Almost three years ago, I reported that the White House Council on Environmental Quality had issued the Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. Since that time, the Nation Ocean Council, formed by President Obama in Executive Order 13547, has been working diligently to prepare an agency roadmap to put the new National Ocean Policy into action.
Ocean/Wave Energy
Army Holds Pre-Proposal Conference in Huntsville on Renewable Energy Procurement
On August 22, 2012, the U.S. Army Engineering & Support Center in Huntsville, AL held a pre-proposal conference to discuss the final multi-award task order contract that was issued on August 7, 2012 (the “Final RFP” or “MATOC”). My colleague, Lane Tucker, and I attended to hear the Army’s presentations and to engage directly with renewable energy developers, consultants, seasoned government contractors, large energy service contractors (ESCOs), and others. The conference provided attendees a great opportunity to explore the field of potential contractors and subcontractors and start (or continue) conversations about potential teaming arrangements that could result in both a MATOC award and one or more base task order awards.
For those who could not attend, fear not; all of the presentation materials will soon be available on the Army EITF website and the Huntsville team will post all of the questions presented, along with the Army’s formal responses, to the ProjNet website. Also important is that Tonju Butler, the Procuring Contracting Officer, indicated that the deadline for questions on the Final RFP would be extended from today until September 7, 2012, so that individuals and teams can have additional time to formulate and posit questions that may be important to their proposals. However, that change has not yet been posted to the FedBizOpps website as an amendment. It is too early to tell whether this extension foreshadows an extension of the October 5, 2012 proposal deadline. Right now, the Army is holding firm to that date, so individuals and teams that intend to respond should plan accordingly. Keep an eye out for other amendments to the Final RFP, too. Conference attendees were assured that more would be forthcoming to clarify small technical issues and, hopefully, to flush out the structure for proposing prices. All amendments will be posted to the FedBizOpps website for the MATOC.
Here are a few takeaways and a short discussion about some important issues. Be sure to check the Q&A on the ProjNet website for any official responses from the Army on these topics. Continue Reading Army Holds Pre-Proposal Conference in Huntsville on Renewable Energy Procurement
OPT Receives 35-Year FERC License for Wave Energy Project in Oregon
On August 13, 2012, Ocean Power Technologies ("OPT"), received some fantastic news when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC" or "the Commission") issued a first-of-its-kind, 35-year license to construct and operate a wave energy project off the coast of Oregon to its subsidiary, OPT Reedsport Wave Park, LLC. Stoel Rives attorneys are pleased with the FERC order, having worked with OPT to negotiate and…
BOEM and FERC Revise Guidelines for Wave and Ocean Current Technologies on the OCS
Today, at the HydroVision International conference in Louisville, Kentucky, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ("BOEM") and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") announced the publication of revised guidelines for potential marine and hydrokinetic ("MHK") developers interested in pursuing technology testing and commercial project development on the outer continental shelf (the "OCS"). The revised guidelines…
DOE Concludes 1603 a Big Job Creator
A surprise to no one involved in renewable energy, the DOE (via NREL) has just issued a report concluding 1603 created tens of thousands of new jobs.
See the report at http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/52739.pdf
Gov. Kitzhaber Names Margi Hoffman as Oregon’s Energy Policy Advisor
Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber announced today that he has named Margi Hoffman to serve as his Energy Policy Advisor. She will join the Governor’s office on April 2.
Ms. Hoffman has served as Senior Vice President and Director of Oregon Operations with Strategies360, a strategic consulting firm, and has also worked closely with Renewable Northwest Project (RNP)…
New DOE Resource Assessments Nudge Wave and Tidal Energy Forward
The U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) recently released two new nationwide resource assessments for wave and tidal energy projects in the U.S. The reports, funded by the DOE and prepared by the Electric Power Research Institute ("EPRI") and the Georgia Tech Research Corporation, present the most rigorous and comprehensive analysis to date on the magnitude of the…
Verdant Power Receives First FERC Pilot Project License
Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") issued its first pilot project license for a tidal energy project to Verdant Power, LLC for its Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy ("RITE") Project in New York’s East River (pictured at right). As a first-of-its-kind license, this is a significant step for the burgeoning tidal energy industry in the United…
What’s Happening in Small Hydro and Hydrokinetics?
Some very noteworthy things have happened this month in the world(s) of small hydro and hydrokinetics in the United States. Here’s a quick summary:
1. U.S. Departments of Energy and the Interior Award ~$17 Million for Advanced Hydropower R&D. On September 6, 2011, Secretaries Chu and Salazar announced that the two agencies will provide nearly $17…
Section 1603 Cash Grants for Renewable Energy Projects TeleBriefing
With the end of 2011 drawing near, many renewable energy developers are seeking to qualify their projects for the Section 1603 cash grant. Developers continue to try to understand the complexities surrounding the grant requirements, especially the determination of when projects are considered to have met the “beginning construction” requirement.
On August 24, I’ll moderate a Law Seminars …