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The CVSP Library includes publications and presentations of the Community Solar Value Project, as well as resources that inform our work. Materials directly related to project workshops may be found on the Workshops page. For access to more current resources addressing specific questions about increasing the value of community solar, please Contact the CSVP team. This Library is organized into the following sections:
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Presentation from the APPA Customer Connections Conference:
Community Solar That Works (and Sells); November 7, 2017 This presentation, by Jill Cliburn, provided an overview of community solar program design, suited especially for public power utilities. It also introduced conference attendees to the resources on CSVP's new Solutions pages. 
Presentations from the CSVP Workshop:
Community Solar Procurements, Programs and Pricing; June 7-8, 2017 This workshop, cosponsored by CSVP (Extensible Energy), SunShot Solar Market Pathways, and Western Area Power Administration, was held in Golden, Colorado, and drew strong attendance from every type of utility, especially in the West. Presentations (see Agenda, below) are provided here especially for attendees, as they may not be self-explanatory. Contact us if you have questions about this event.
Community Solar Matters:
With Strong Design and Solar-Plus Options A presentation for the Community Solar Workshop at Solar Power Southeast, sponosored by SEPA and SEIA in Atlanta, Georgia, May 10, 2017. Jill Cliburn spoke on a panel called The Grid Side of Community Solar. This presentation focuses on some of the design improvements and solar-plus strategies CSVP has classified as best practices.
A New Tone of VOS:
Improving the Argument for Local Community Solar A presentation for Solar 2016 (ASES) by Jill Cliburn summarizes a paper co-authored with Joe Bourg and John Powers. The presentation posted here is slightly updated from the July 2016 presentation in San Francisco, CA. A slightly updated version of the paper is also provided.
Demand Response and Distributed Solar: Lessons from the CSVP
A presentation for the Peak Load Management Alliance (PLMA) by John Powers provides background on the CSVP and focuses on how the CSVP guide, Integrating Demand Response Into Community Solar (see below), facilitates collaboration between solar and DR program staff within the utility.
Community Solar Made Better: Comments for the NRRI Webinar Series
A presentation on CSVP by Jill Cliburn, for the NRRI (a research organization working with regulators and policymakers nationwide) webinar, on community solar policies and programs. This presentation initiates a discussion on policy measures, which may help or hinder community-solar sector goals for reaching larger and wider markets, managing program risks, incorporating solar-integration measures that can add value for the utility and all ratepayers, and optimizing industry partnerships.
Value in the Balance: Solar, Storage, and DR Options
A presentation by Jill Cliburn, co-authored with Jon Hawkins of PNM, for the Peak Load Management Alliance (PLMA). This presentation describes how a solar-plus batteries project at PNM (New Mexico) helps to address solar-integration issues, and how it could be improved through the addition of customer-facing demand-response measures.
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A Prosperous Marriage? Targeting Program Design for Community Solar + DR
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Presentation from the Behavior Energy and Climate Change Conference, convened by American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the BECI at UC Berkeley, and Precourt Center at Stanford University, explores market acceptance for the CSVP “solar plus” strategy. Presented by Jill Cliburn, October 19, 2015.
How Demand Response and Storage Measures Can Address Solar Variability:
An Introduction Presentation, prepared for Public Service of New Mexico and other utilities that are considering a solar-plus strategy, reviews the industry vision for DR 2.0, leading case studies, and the CSVP methodology under development. Presented by Erich Huffaker, October 6, 2015.
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An Introduction to Community Solar for Public Power Utilities
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This report was prepared for Sacramento Municipal Utility District and American Public Power Association, and published in 2013. It is provided here as an interesting and often relevant snapshot of public power leadership in the community solar field.
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Information Portals |
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Green Power Network. Provides news and information on green power programs and policies. The site provides information on community solar developments and includes a reference library of relevant papers, articles and reports. It is operated and maintained by the NREL for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Shared Renewables HQ. This site is managed by the non-profit Vote Solar, in partnership with Lee Barken. It focuses on shared-solar policy and advocacy, including a searchable state-policy database and resource links.
Community Solar Hub is operated by Clean Energy Collective, an independent (third party) developer of community solar. The site is partially funded through a U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative award. Among a variety of information and tools, the Hub offers a strong resource library.
SUNDA: Solar Utility Network Deployment Acceleration Project. Sponsored by NRECA (electric co-ops) and powered by SunShot to develop a PV-system package, from engineering designs to optimized procurement that will drastically reduce soft-costs for electric co-ops. Community solar is one priority, and some resources are publicly available. (Link from menu on the right, from this NRECA site.)
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High-Value Solar Design and Specification
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Treatment of Solar Generation in Electric Utility Resource Planning (NREL, 2013)
This document is from the National Renewable Energy Lab. We provide it here because it is a seminal work for the development of solar-plus strategies. See CSVP's own publications on this topic, provided below.
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High-Value Financing and Procurement |
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Utilities Solve for Solar: Practical Analytics for Local Community Solar Planning, Cliburn, J., Bourg, J. and Powers, J., Community Solar Value Project, August 2017.
