Rocky Mountain Power - Blue Sky Renewable Energy Project Funding

2009 Award Application Process - Tips & Questionnaire Form

**Application Deadline Date: May 15 no later than 5P.M. – MountainStandard Time

Thank you for your interestin the Blue Sky Funding Award Program. RockyMountain Power strives to promote innovation and work with customers and communities to increase the visibility of renewable energy generation technologies through education and community outreach.

Background

Through the Blue Sky Block program Rocky Mountain Power provides opportunities to qualifying parties to receive financial incentives for commercial applications of renewable energy technology and demonstration projects using emerging technologies. The intent of these awards is to fund projects that have a high chance of succeeding but need help overcoming barriersto make the project viable.

Project funding comes from Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky Block program that enables customers to purchase 100-kilowatt hour increments to help encourage development of new clean energy in the region, The funds received from participating customers are earmarked for the program and are used to purchase renewable energy credits from regional renewable energy facilities to match Block purchases. Funds also are used for customer education, community outreach and program administration costs. Funds not spent after covering program costs may be used to support qualifying initiatives, which include providing funding to community-based renewable energy projects installed in Rocky Mountain Power’s service area in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. The amount available for funding awards varies from year to year and will be offered on a competitive basis.

Information about past funding award may be found at

Eligibility

  • Renewable energy projects eligible for funding awards may include those that support technologies such as wind, solar, low-emission biomass, wave, certified low-impact hydro and geothermal. The generation must meet Green-e Energy standards. See information available at -
  • Projects must be in Rocky Mountain Power’s service area, be locally owned and produce less than 10 megawatts of electricity.
  • Projects are expected to be completed within two years of the receipt of funding and focus on encouraging renewable energy market transformation - . RockyMountain Power may require the return of award monies if the project is not completed within this timeline.
  • Ineligible projects include any off-grid projects or projects from private individuals (residential customers). Projects that provide direct financial benefit to a for-profit-business may be considered if an organization is a Blue Sky participant at the Visionary level (link to business partnership page)

Application Tips & Instructions

We need a thorough understanding of your project. Rocky Mountain Power Blue Sky awards come fromfunds collected through the self-funded Blue Sky Block program. It is not a ratepayer expense that is recovered from Rocky Mountain Power customers.

It is strongly recommended that applicants first read through the information available at

Applicants must complete the application form provided for their project to be considered for funding. RockyMountain Power requests that you complete this form in Microsoft Word. If you are unsure about theanswer to any particular question, please submit the most detailed information you have available. Respondents should note that the questionnaire will serve as the primary means by which projects will be evaluated. Questions about the fund award, the questionnaire, and the funding process should be submitted to

You may also submit attachments with your completed application to support your proposal including schematics, drawings, photographs, narratives, permits, quotes, letters of support, etc.you consider useful in the evaluation of your project.

Your application should include clearly stated objectives, specific tasks to achieve them, construction plans, evidence of your projects feasibility including permitting, interconnection arrangements, operator experience, an expected installation timetable, itemized costs of completing your project – i.e. equipment costs, installation costs, ongoing operating and maintenance costs, permitting costs and other relevant costs. You should describe work that has already been done toward implementing the project and how the impact and effectiveness of the project will be measured. You should also describe all sources of financing or revenue. We strongly encourage our applicants to seek funding or in-kind donations from a variety of sources to strengthen the application. Project applicants may be chosen to receive full or partial funding based on the amount requested.

Demonstration projects must include a plan of how the knowledge gained will be used to build the renewable energy market.

Award Process & Funding Award Agreement

RockyMountain Power will make award payments to project sponsors upon receipt of a signed acceptance/agreement letter. In exchange for providing funding Rocky Mountain Power requires award recipients to commit to a set of deliverables. Applicants should be aware of the following requirements if selected as an award recipient.

