements of energy and renewable energy products for the ComEd portfolio.
There are REC Targets and Budgets provided for each compliance period for the Rate Stability (“RS”) REC RFP. Do these values represent the difference between the overall requirements for the compliance year and the purchases from contracts entered into pursuant to the Long-Term REC procurement?
Yes. The target for a compliance period is based on the current forecast and percentage requirement less the RECs procured through the Long-Term REC procurement. The same methodology has been applied to the budget for each compliance period, subtracting the implied REC spend from the total budget for the compliance period. Note that these are budget maximums only and that the final budgets will be announced at a later time.
Does a small scale hydro facility qualify as a renewable energy resource under the Act?
The Act states that “hydropower that does not involve new construction or significant expansion of hydropower dams” qualifies as a renewable energy resource. A hydro facility would qualify to the extent that it meets that criteria.
Under the Rate Stability (“RS”) REC Master Agreement, the first quarterly delivery for a compliance period is due by August 31. Does that mean we can only deliver RECs generated in the month of June of the compliance period?
No. For the first delivery of a compliance period, you may deliver RECs by August 31 that are created as generation from January 1 to June 30 of that compliance period. For example for the May14 compliance period, you will be able to deliver RECs generated between January 2013 and June 2013 by August 31, 2013.
In the Rate Stability (“RS”) REC RFP, if we offer a given quantity at a certain price, are we guaranteed that the entire quantity will be taken at that price or can bids be prorated?
A Bid is a price for one REC. Hence, although on the Bid Form you may state that you are offering, say, 20,000 recs at $1/REC, in fact you are submitting 20,000 bids at the same price. Bids are selected individually and Bidders may not submit a bid for a given quantity at a certain price that is conditional on the full quantity being accepted.
