The 250 MW solar and storage solicitation when complete will enable Platte River to increase the share of noncarbon energy mix in its portfolio to 54%, inching closer to its 100% target for 2030.
A not-for-profit, community-owned public electricity utility, Platte River Power Authority in the US is soliciting proposals to procure up to 250 MW of new solar PV generating capacity, including those with battery energy storage component.
The request for proposals (RFP) calls for the ‘largest amount of new, noncarbon generating capacity to date’ that can start producing electricity by 2025. These need to be located anywhere on the utility’s transmission system in northwest Colorado and the northern Front Range.
Platte River said it may also consider smaller projects of 25 MW or less that can connect to distribution systems of one or all of its owner communities of Estes, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland.
Developers are encouraged to include energy storage component that can provide 100% of the project’s nameplate capacity for at least 4 hours and be dispatchable by Platte River when needed.
“The goal is to have distributed energy resources in every owner community,” said General Manager and CEO of Platte River, Jason Frisbie. “We need to proactively manage the intermittency of renewables as we continue to diversify our portfolio in preparation for a future without dispatchable coal resources.”
According to the utility, under the company’s Resource Diversification Policy adopted in 2018 it aims to have 100% noncarbon energy mix by 2030. The 250 MW solicitation will enable it to increase its noncarbon energy mix to 54% in its overall annual energy production.
Last date to submit proposals is February 18, 2022.
Source: taiyangnews