  • Written quarterly progress reportsareexpected and due on the 15th day of the month following the close of the calendar quarter until the project is completed and on-line. The report must include a project summary/overview statement,project schedule, list of accomplishments and issues faced for the reporting period, summary statement regarding progress against the development/construction plan including percent complete, a ,financial report showing how Blue Sky funds have been expended with back-up documentation, pictures of the project or project area.
  • A Final report is due upon completion of the project summarizing the project specifications,completion date, anticipated electricity production, education components and community benefits.
  • If non-secured funding is required to complete the project, recipient must demonstrate to Rocky Mountain Power’s satisfaction via letter that full funding has been secured for the project one year from the date of receiving the funding award. If full funding for the project has not been secured by this time the project recipient may be asked to refund the full amount of the funding award to Rocky Mountain Power.
  • Project sponsors are expected to notify the company as soon as possible in writing of any change in project scope. Re-sizing or changing the scope of a project will require the project sponsor to submit an updated application with including an explanation of the change in scope. The original level of funding provided will be re-evaluated at that time against the new project scope and may require the return of award monies received to Rocky Mountain Power.
  • Keep the Blue Sky funding award administrator and local utility contact appraised of project updates and opportunities to participate in on-line celebrations and news/press announcements.
  • Allow Rocky Mountain Power, its customers and guests at least 2 tours each year, subject to 30 day advanced notice by Rocky Mountain Power.
  • Allow Rocky Mountain Power to include information regarding your project in customer communication material used by Rocky Mountain Power . This includes Rocky Mountain Power’s right to use photographs of the facility in brochures and Internet pages for purposes of supporting the Blue Sky renewable energy program.
  • To the extent the project is able to generate renewable energy credits, agree to grant Rocky Mountain Power the share of the project’s renewable energy credit for subsequent use within RockyMountain Power’s Blue Sky program for the life of the project. The share amount is expressed as a percentage of output when comparing the utility’s financial contribution to the overall cost of the project. RockyMountain Power will also be given the opportunity to purchase additional renewable energy credits from the project.

Returning the Application/Questionnaire and Additional Submissions

Materials may be submitted with the completed application form by mail or express carrier, fax or email as indicated below.

RockyMountain Power
Attn: BlueSkyFundAward
OneUtahCenter - 24th Floor
201 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Fax: (800) 754-3114
Email:

COMPLETED APPLICATION AND SUPPORT MATERIALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5PM Mountain Standard Time May 15, 2009. The timely return of a completed questionnaire is mandatory for consideration for a Blue Sky fund award. RockyMountain Power may contact you for further information, so please provide current contact information. You will be notified in writing of the status of application in the fall 2009.

General Information
Date of submittal
Name of requesting organization
Organizational type of project host (business, non-profit, governmental entity)
Please provide a general description of your organization, including mission statement.
Please specify Federal TAX ID #; W-9 Form; or Certification of 5013c status
Organization Website
Mailing Address
Phone
Email address
Project Description
Name of proposed project
Brief description of proposed project
Physical Address where project will be installed (street address, city, state, zip code)
Is the project located in PacifiCorp’s service area? This is a requirement. See
Indicate whether the host facility or project sponsor is participating in Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky program
Primary Contact Information
Primary contact name (person Rocky Mountain Power should contact to discuss the application)
Contact’s role in the project (project developer, internal project manager, advocate, owner's agent, etc.)
Organization Name
Email address
Phone
Mailing Address
Award Check Information
Name to appear on Award Check
Address for Award Check
How did you hear about the Blue Sky Funding Award program
Applicants Overall Statement
Please provide a short narrative as to why this project merits support and should receive a funding award from the Blue Sky program, be as specific as possible.
  • What are your goals (be as specific as possible)?
  • How the Blue Sky funds would be applied
  • Methodsthat will be used to track/measure/communicate results and benefits of the project to the community
  • How the Blue Sky program and participating customers will be recognized.
  • Are there local education benefits.

