Renewable Energy Sources, Distributed Generation, & CHP
Combining green power options such as wind-generated or photovoltaic electricity with conventional energy resources offers long-term solutions for customers and utilities and helps to ensure a more stable energy future. GDS provides expertise in addressing the complex economic, engineering, scientific, and governmental issues associated with renewable and other distributed generation resources that impact utilities, government agencies, developers, and their customers. Our expert staff of policy strategists, engineers, and analysts has solid experience in numerous distributed generation and renewable energy resource areas including:
Resource assessment and development
Development of renewable resource portfolio standards
Integrated resource planning support (renewable, fossil-fueled and energy efficiency technology)
Technical support
Feasibility studies
Market assessment studies
Rate impact analysis
Resource procurement
Expert testimony
ASSESSING AND INTEGRATING GREEN POWER
Rapidly advancing technology requires up-to-date knowledge within the field of distributed generation, combined heat and power, and renewable energy resources. GDS provides resource identification and assessment support for numerous green power and distributed generation technologies. Utilizing renewable resources, such as wind and solar power, combined heat and power, fuel cells, microturbines, and other distributed generation technologies can create unique issues with the potential to substantially impact existing utility power grids, base rates, and project economics. GDS provides clients with timely and cost-effective strategies for developing and navigating through interconnection guidelines, stand-by and back-up policies, net metering issues, etc. that arise through integration of these generation resources within the utility system.
GREEN POWER SERVICES
Feasibility/cost-effectiveness studies
Technology baseline assessments
Energy/dependable capacity estimation from hard to quantify, often intermittent, resources.
Market and technical potential analyses
BUYING GREEN POWER
A professionally developed request for proposals (RFP), prepared with the assistance of GDS, sets the stage for successful incorporation of distributed generation resources into a utility’s energy supply portfolio. The concept of “reverse RFPs” (i.e., where merchant power plant developers issue an RFP to utilities for bids on purchasing power from their generating facilities) is also increasing in popularity. Later phases of procurement require careful evaluation of proposals, contract negotiation, and often, stranded cost mitigation/ renegotiation of older, high-priced power-purchase contracts. Our staff has solid experience in all of these areas. We can assist with developing and issuing RFPs, as well as evaluating responses to an RFP and negotiating/renegotiating contracts with successful bidders.