Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA) Announces a Request for Offers (RFO) for Renewable Energy and Storage Projects in CAISO

Los Angeles, California, June 11, 2024: Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA), the fourth largest electricity provider and largest Community Choice Aggregator in California, announces a request for offers to meet its energy portfolio needs and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Procurement Orders and Resource Adequacy requirements.  

Through the Ascend Analytics Energy Exchange (AEX), CPA aims to solicit and evaluate offers for renewable energy generation, energy storage, and thermal energy resources with reduced GHG emissions to meet CPA’s energy and Resource Adequacy procurement obligations, environmental objectives, and to offer customers cost-competitive, clean energy options. Relative to last year’s 2023 Clean Energy and Reliability RFO, CPA has expanded product categories to include Energy Only options and has limited the Thermal options to only those with cleaner operations. Acceptable commercial operation dates vary by category but go all the way to June 1, 2031, and are unbounded for proposals in CAISO’s Queue Cluster 15. CPA has a preference for projects with an earlier start date.

CPA is accepting proposals for Queue Cluster 15 projects that otherwise meet the RFO eligibility criteria and will utilize this RFO, in part, to allocate CPA’s Commercial Interest points to selected projects consistent with the CAISO’s Interconnection Process Enhancements.  

1. Renewable Generation Only Contracts: (10 to 20 years PPA tenor) This category is for renewable generation projects offering PPAs that include all Attributes (Energy, RECs, RA)
   • Mid-term Reliability (MTR) Eligible Baseload/Firm Renewable Energy: Zero emissions generation capacity that is eligible under the requirements of California's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) program and has an expected annual capacity factor of at least 80%. No storage projects shall qualify under this product category.
   • Regular RPS Resources: RPS-eligible generation from solar, wind, geothermal, or other renewable resources, offered as standalone generation projects.
2. Renewable Generation Plus Storage Contracts: (10 to 20 years PPA tenor) RPS-eligible generation paired with storage projects. The storage discharge duration must be at least 4 hours and the capacity cannot exceed 100% of the generation nameplate capacity.
3. Standalone Storage Contracts: (10 to 20 years PPA tenor) Stand-alone storage projects with discharge duration for at least 4 hours.
4. RA Only Contracts: (5 to 15 years PPA tenor) RA-only projects from storage, thermals, or other qualifying resources.
5. PCC1 Energy Only (fixed price or index plus) Contracts: (5 to 20 years PPA tenor) RPS-eligible generation (e.g., solar, wind, geothermal) offered as PCC1 Energy Only fixed price or index+ contracts.
6. Dispatchable Thermal Energy with RA Contracts: (2 to 10 years PPA tenor)
   • Existing Dispatchable Gas projects (with RA) paired with storage: These may include gas fired generation resources htat are paired with storage (minimum 1 hour) to reduce greenhouse gas and emissions that impact local air quality.
   • Existing Dispatchable Gas projects (with RA) running on blended fuels: These may include gas fired generation resources that use a green hydrogen or renewable biogas blend that can demonstrate additional greenhouse gas emission reductions.

Thermal energy resources (CC, CT, RICE, CHP, or ST) with cleaner operations must offer a generation size of at least 10 MW

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Ascend Analytics, via the Ascend Energy Exchange, administers the RFO process on behalf of CPA and assists in the evaluation process. The RFO team will host an informational webinar for interested respondents on June 18, 2024, at 11 am PT. Submissions are due July 17, 2024, at 5 pm PT. To participate, ask questions, and receive RFP updates and materials, respondents can register on the CPA RFO Website.  

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About Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA)

CPA is the number one green power provider in the United States. Established in 2017, CPA is a not-for-profit Joint Powers Authority comprised of 35 local communities across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and serves more than three million residents and businesses in the region. CPA was established to provide communities with cost competitive electricity and a choice of clean energy options. CPA provides customers opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through clean energy choices and numerous programs that promote grid resiliency, electrification of transportation and buildings, and customer cost savings. CPA invests in the communities it serves through strengthening critical infrastructure and supporting skills training to prepare the workforce for the green economy. CPA will expand to serve 38 communities in the fall of 2025. CPA has an investment grade credit rating of A- from S&P Global Rankings.

About Ascend Analytics  

Ascend offers full-service procurement with an experienced team of analysts who have helped customers procure millions of megawatt-hours per year of renewable energy and battery storage capacity. Our support services include defining the procurement need, administering and hosting the RFP process, evaluating projects, and supporting during negotiations.

Media Contact

Media@ascendanalytics.com

‍Media Contact

Joseph Cabral, Clean Power Alliance
jcabral@cleanpoweralliance.org

Ascend Analytics is the leading provider of market intelligence and analytics solutions for the energy transition. The company’s offerings enable decision makers in power development and supply procurement to maximize the value of planning, operating, and managing risk for renewable, storage, and other assets. From real-time to 30-year horizons, their forecasts and insights are at the foundation of over $50 billion in project financing assessments. Ascend provides energy market stakeholders with the clarity and confidence to successfully navigate the rapidly shifting energy landscape.