Berkeley Lab and the Clean Energy States Alliance

CASE STUDIES OF STATE SUPPORT

FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY

The Impact of State Clean Energy Fund

Support for Utility-Scale Renewable
Energy Projects

Mark Bolinger and Ryan Wiser

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

CONTENTS
Introduction obligated and the number, capacity,
and resource type of projects
Introduction ................... 1
At least fourteen states across the supported.
Key Findings.................. 2
Conclusions ................... 7 U.S. have established funds to
promote the development and This case study focuses on projects
commercialization of renewable supported by funds that are
energy technologies. Most often members of the Clean Energy States
financed by a small surcharge on Alliance (CESA). CESA is a non-
retail electricity rates, these funds profit, membership-based, multi-
currently collect more than $500 state coalition consisting of most of
million per year in aggregate in the clean energy funds throughout
May 2006 support of renewables. At this the United States.1 CESA provides
funding level, state clean energy information and technical assistance
funds are positioned to be a major to its member funds, and works with
driver of renewable energy them to develop and promote clean
development. energy technologies and to create
The database from which the and expand the markets for these
information in this report has Though state clean energy funds technologies.
been compiled can be found at have pursued a variety of
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/cases/ approaches in the use of their funds, The database on which this
Large_Renewables_Database.xls support for the deployment of summary is based will be updated
utility-scale renewable energy periodically to provide a running
projects – such as commercial wind, summary of state activity and
biomass, and geothermal projects – influence. The Excel database
has been a principal target of most contains information on all non-
funds. This case study, and the photovoltaic, utility-scale (defined
Download other clean energy database it describes, summarizes here as 1 MW or larger in nameplate
fund case studies from: the support that clean energy funds capacity), new renewable energy
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/EMS/cases/ have provided to utility-scale projects (whether currently on line
or renewable energy projects in recent
years, detailing – among other 1
Specifically, CESA consists of 18
www.cleanenergystates.org things – the amount of funds funds in 14 states. More information is
available at www.cleanenergystates.org.
Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy May 2006

or not) that have received (or been obligated) Key Findings

construction- or production-related financial
support from CESA-member clean energy 1. State clean energy fund support for
funds. The database does not include projects utility-scale renewable energy projects is
that have received only pre-development significant.
support; nor does it cover R&D or other non-
deployment activities. In addition, several clean Of the fourteen states with CESA-member clean
energy funds, including those in California and energy funds, eight have provided construction
New York, now provide direct financial or operational support to utility-scale renewable
assistance to projects participating in each energy projects. As shown in Figure 1 and
state’s renewables portfolio standard (RPS) – the Table 1, since 1998, clean energy funds in these
database does not include such RPS-related eight states have set aside or obligated more than
support. $475 million in construction or operational
support for 250 renewable energy projects
The database includes both project and incentive totaling 2,642 MW. After accounting for
information, to the extent readily available. cancellations – 16 projects totaling 393 MW
Project information includes: project location, have had their incentives canceled to date2 – and
resource type (e.g., wind, geothermal, etc.), penalties due to missed milestones, the total
nameplate capacity, project participants (e.g., amount of funding currently obligated stands at
developer/owner), project status (i.e., online, nearly $400 million. So far, 178 projects
pending, or canceled), online date (if totaling 1,116 MW have been built, while 56
applicable), and power purchase agreement projects totaling 1,133 MW are still in the
(PPA) counterparty (if applicable). Incentive development pipeline.
information includes: supporting clean energy
fund, incentive type (e.g., grant vs. production
incentive vs. loan), original and revised 16 projects
393 MW
incentive amount, date of incentive award, canceled canceled
solicitation name (if any), and treatment of the
project’s tradable renewable certificates (TRCs –
i.e., whether the fund places any restrictions on 56 projects
1,116 MW
the sale of TRCs from the project). Finally, in pending
on-line
addition to reporting the incentive as it is 178 projects
1,133 MW
actually structured, we also normalize all pending on-line
incentives to their equivalent 5-year production
incentive value in order to facilitate broad
comparisons across projects, technologies, and
clean energy funds. Figure 1. Status of Projects and Capacity
Supported
The remainder of this report provides summary
information compiled from the database as of
March 2006. For more detailed information on
individual states or projects, see the actual
database itself, which can be accessed at
2
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/cases/Large_Renewab Four wind projects in New York account for 267
les_Database.xls. MW of the 393 MW that have had incentives
canceled to date. These four projects agreed to
forfeit their incentives, as required, in order to
participate in New York’s RPS. One of these four
projects has since received support from NYSERDA
under the state’s RPS (in the form of a 10-year TRC
purchase). As noted earlier, though, our database
does not include this RPS-related support.