This is a 1-page poster, summarizing CSVP's GAP economic analysis, which can lead to more competitive program pricing and a faster program roll-out. The poster is in proceedings for Solar Power International (SPI) in Las Vegas, NV, September 11, 2017 and also the National Solar Conference, Solar 2017 in Denver, CO, October 9, 2017.
This is a 1-page poster, summarizing CSVP's GAP economic analysis, which can lead to more competitive program pricing and a faster program roll-out. The poster is in proceedings for Solar Power International (SPI) in Las Vegas, NV, September 11, 2017 and also the National Solar Conference, Solar 2017 in Denver, CO, October 9, 2017.
| 2017_08_01_gap_analysis_poster.pdf |
Key Points to Consider in Achieving Your Best Balance Between Out-Sourced and In-House Program Strategies, Cliburn, J. and Romano, A., Community Solar Value Project, September 2017.
This short, slide-based report puts decisions about whether to complete program steps in-house or whether to out-source in context with the overall program-design process. It includes material from presentations by Andrea Romano (Navigant) and Jill Cliburn (Cliburn and Associates), plus new material. Outsourcing for community solar today could mean engaging a turnkey provider, or it could mean using outside products and services to complete specific tasks for a value-added utility program. This key is designed to help utilities create a balanced, strategic approach.
This short, slide-based report puts decisions about whether to complete program steps in-house or whether to out-source in context with the overall program-design process. It includes material from presentations by Andrea Romano (Navigant) and Jill Cliburn (Cliburn and Associates), plus new material. Outsourcing for community solar today could mean engaging a turnkey provider, or it could mean using outside products and services to complete specific tasks for a value-added utility program. This key is designed to help utilities create a balanced, strategic approach.
| 2017_09_20_outsourcing_decision_key.pdf |
Community Solar Program-Development Landscape: A Brief for Utility Program Designers, Romano, A., Corfee, K., Cliburn, J., and Powers, J., Community Solar Value Project, December 2016.
This brief is part of the Community Solar Value Project Solutions Toolkit. It provides an overview of program drivers, choices, and trends, as they impact utility-led community solar programs. It pays particular attention to the program-designer's options to deliver the solar resources and services needed for a successful community solar program–whether the decision is to develop in-house expertise and resources or to out-source to one or more third-party providers in the market today. Choices for reducing program costs, increasing value, and improving price-competitiveness are also addressed, especially as utilities face the difficult question of whether to site projects locally or to tap centralized solar resources.
This brief is part of the Community Solar Value Project Solutions Toolkit. It provides an overview of program drivers, choices, and trends, as they impact utility-led community solar programs. It pays particular attention to the program-designer's options to deliver the solar resources and services needed for a successful community solar program–whether the decision is to develop in-house expertise and resources or to out-source to one or more third-party providers in the market today. Choices for reducing program costs, increasing value, and improving price-competitiveness are also addressed, especially as utilities face the difficult question of whether to site projects locally or to tap centralized solar resources.
| 2016-12-01_market_landscape_brief.pdf |
Resource Guide for Local Solar Procurement, Romano, A. and Auker, R., Community Solar Value Project, January, 2017.
This guide takes the form of an annotated bibliography with links to portal websites and documents; guidance from non-utility sectors that could be adapted for utility use; and an collection of utilities' requests for proposals (RFPs) specific to community solar program development. Those RFPs and other referenced documents that may be hard to find are archived below.
This guide takes the form of an annotated bibliography with links to portal websites and documents; guidance from non-utility sectors that could be adapted for utility use; and an collection of utilities' requests for proposals (RFPs) specific to community solar program development. Those RFPs and other referenced documents that may be hard to find are archived below.
| 2017_02_01_procurement_resources_guide.pdf |
Archive of Community Solar RFPs and Related Documents (as described above), archived
December 2016, with additions in 2017
December 2016, with additions in 2017
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Focus on Pricing for Community Solar: Case Studies, Romano, A., Community Solar Value Project, January 2016.
In table format, a review of community solar pricing strategies at seven utilities nationwide. While there is some overlap with the Program Case Studies (below), this table was updated more recently, in January 2016.
In table format, a review of community solar pricing strategies at seven utilities nationwide. While there is some overlap with the Program Case Studies (below), this table was updated more recently, in January 2016.
| 20160120_pricing_summaries.pdf |
Community-Solar Utility Programs: Case Studies, Community Solar Value Project, August 2015.
Presentation format, prepared by Andrea Romano, reviews programs at Tucson Electric Power, Avista, Pacific Gas and Electric, Cedar Falls Utilities (IA), and City of Palo Alto Utilities. Focused on marketing and the customer offer. September 2105.
Presentation format, prepared by Andrea Romano, reviews programs at Tucson Electric Power, Avista, Pacific Gas and Electric, Cedar Falls Utilities (IA), and City of Palo Alto Utilities. Focused on marketing and the customer offer. September 2105.
| 20151201_css_case_studies.pdf |
Community Solar Project Ownership Structures and Financing. Romano, A., and Cliburn, J.,
Community Solar Value Project, 15 pp. September 2015.
Community Solar Value Project, 15 pp. September 2015.
