FAQ Archives - Solicitation 1: August 2009

The FAQs on this page are no longer relevant, as they are from past solicitations. These FAQs are posted here only for reference purposes. Do not rely on the information provided on this page for the current solicitation.

All FAQs

Go to Page:    1 (Newest)    2    3    4    5 (Oldest)   

  • FAQ-93:
    When was the first solicitation held? Are there subsequent solicitations?

    ACE and JCP&L have already held a first solicitation for their SREC-Based Financing Program (“Program”). Results will be announced later this month. A second solicitation will start soon. The Pricing Proposal and Qualification Materials for the second solicitation are due on December 11, 2009. The Expression of Interest is due on December 7, 2009. You may submit your Expression of Interest for the second solicitation now. A more detailed schedule is posted to the “Calendar” page of our Web site.



    09/15/2009 in General

  • FAQ-92:
    Do ACE and JCP&L also provide financing for each project that participates in this program?

    The ACE and JCP&L SREC-Based Financing Program is not a loan program and does not offer specific subsidies. Rather, ACE is contracting through this Program to purchase solar Renewable Energy Certificates (“SRECs”) from solar projects. This, in turn, provides a stable revenue stream to facilitate independent financing through loans or other financing mechanisms for renewable projects development and installation. ACE will only contract through this RFP for the purchase of SRECs for the term of the SREC Purchase and Sale Agreement (“PSA”), and not for energy or capacity associated with any Project. There is a single price for all SRECs purchased under the PSA. An SREC is generated for each MWh of solar generation.



    09/15/2009 in General

  • FAQ-91:
    How is the size of a project determined?

    The size of a Project is based on the nameplate DC rating of the solar system.  Please note that projects greater than 500 kW are not eligible to submit a Proposal under the Program.



    09/15/2009 in General

  • FAQ-90:
    As a manufacturer, how can winners of the first RFP be contacted? Will the winners of the first RFP be released publicly?

    We do not expect the names of the winners under this RFP to be released publicly. The Solicitation Manager does not provide to winners under this RFP manufacturer information or information from third parties.



    09/15/2009 in General

  • FAQ-89:
    Is participation in the first solicitation a pre-requisite to participating in the subsequent solicitations?

    Participation in the first ACE and JCP&L SREC-Based Financing Program solicitation is not a prerequisite to participating in future solicitations. You may submit your Expression of Interest for Round 2 now using the form available on the “Documents” page of our web site. A more detailed schedule is posted to the “Calendar” page of our Web site.



    09/15/2009 in General

  • FAQ-88:
    Please explain the Proposal submission process.

    The Proposal is submitted in three steps.

    The first step is to fill out the Expression of Interest (“EOI”). Please see the document called “ACE-JCP&L Solar RFP Appendix 2 - Expression of Interest Form (7-30-2009)”. Although this form was posted for the first solicitation, which is now closed, you may also use it for the second solicitation. You will need the application number assigned to the Project under the Renewable Energy Incentive Program (“REIP”) or SREC Financing Program to complete the form. You can submit the form through email at NJsolar@nera.com. Once you complete the EOI, the Solicitation Manager will send you by email information necessary for the submission of your Pricing Proposal.

    The second step is to submit a Pricing Proposal. The Pricing Proposal form will require that you provide details regarding the Project, including the size and EDC territory in which the Project resides, and your bid price for SRECs. The form for the Pricing Proposal is not yet available for the upcoming solicitation. We caution you against using the form currently on the web site (ACE-JCP&L Solar RFP Appendix 3 - Sample Bid Form (7-30-2009)) but you may consult the form to understand the information that will be required. The Sample Bid Form is submitted through electronic transfer; instructions for this step are provided to you once you have successfully completed the EOI.

    The third step is to submit Qualification Materials. The required information and documents are described in Article 4 of the RFP document (ACE-JCP&L RFP Document (7/30/2009)). The forms (including the Proposal Summary Sheet and the Certification and Checklist) will be available shortly for this solicitation. We caution you against using the forms currently on the web site and dated 7-30-2009 but you may consult these forms to understand the information that will be required. Qualification Materials are submitted by overnight delivery service.