The Impact of State Clean Energy Fund Support for Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects 2
Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy May 2006

Table 1. Summary of State Support for Utility-Scale Renewable Projects (as of March 2006)
Project # of Obligated Funding ($) Capacity (MW)
Location Projects Original Current Original Canceled Pending Online

CA 60 $243,573,376 $189,970,791 1,291.5 64.5 748.5 478.5

IL 5 $8,425,000 $8,425,000 112.5 0.0 6.0 106.5
MA* 5 $32,756,736 $32,756,736 52.3 0.0 49.0 3.3
ME* 1 $5,600,000 $5,600,000 19.0 0.0 19.0 0.0
MN 147 $107,679,545 $107,679,545 253.3 1.7 35.3 216.3
NH* 1 $2,720,000 $2,720,000 50.0 0.0 50.0 0.0
NJ 6 $17,782,026 $14,682,026 38.9 21.0 6.9 11.0
NY 11 $25,560,000 $10,460,000 316.1 266.5 8.0 41.6
OR 4 $3,800,000 $3,800,000 122.0 0.0 6.0 116.0
PA 10 $27,292,000 $21,442,000 386.6 39.6 204.5 142.5
Total 250 $475,188,683 $397,536,097 2,642.2 393.3 1,133.2 1,115.6
*Maine and New Hampshire do not currently have clean energy funds. The projects located in these two states have received
support from Massachusetts’ clean energy fund. Similarly, one wind project located in Massachusetts has received financial
support from Rhode Island’s renewable energy fund.

2. California has been the biggest player 3. The amount of renewable generating
historically, but other states have been capacity supported by state funds
more active recently. continues to increase, though the growth
rate has slowed markedly.
Among the states listed in Table 1, California
clearly dominates, accounting for roughly half of As shown in Figure 2, with the exception of
total dollars obligated, as well as capacity 1999 and 2004, the amount of renewable
obligated and online. This not only reflects the generating capacity being supported by these
sheer size of California’s renewable energy eight states has risen each year. Likewise, the
program, but also its early initiative: amount of obligated capacity that has come
California’s first auction of production online has also risen, with proportionally larger
incentives to utility-scale renewable energy increases in 2001, 2003, and 2005 – all years in
projects occurred in June 1998, roughly two which the federal production tax credit (PTC)
years prior to similar activity in other states. By for wind power was scheduled to expire, thereby
the same token, however, California has not encouraging completion of wind projects prior
encumbered new funding for such projects since to year’s end (see Figure 3 for a clearer, wind-
2001,3 and has also experienced difficulty in specific view of this phenomenon). Even so, the
bringing funded projects online – 66% of all rapid growth in new obligated capacity in the
pending capacity is in California. Meanwhile, early years has slowed markedly since 2003,
much of the activity in other states has been perhaps partly in response to the slower-than-
more recent. expected pace of development among projects
already obligated funding. The transition of
California and New York towards supporting
3
This lapse is due in large part to the creation of the such projects through RPS policies has no doubt
California RPS, under which the role of California’s also played a role in slowing the growth of new
program that formerly targeted new utility-scale obligated capacity.
projects has changed to providing supplemental
energy payments (SEPs) intended to cover the above-
market cost of RPS contracts. Though no RPS
contracts approved to date have required SEPs, such
support would not be included in our database
regardless, since it is RPS-related.

The Impact of State Clean Energy Fund Support for Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects 3
Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy May 2006

Cumulative Nameplate Capacity (MW) 3,000 Total Obligated Capacity Online Obligated Capacity

2,500
average "development cycle" of 5 years
2,000 (in aggregate) 1527 MW gap
1,133 M W pending
393 M W canceled

1,500

1,000

500

0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
(partial)

Figure 2. Cumulative Renewable Capacity Obligated and Online Over Time

4. Development difficulties have been 5. Wind energy is a major recipient of

encountered. financial support.