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Working paper with appendices provides an introduction to two major development strategies for community solar, out-sourced and utility-driven. Financing choices under each model are discussed, with emphasis on utility options using debt financing or via third-party arrangements (PPA, SSA, leases, etc. and buyout or flip structures). Charts summarize the pros and cons of different options from the utility perspective. Notes with linked sources.
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Market Development for Community SolarCommunity Solar: California’s Shared Renewables at a Crossroads, Corfee, K. (Navigant), Powers, J. (Extensible Energy, LLC) and Romano, A. (Navigant), October 2017.
In this white paper, the authors seek to capture the key lessons learned from the development of the California shared renewables market and ongoing discussions around reworking the GTSR Program. The CSVP team encourages CPUC and the California State Legislature to revisit their interpretation of SB-43 to set the foundation for a successful shared renewables market in California.
Twelve Community-Solar Pricing Strategies for U.S. Utilities: A Summary Table, Community Solar Value Project, September 2017.
This extended table provides is an illustrative round-up of pricing strategies from utilities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Iowa, Minnesota and Texas. In each case, the summaries are written from the utility perspective, even though in several cases, state policies have dictated a relatively narrow role for the utility. CSVP embarked on this effort in order to show the range of program and pricing options currently in the marketplace.
Market Research and Market Segmentation for Community Solar Program Success, Mitchell-Jackson, J., Reid, B., Cliburn, J., and Powers, J. CSVP, December 2016.
This CSVP brief describes a five-step process, beginning with assessing research needs and tapping outside sources of community-solar market intelligence, through leveraging available utility data, and carefully designing new customer research to meet specific needs. The brief pays special attention to services that sell market segmentation data, such as Prizm and the E Source Solar Customer Project, which some utilities have used design for and market to particular market segments. This can improve the cost-effectiveness of customer acquisition and retention.
What the Community Solar Customer Wants, SEPA and Shelton Group, August 2016.
CSVP refers to this market-research report from The Shelton Group for SEPA for detailed insights about the emerging community-solar market. This report is based on extensive national survey work, completed with funding from the U.S. DOE SunShot Solar Market Pathways program. (Document posted from Shelton and SEPA as a useful reference.) See also, http://www.sepapower.org
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Frequently Asked Questions About Renewable Energy Credits for Community-Solar
Program Design, Community Solar Value Project, January 2016. A resource with links for more detail.
Community-Solar for Low and Moderate Income Subscribers: Resource Fact-Sheet, Community Solar Value Project, October 2015.
Annotated resources for program designers.
Status and Trends in the U.S. Voluntary Green Power Market (2014 data). O’Shaughnessy, E., Heeter, J., et al. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL/TP-6A20-65252). October 2015. (Document posted from NREL as a useful reference.)
Fifteen Economic Facts About Millennials. Office of Economic Advisors, October 2014. (Document posted as a useful reference.)
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| 2014_us_cea_millennials_report.pdf |
Solar Plus Demand Response and Storage |
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CSVP Resource Links for Solar Plus Storage, Cliburn J., Halberstadt, A. and Powers, J., Community Solar Value Project, July 2017.
This guide, which is part of the CSVP Solutions toolbox, serves as a practical guide to program-design and policy research. Sections include Portal Websites, Industry Context, Field Notes and Utility Planning for Solar-Plus. The emphasis is on customer-side options, ranging from controlled thermal storage systems, to EVs and small-scale batteries. Utility side batteries are covered in an introductory fashion. Also, this is a strong resource for utility program plans that take a system-wide or circuit-level strategy, rather than a micro-grid approach.
Integrating Demand Response Into Community Solar Programs: A Module of the CSVP High-Value Community Solar Program Design Guide, Powers. J. and Huffaker, E., Community Solar Value Project, April 2016.
This guide, completed in April 2016 by John Powers (Extensible Energy) and Erich Huffaker (Olivine) presents a scoring method to quantify and classify the attributes of particular DR options to address solar integration-related issues. It also briefly discusses the effectiveness of using DR companion measures with local community solar and includes six pioneering utility case studies.
Energy Storage and Balancing Services for Local Solar Integration: A New-Market Brief. Robertson, C. Community Solar Value Project, 13 pp. June 2015.
Working paper with notes and linked sources provides a snapshot of the increasingly competitive market for energy storage from batteries and batteries plus DR and renewables. Focus on utility-disruptive strategies and on utility leadership toward win-win alternatives. Identifies strong opportunities for solar-plus strategies, laying a basis for CSVP program design. Notes with linked sources.
Treatment of Solar Generation in Electric Utility Resource Planning. Sterling, J., McLaren, J., et al. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL/TP-6A20-60047). October 2013. (Document posted from NREL as a useful reference.)
Methods for Analyzing the Benefits and Costs of Distributed Photovoltaic Generation to the US Electric Utility System. Denholm, P., Margolis, R., et al. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL/TP-6A20-62447). September 2014. (Document posted from NREL as a useful reference.)
Fast Automated Demand-Response to Enable the Integration of Renewable Resources. Watson, D., Corfee, K. et al. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL-5555E). June 2012. (Document posted from LBNL as a useful reference.)
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