    We suggest that you consult the presentation from the conference call held on August 11, 2009 (called SREC-Based Financing Conference Call Presentation (8/11/2009) and also posted to the "Documents" page of our web site) for additional information. These documents contain important information regarding the eligibility of Projects depending on size and stage of development.

    In case you have not already done so, we encourage you to stay updated about this and future solicitations by registering for our mailing list. If you register, we will send updates and reminders about important dates directly to you by email.



    09/15/2009 in General

  • FAQ-87:
    What are the major deadlines for the second solicitation?

    The due dates for the second solicitation, which are as follows:

    • The Pricing Proposal and Qualification Materials for the second solicitation are due on December 11, 2009.
    • The Expression of Interest is due on December 7, 2009.

    A more detailed schedule is posted to the “Calendar” page of our Web site.

    All forms and documents necessary for the Proposal are posted to the “Documents” page of the Web site.



    09/15/2009 in General

  • FAQ-86:
    Why is the project size limited to 500 kW? Will future solicitations allow projects larger than 500 kW?

    The projects are limited to 500 kW to conform to the terms of the Stipulation entered into on March 13, 2009 by the EDCs, Rate Counsel, Staff, and The Solar Alliance. The Board approved the Stipulation in its Order dated March 27, 2009. Future solicitations will continue to adhere to the terms of the Stipulation and Board Order.



    09/15/2009 in Requirements for Proposals

  • FAQ-85:
    If a successful Proponent subsequently determines that the project cannot be constructed at the originally intended site, is there a cure period which would allow the Proponent to replace the successful project with a solar project at a similar site? If not, is there a mechanism that enables a Proponent to withdraw its bid after the August 25, 2009 deadline but before execution of the Purchase and Sale Agreement (“PSA”)?

    Neither provision exists. A bid is intended to be a binding bid tied to a specific site and proposal.



    08/26/2009 in General

  • FAQ-84:
    Are incentives or financing available for solar projects at either residential or commercial solar projects?

    Yes. The ACE and JCP&L SREC-Based Financing Program is aimed at creating the opportunity for solar power producers to lock in a long term contract (10-15 years) to supply SRECs to ACE or JCP&L. The program can be used for residential systems and for commercial systems. For more information regarding the program, please see the Documents page of the website. In particular, the RFP Document discusses the details of the program.

    In addition, please visit the New Jersey Office of Clean Energy website to learn about other solar incentive program opportunities.



    08/26/2009 in General

  • FAQ-83:
    Do the EDCs have any additional information, even if approximate, concerning how much they will charge for the required SREC meters?

    Yes. While, meter costs will depend on the capacity and service at the site and while the Companies are in the process of developing more specific prices they can offer the following for budgeting purposes:

    • for single phase installations up to 320 amps - less than $500;
    • for single phase installations over 320 amps or 3 phase installations approximately $1000, though the Companies retain the right to calculate and bill metering costs for non-typical installations.


    08/20/2009 in General

  • FAQ-82:
    We are a residential and commercial aggregator of SRECs. We typically work with homeowners and businesses to register their systems to produce SRECs, then purchase these SRECs over the long term. Can we participate as an aggregator without building new projects?

    No. The program is designed as a financing program. It is intended to facilitate financing of new solar installations by providing an opportunity to engage in ten to fifteen year SREC contracts at a fixed price. As such, participation does require that a bidder commit to constructing a specified solar facility and to sell SRECs produced at that facility.



    08/19/2009 in Requirements for Proposals

  • Revised FAQ-81:
    The Purchase and Sale Agreement (“PSA”) requires that the BPU inspection and the installation of a utility be paid for by the project. Is a cost schedule that outlines these costs available?

    A cost schedule is unavailable for the metering installation. Costs will vary depending on the size of the project and other installation factors. However, it is expected that most installations will require only a standard watt hour meter, and we would expect that you could obtain an approximation of the price range for such equipment.

    Please refer to FAQ-83 for an update to this answer.



    08/19/2009 in Purchase and Sale Agreement

  • FAQ-80:
    I have a project that was originally designed for approximately 600 kW.  I submitted a revised REIP application, site plan, and technical worksheet to reduce the size of the project to 500 kW. I expect to have a REIP registration number that reflects the 500 kW project size in time to submit a bid for the ACE and JCP&L SREC-Based Financing Program. With my RFP bid, I will include a formal letter stating that we will work with the customer to amend the PPA to reflect 500kW. Under these circumstances, can I submit a bid for a 500 kW project and meet the requirents of the RFP?