Please describe your experience developing arenewable energy project. Please specify years of experience and describe other projects you’ve been involved in and specifically your connection to the site and years of experience with the technology.
Describe what work has already been done toward implementing the project. What is the probability of completion within two years?
Has your organization applied for a Blue Sky funding award program before - if yes, please describe when, the type of project and whether an award was granted.
Project Information
Describe the history of this project and the driving factors for the project
General description of the proposed project site (description of site itself, location of generating equipment onsite, and location of interconnection, if grid tied).
Describe the benefits of the project to the project owner, the local utility, the local community, participating Blue Sky customers and the renewable energy marketplace.
Please indicate if this project is part of a new construction project or retrofit and/or if it is a project already under construction.
Is this a demonstration project, If so, please include a plan of how the knowledge gained will be used to build the renewable energy market.
Please identify the proposed size of the project in kW, as well as the annual estimated electricity generation in kilowatt-hours.
Is the project to be grid-tied? (note off-grid projects do not qualify)
Is this an onsite (behind the meter) project or utility-side (in front of the meter) project?
Indicate whether the site been evaluated or measured for renewable energy output and compliance with local, state, and federal codes? Has a site feasibility assessment been completed? Is the site suitable for the proposed project?
Technology
Technology type(s), e.g. solar, wind, biomass, etc Must meet program eligibility requirements. Is the technology proven and established.
Type of equipment to be utilized
List generator manufacturer(s), generator nameplate rating(s) and model number(s) for each generator to be employed.
Describe generator fuel source and any supplemental power source (if any).
Is the equipment you require available now
Is the technology proven and established
Construction/Operation/Timeframe
Briefly describe the construction plan - design, engineering, procurement, and construction process
Estimated date construction will be initiated
Estimated date construction will be completed.
Estimated commissioning/commercial online date
Has the system been fully engineered – do you have design details?
Have contractors been selected for the project?
Have all permits been secured or issued for the project (air/land use/construction permits) or have applications been submitted? If not, describe their status. Permits must be secured and/or demonstration that construction of the project is allowed by ordinance.
Have you considered the net-metering provisions in your construction timeline?
Have rights/leases been secured?
Have construction contracts or proposals been obtained? If so, please submit with your application.
Have interconnection arrangements been made?
What are the primary delay risks for completing the project?
What critical approvals must be granted to this project, or it’s supporting agreements (e.g. grants, loans, PPAs, other off take agreements, interconnect, financing, etc.)? Please be detailed about each pending approval process, given its impact on final commissioning date. .
What are the primary perceived risks to project approval and completion (internal opposition, permitting, credit challenges, etc.)? Please describe risk mitigation plans for each risk.
Ownership
Who will own the project? If more than one party, please list and mention responsibilities of each party and their ownership shares.
Will the owner be a taxable entity? Is the owner able to fully monetize available tax credits? Please demonstrate how other sources of money are being leveraged to complete the project.
Please describe your experience and list credentials demonstrating your ability to undertake this project.
Is the power and/or fuel generated from the project to be used onsite, sold to a utility, or sold to a 3rd party? If so, approximately what percentage will be sold to each, and at what estimated price?
Project Cost & Cost Sharing Information
What is the estimated total cost of the project?
Describe all funding source partners and income streams to the project.We expect projects to leverage all potential sources of funding and identify those sources.
Please list all applicable incentives to be applied to this project. .
Please identify sources of funding and the percent of total project cost this represents as well as the nature of the contribution – cash, in-kind, secured, and pending.
Please indicate amount requested from the Blue Sky program.
Please describe financial need and current level of project completion. Are funds from the Blue Sky program imperative to make the project a go?
What are the estimated annual operating expenses of this project?
Who will operate and maintain the project?
Environmental Attributes – Renewable Energy Credits
Have any arrangements or prearrangements been made with regard to assigning the ownership of any Renewable Energy Certificates (RECS also known as green tags) generated from the project? Green tags are tradable financial instruments that represent the environmental attributes of electricity generated from renewable energy resources. When Rocky Mountain Power provides funding for a renewable energy project it expects to take title to share of the project’s green tags relative to the amount of the funding award and the total project costs on behalf of participating Blue Sky customers. The company does not use the RECs for any other purpose.
Addition comments

I certify that the information provided above responding to this questionnaire is both accurate and current. I also understand that submitting an application in no way obligates RockyMountain Power to provide funding. Funds are distributed at the sole discretion of Rocky Mountain Power

Signature: / Date:
Printed Name:
Title:
Company:

Contact number: ______

If this request is being submitted by a party other than the host, please indicate below that the organization has approved the project. Please provide the parties name and contact information below.

Name / Title / Contact Information

Rocky Mountain Power Blue Sky Fund Award Questionnaire, Page 1Pacific Power

Updated DRAFT – January 2009