It is apparent from Figure 2 that the amount of Having captured more than 60% of total funding
obligated capacity coming online has not kept to utility-scale renewable projects, wind power
pace with the amount of new capacity being accounts for more than 80% of all obligated,
obligated funds: the gap between the two online, and pending capacity. As shown in Table
currently stands at 1,527 MW, a level that has 2, 970 MW of obligated wind capacity is now
remained more or less constant since 2002 online, and more than 900 MW are still pending
(again, as shown in Table 1, 393 MW of this (of the 330 MW of wind projects that have had
amount has been canceled or withdrawn, leaving their incentives canceled, 267 MW are in New
1,133 MW still pending). This is partly a York – see footnote 2 for an explanation). This
reflection of unforeseen difficulties in the high concentration reflects the cost-effectiveness
development process, such as permitting and widespread availability of wind power. The
challenges, difficulty securing a power purchase next largest resource (in terms of funding and
agreement,4 and the failure of Congress to capacity) is geothermal, which has been
extend the PTC in a timely manner (in 2004). supported by a single state – California. Landfill
On an aggregate basis, the length of the gas projects have also been somewhat successful
“development cycle” (i.e., the amount of time at securing state incentives, though a relatively
before a given amount of obligated capacity high number of such projects have since been
actually comes online) has, to date, been about 5 canceled.
years on average – no doubt longer than most
would have anticipated back in 1998. Figure 3 shows the cumulative amount of
obligated capacity that has come online over
time, by resource type.

4
The lack of power purchase agreements is a key
reason why both California and New York have
moved towards an RPS structure that relies upon
state renewable energy funds.

The Impact of State Clean Energy Fund Support for Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects 4
Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy May 2006

Table 2. Support for Utility-Scale Renewable Projects, by Resource Type (as of March 2006)
Resource # of Obligated Funding ($) Capacity (MW)
Type Projects Original Current Original Canceled Pending Online

Biomass 9 $20,347,840 $16,407,902 98.7 9.5 77.9 11.3

Digester Gas 3 $4,108,210 $4,108,210 6.0 0.0 6.0 0.0
Geothermal 4 $80,331,618 $80,331,618 156.9 0.0 97.9 59.0
Hydro 8 $14,946,409 $13,757,139 50.8 0.0 18.5 32.3
Landfill Gas 30 $41,974,893 $33,689,649 91.7 23.7 24.6 43.4
Waste Tire 1 $7,232,413 $0 30.0 30.0 0.0 0.0
Wind 195 $306,247,300 $249,241,580 2,208.2 330.1 908.4 969.7

Total 250 $475,188,683 $397,536,097 2,642.2 393.3 1,133.2 1,115.6

1,200
Cumulative Online Capacity (MW)

Digester Gas
1,000
Biomass

800 Hydro
Landfill Gas
600 Geothermal
Wind
400

200

0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
(partial)

Figure 3. Cumulative Online Capacity Supported by CESA-Members, by Renewable Resource

6. States are increasingly using new and have begun to expand their offerings to include
innovative incentive structures to support debt financing, negotiated purchases of a
projects. project’s tradable renewable certificates (TRCs),
and “insurance” products that mitigate the
The structure of state clean energy fund support project’s price risk in the absence of a long-term
for utility-scale renewable energy projects has power purchase agreement.
evolved somewhat over time. In the late 1990s,
production incentives and grants were the Figure 4 shows the prevalence of each type of
predominant form of support. While both are incentive employed, based on percentage of total
still regularly employed,5 a number of states dollars obligated. As shown, real-time
production incentives – utilized in California,
5
Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and
States are becoming increasingly innovative in their Pennsylvania – account for 78% of all dollars
use of grants and production incentives. For
obligated. Another 4% involves a variation on
example, some states have provided up-front, lump-
sum, production incentives that are earned over time
and secured by a letter of credit. Such an incentive grant, without negatively impacting the project’s
provides similar value to the project as an up-front ability to capture the federal production tax credit.