    Section 3.1.6 of the RFP rules states that "The size of the Project must be expressed in kilowatts (“kW”) and must correspond to the size of the Project provided in the Initial Application process under the REIP or the SREC Registration Program." It appears that you will be able to obtain a registration number consistent with a 500 kW size and an application describing the technical characteristics as 500 kW. If the REIP registration program is willing to grant a REIP number based on an application that shows a 500 KW or less system in the application and application technical worksheet, that will be acceptable for the RFP.

    There is no requirement under the RFP that you submit a copy of the PPA with the customer. You would only have to submit the PPA if it is part of the completed application under the REIP program, as it is a RFP requirement that you submit with the completed application. However, in evaluating the qualification materials we will look to the registration number and to the size of the project provided in the REIP application, which as you describe will be 500 kW. While an inconsistent PPA - if provided because it is part of the application - could raise a question if examined, we would not intend to second guess the officials granting the REIP based upon a project description of 500 kW. However, should you submit the PPA as part of the qualification material, it would be helpful to indicate that it is in the process of being amended so as to avoid any confusion.

    Please also note that the SREC Purchase and Sale Agreement contains Exhibit B, which is a project description. The project description requires that you provide a copy of the inspection report from OCE that includes the final "as built" Project Documents. It is imperative that the "as built" project not exceed 500 kW.



    08/19/2009 in Requirements for Proposals

  • FAQ-79:
    I submitted multiple Expression of Interest Forms, and received a separate Bid Form for each Project.  How do I submit my Pricing Proposals?
     


    If you are submitting Pricing Proposals for multiple projects, you will receive a separate Bid Form for each Project, and you will need to submit a completed Bid Form for each Project using the secure electronic file transfer system.  If you provided the same email address in the Expression of Interest Forms for multiple Projects, the password to log into the file transfer system will be the same for each Project with the same associated email address.  Once logged into the file transfer system, you may transfer Bid Forms for multiple Projects at once, by simply repeating the procedure described in the instructions provided to you with your Bid Form.

    Please note that you must also submit a complete qualification package for each Project as well.



    08/19/2009 in Requirements for Proposals , Evaluation of Proposals

  • FAQ-78:
    At what phase of the project development process do we apply?

    The project needs to be sufficiently advanced to apply for the REIP or SREC registration programs, but it cannot already be interconnected.

    In order to apply to the RFP, you will need the NJCEP Application Number.  In order to acquire an NJCEP Application Number, you will have to at least be in the design phase of the solar system development process.  More information regarding the NJCEP application process can be found here.  On the other hand, the project cannot be so far along that it is already interconnected.



    08/19/2009 in Requirements for Proposals

  • FAQ-77:
    Are other electric distribution companies (“EDCs”) implementing similar programs?

    The solicitation manager cannot speak to other available programs.  The ACE and JCP&L SREC-Based Financing Program is not a loan program, but rather a 10-15 year contractual agreement for the EDCs to buy SRECs at the prices set during the auction.  PSE&G has a loan program.



    08/19/2009 in General

  • FAQ-76:
    What were the winning prices in previous RFPs?

    This is the first ACE and JCP&L SREC RFP.



    08/19/2009 in General

  • FAQ-75:
    Can someone who is developing a project within ACE or JCP&L territory sell their SRECs elsewhere?

    Yes.  The program is aimed at creating the opportunity for solar power producers to lock in a long term contract with ACE or JCP&L.  Projects that are not committed to ACE or JCP&L through the SREC-Based Financing Program can sell their SRECs elsewhere.



    08/19/2009 in General

  • FAQ-74:
    Who judges the competitiveness of the RFP?

    As the Solicitation Manager, NERA has the responsibility to judge the competitiveness of the RFP, incorporating input from the EDCs, Board Staff and Rate Counsel.



    08/19/2009 in Evaluation of Proposals

Go to Page:    1 (Newest)    2    3    4    5 (Oldest)