HomeMy WebLinkAboutChris Rose DRAFT REAP REF SuggestionsDRAFT
Suggestions to Improve the Renewable Energy Grant Fund
Submitted by Chris Rose to be Considered at April 4, 2013 REFAC Meeting
• Sub-divide awards process by project stage
◦ Resource assessments and construction projects simply aren't
very comparable, regardless of technology
◦ Would allow the RFPs to be more specific in their instructions, and
target/assist for better proposals • Separate proposals by technology, (or set explicit goals regarding funding by technology) ◦ The current practice of saying "we are interested in biomass" is excessively vague. Committing to funding an energy sector will allow for increased clarity and certainty from the perspective of applicants, and will be more effective at soliciting more and better applications. ◦ Technologies have a variety of strengths and weaknesses. Better
to work with regional/state plans to determine sector goals,
then solicit/award the desired amounts to the chosen sectors
accordingly.
• Split the Program regionally
◦ Satisfies regional spreading goal
◦ Increases transparency in weighing regional spreading ◦ Compliments regional energy plans, improving the strategic efficacy of awarded grants ◦ Could allow regions to bank funds for a year or two if that results in superior proposals and superior projects. Improvements in project desirability will pay out through the life cycle of the project • Improve reporting requirements ◦ Precise estimates of overall program efficiency are hampered by an absence of information regarding expenditures of non-state
funds and project performance.
◦ State grant funding should be sufficient leverage to access that
information
• Change the timing of RFP and awards
◦ Applications should be worked on through the winter, not the
summer (move RFP to January, submission deadline to April) ◦ Recommendations should be available before the Governor's budget (October/November)
◦ Effort should be made to move legislative action to early in the legislative session, if funding is uncertain until the end of the session it makes procurement of goods and services for the construction season difficult.
Other Needs
Make it explicitly clear that resource assessments for tidal, wave and
hydrokinetic projects are elgiable for grants from the REGF but that pilot
projects testing technology are to be funded through the Emerging Energy
Technology Fund, at least until technologies “graduate” to eligibility under
the REGF. Determine “graduation” explicit criteria for emerging technologies so applicants are clear which fund they should apply to