US DOE releases new guidelines for large scale PV projects
The Energy Department's Federal Energy Management Program has issued a new resource that provides best practices and other helpful guidance for federal agencies developing large-scale renewable energy projects. The Large-Scale Renewable Energy Guide: Developing Renewable Energy Projects Larger than 10 MWs at Federal Facilities provides a comprehensive framework including active project management strategies, common terms, and principles that reduce project uncertainties and promote partnerships between the federal government, private developers, and financiers. Improving coordination on large-scale renewable energy projects will help ensure successful projects while diversifying our energy supply, creating jobs, and advancing national goals for energy security.
Renewable energy at federal facilities represents a large clean energy resource for the United States. Federal energy policies, requirements, and goals require the development of nearly three gigawatts of renewable power projects over the next decade.
The guide describes the fundamentals of deploying financially-attractive large-scale renewable energy projects and provides common terms and explanations to improve communication between government agencies and private developers as they navigate the project development and execution process. It also offers best practices to help federal agencies mitigate risks and demonstrate strong project characteristics for large-scale renewable energy installations.
Federal project managers who use the guide to design and develop their projects learn best practices for private-sector financing across a variety of funding options and competitive acquisition processes. The guide will also help commercial developers better understand federal energy planning and acquisition processes. Built on lessons learned from both the private sector and federal agencies, the guide shows how federal agencies can help attract project developers and private capital investment, while ensuring federal energy goals and requirements are met.
The guide was developed by the Energy Department's Federal Energy Management Program and National Renewable Energy Laboratory, with contribution and assistance provided by the U.S. Army Energy Initiatives Task Force (EITF). It was developed in concert with the EITF's process for large-scale renewable energy project development.
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy accelerates development and facilitates deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality. Learn more about how the Energy Department provides the services, tools, and expertise to federal agencies to help them achieve their federal energy management goals by visiting the Federal Energy Management Program website.