The Impact of State Clean Energy Fund Support for Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects 5
 Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy May 2006

real-time production incentives, where instead of funds, and society in building or supporting
metering out funding over time, funding is projects that efficiently produce the maximum
provided up-front in a lump sum, but earned amount of clean, renewable energy. Just as
over time through electricity production or importantly, unlike grants, production-based
delivery of TRCs.5 Pennsylvania, Oregon, and incentives are unlikely to trigger the anti-double-
Illinois have each employed this type of dipping provisions of the federal production tax
incentive. Massachusetts and Rhode Island have credit (PTC) for renewable energy contained in
offered various forms of TRC purchase and Section 45 of the US tax code. How different
price insurance products, accounting for 8% of incentive types interact with the PTC is an
all dollars obligated. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania important consideration, given the PTC’s
and New Jersey have provided debt financing potential value to a project.
equal to about 3% of all dollars obligated.
Finally, grants in Illinois, Minnesota, New 8. Normalized incentive levels vary based on
Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania make up a number of factors.
the remaining 7% of dollars obligated.
Figure 5 shows the normalized (to 5-year
$15,975,000 production incentive equivalent) range of state
advance production clean energy fund support for each renewable
78% paym ents or TRC
4% purchases (P A, OR, IL) resource. Incentive levels have ranged widely,
particularly for wind, hydro, and biomass
$40,271,736
$371,721,947 8% long-term TRC purchase or projects. In each of those cases, however, the
real-tim e option contr acts (MA, RI) capacity-weighted average normalized incentive
production 3%
paym ents $14,650,000 falls close to the low end of the range, implying
(CA, MN, NJ, NY, PA) 7% debt (PA, NJ) that there is not much capacity at the high end of
$32,570,000 the range. Typically, the high end of the range
grants (IL, MN, NJ, NY, PA) represents very small projects that have been
able to secure generous incentives, perhaps
justified by the disproportional impact of
transaction costs and diseconomies of scale that
Figure 4. Percentage of Obligated Dollars small projects must sometimes overcome.
Awarded Through Various Incentive Types
Although sample size (in terms of both number
of projects and capacity involved) varies widely
7. Support is predominantly production- across resources, the ranking of resources based
based, rewarding electricity generation on capacity-weighted average normalized
rather than project construction. incentive level is not too surprising.
Specifically, biomass and wind projects have
In aggregate, incentives that are based on actual required some of the lowest incentives on
production make up 90% of all dollars obligated average, while digester gas projects have
(i.e., 78% real-time production payments plus typically required more support (though the
4% advance production payments or TRC range of average incentives among resources is
purchases plus 8% TRC price insurance or fairly tight overall, from $7-21/MWh on a 5-
ongoing TRC purchase commitments). More so year equivalent basis).
than grants, such production-based incentives
align the interests of project developers, state

The Impact of State Clean Energy Fund Support for Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects 6
Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy May 2006

Equivalent 5-Yr Production Payment ($/MWh) 90

Maximum Incentive
80
Capacity-Weighted Average
70
Minimum Incentive
60
50

40
30
20
10
0
Biogas Hydro Geothermal LFG Wind Biomass Waste Tire
3 projects 8 projects 4 projects 30 projects 195 projects 9 projects 1 project
6 MW 51 MW 157 MW 92 MW 2,208 MW 99 MW 30 MW

Figure 5. Equivalent 5-Year Production Incentives by Resource Type

Conclusions the amount of financial support provided to

individual projects has varied widely, on average
To date, CESA-member state clean energy funds the level of incentive provided to projects to date
have committed a substantial amount of funding does not appear to be unreasonable.
in support of utility-scale (> 1 MW) renewable
energy projects. This funding, currently about The database from which this information has
$400 million, is already supporting 1,116 MW been compiled is publicly available at
of new renewable capacity, and could eventually http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/cases/Large_Renewab
support up to 2,249 MW (i.e., 1,133 MW of les_Database.xls, and will be updated
obligated capacity still remains in the periodically as new funding is obligated and new
development pipeline). California has by far projects come online.
provided the most support of any fund (though
not since 2001), while wind has by far received
the most support of any renewable resource.
Other state funds, however, are also supporting
such projects (in some cases at similarly
aggressive levels as California relative to the
total size of endowment), and other renewable
resources are also garnering attention and
funding. Progress in obligating funds for new
projects, and in bringing previously obligated
projects online, has been fairly steady over time,
though undoubtedly slower than originally
envisioned with respect to development and
construction. State funds are experimenting
with increasingly innovative financial
incentives, ranging from production incentives
provided in an up-front lump sum and then
earned over time, to various forms of debt
financing, to options and other forms of price
insurance on a project’s TRCs. Finally, while

The Impact of State Clean Energy Fund Support for Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects 7
Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy May 2006

