Community Solar: Removing Barriers to Market Expansion

Community Solar: Removing Barriers to Market Expansion Joseph F. Wiedman Keyes & Fox, LLP jwiedman@keyesandfox.com

Overview of Today’s Presentation • Basics of Current Policy • Why Community Solar? • What does Community Solar look like? • CS Resources & Contact Information • Appendix - Overview of State Programs

Net Metering

Meter Aggregation Customer’s energy load Customer’s best sites for PV

Why Community Solar? ≠

Why Community Solar? ~ 145000 HH in DC ~60% of the housing in DC is mult-tenant ~ 60% of the HH are renters If 5% subscribe to 3kW of community solar per year: ~22 MW of community solar per year!!

Simplified Model of Community Solar

Community Solar Programs • kWh blocks of NEM credits: • SMUD – Solar Shares – CA • Tucson Electric Power – Bright Tucson Community Power – AZ • Net Metering Credits based on Production: • United Power – Sol Partners Cooperative Solar Farm – CO • City of Ellensburg – Ellensburg Comm. Renewable Park – WA • FKEC – Simple Solar – FL • St. George – SunSmart - UT • City of Ashland – Solar Pioneers II – OR • Holy Cross Energy – Gleenwood Springs, CO • Seattle City Light – WA • Colorado – Xcel and Black Hills service territories • Delaware – statewide

Holy Cross Community Solar Program • System SIZE: 120% of the participant’s 12-mo historical usage • OWNERSHIP: Participants own; Clean Energy Collective manages the system • PARTICIPATION: Customers in Holy Cross’s service territory • Total Program Size: 3.5 MW • BENEFITS: • CEC is paid for the value of generated electricity to Holy Cross under a PPA • Participants are paid for the power on their utility bills • Residential – about 30% higher than current retail rates

TEP “Bright Tucson” Community Solar Program • SystemSIZE: 100% of participant aggregate average consumption • OWNERSHIP: 1.6 MW utility-owned array at UATechPark • PARTICIPATION: TEP’s customers • BENEFITS: • Participants purchase 150 kWh/month “blocks” • Price of kWh is fixed for term of participation

Decision Points • Ownership and competition • Valuation of VNEM credits – retail rate? Gen only? Mix? • Distribution of benefits – NEM credit/check? • Aggregate Net Metering • Interconnection • Participation by low-income/ag customers • Program segmentation • Metering • Securities issues – state and federal • Transfer of subscriptions • Billing issues

Community Solar Resources IREC Model Program Rules: http://www.irecusa.org A Guide to Community Solar: http://bit.ly/SACCSGuide VoteSolar: http://votesolar.org/communitysolar/ State policies and maps at http://www.dsireusa.org/ Assistance to commissions and other stakeholders in developing community renewables programs – please contact jwiedman@irecusa.org Thank You!

MA(n) – neighborhood NEM MA(g) – general NEM * - participants on same distribution circuit as facility receive full retail rate credit

* CO also has a community-based system rule that requires local ownership but it is not well defined in statute.

Community Solar: Removing Barriers to Market Expansion