Below are a few important updates for those interested in opportunities to contract with the U.S. armed services for renewable energy:
NEW Solicitation for NAWS China Lake: On July 26, 2012, the Department of the Navy published a Request for Information (RFI) for the development of large scale renewable energy generation at Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake, in California. The project will be in support of President Obama’s 1 GW goal for the Navy. In particular, the Navy will consider opportunities to host the development of a project between 20 MW and 200 MW on the base. Contracting authority would come under any of 10 U.S.C. 2667 (governing enhanced use leases), 10 U.S.C. 2916 (governing sales by the Navy of electricity from alternate energy and cogeneration facilities consistent with the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA)), or 10 U.S.C. 2922a (governing 30-year power purchase agreements). The Navy is clear in the RFI that it is "seeking information on a development that would generate energy for sale to the grid and/or for potential consumption at other [Navy] installations in the southwest. The [Navy] has an Interagency Agreement with Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and fulfills most of its electric demand in CA through Direct Access power. There is a potential for other [Navy] facilities to consume energy from this development through this arrangement."
The FedBizOpps Solicitation Number is N6247312C3805 and the RFI can be accessed here. While this is only a Request for Information, the the Navy is seeking analyses of the CAISO interconnection process, transmission access and capacity, an economic assessement of providing power to other Navy installations, the California RPS, and other aspects of the potential arrangement that would affect development at NAWS China Lake (all in 15 pages or less!). Statements of Interest from potential developers are due 45 days after the July 26 posting date.
El Paso Electric ("EPE") Extends Deadline for Fort Bliss Statements of Qualification ("SOQs"): EPE has exteded the deadline for parties to file SOQs for a 20 MW solar photovoltaic project that is expected to be located within the Fort Bliss military reservation. The deadline for submission is now 4:00 PM (MDT) on August 22, 2012. Information on the solicitation can be found here. Our original blog can be found here.
Army Corps of Engineers Expects to Release $7 Billion Solicitation THIS WEEK! In a notice issued on July 26, 2012, the U.S. Army Engineering & Support Center in Huntsville, Alabama announced that it will post its much-anticipated final RFP within 15 days, and since it was not released last week, look for it by Friday August 10! In the meantime, you can refresh your memory by reviewing the draft solicitation (W912DY-11-R-0036) here and reading our previous blogs on it, here and here.