INFORMATION SOURCES

Bolinger, M. 2004. A Survey of State Support for Community Wind Power Development. LBNL-
54715. Berkeley, Calif.: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/cases/community_wind.pdf

Bolinger, M. 2002. Use of Low-Interest, Subordinated Debt to Finance a Wind Project in

Pennsylvania. LBNL-51514. Berkeley, Calif.: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/cases/Subordinated_Debt.pdf

Bolinger, M. and R. Wiser. 2002. Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects: A Survey of Clean Energy
Fund Support. LBNL-49667. Berkeley, Calif.: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/reports/49667.pdf

Bolinger, M. and R. Wiser. 2002. Production Incentive Auctions to Support Large-Scale Renewables
Projects in Pennsylvania and California. LBNL-51511. Berkeley, Calif.: Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory.
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/cases/Production_Incentives.pdf

Bolinger, M., R. Wiser, L. Milford, M. Stoddard, K. Porter. 2001. Clean Energy Funds: An Overview
of State Support for Renewable Energy. LBNL-47705. Berkeley, Calif.: Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory. http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/reports/47705.pdf

Fitzgerald, G., R. Wiser, M. Bolinger. 2003. The Experience of State Clean Energy Funds with
Tradable Renewable Certificates. LBNL-54137. Berkeley, Calif.: Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory. http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/EMS/cases/TRC_Case_Study.pdf

Wiser, R. 2002. An Open-Ended Renewables RFP in Minnesota Funds Biomass and Innovative Wind
Applications. LBNL-51513. Berkeley, Calif.: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/EMS/cases/Minnesota.pdf

Database of Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects Supported by CESA Members:

http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/cases/Large_Renewables_Database.xls

The Impact of State Clean Energy Fund Support for Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects 8
Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy May 2006

ABOUT THIS CASE STUDY SERIES

A number of U.S. states have established clean energy funds to support renewable and clean forms of electricity
production. This represents a new trend towards aggressive state support for clean energy, but few efforts have
been made to report and share the early experiences of these funds.

This paper is part of a series of clean energy fund case studies prepared by Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory and the Clean Energy States Alliance. The primary purpose of this case study series is to report on
the innovative programs and administrative practices of state (and some international) clean energy funds, to
highlight additional sources of information, and to identify contacts. Our hope is that these case studies will be
useful for clean energy funds and other stakeholders that are interested in learning about the pioneering
renewable energy efforts of newly established clean energy funds. To access or download all the case studies,
see: http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/cases/ or http://www.cleanenergystates.org/

ABOUT THE CLEAN ENERGY STATES ALLIANCE

The Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) is a non-profit initiative funded by members and foundations to
support the state clean energy funds. CESA collects and disseminates information and analysis, conducts
original research, and helps to coordinate activities of the state funds. The main purpose of CESA is to help
states increase the quality and quantity of clean energy investments and to expand the clean energy market. The
Clean Energy Group manages CESA, while Berkeley Lab provides CESA with analytic support.

CONTACT THE MANAGERS OF THE CASE STUDY SERIES

Ryan Wiser Mark Bolinger Lewis Milford

Berkeley Lab Berkeley Lab Clean Energy Group
1 Cyclotron Rd., MS90-4000 105 North Thetford Road 50 State Street
Berkeley, CA 94720 Lyme, NH 03768 Montpelier, VT 05602
510-486-5474 603-795-4937 802-223-2554
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Berkeley Lab’s contributions to this case study series are funded by the Clean Energy States Alliance, and by the
U.S. Department of Energy (the Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, as well as the
Office of Electric Transmission and Distribution, Electric Markets Technical Assistance Program) under
Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. The Clean Energy Group's efforts in connection with this work and
related activities are funded by the Clean Energy States Alliance, and by The Surdna Foundation, the Rockefeller
Brothers Fund, the Oak Foundation, The John Merck Fund, The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, and The
Education Foundation of America.

DISCLAIMER
This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by the United States Government. While this
document is believed to contain correct information, neither the United States Government nor any agency
thereof, nor The Regents of the University of California, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty,
express or implied, or assumes any legal responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any
information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately
owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by its trade name,
trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement,
recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or The Regents of the
University of California. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect
those of the United States Government or any agency thereof, or The Regents of the University of California.

The Impact of State Clean Energy Fund Support for Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects 9