NYS Utilities
What is the AC capacity limitation (per site) set by the Public Service Commission (PSC) for a Distributed Generation Solar Site ?
5MWac
How long is a project in a CESIR study for?
60 business days
State Environmental Quality Review
What does NYSERDA stand for?
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
DAILY DOUBLE!!
How long after a Neg Dec is determined can it be challenged?
90 days for a Neg Dec to be determined valid
How many days after receiving a CESIR do we have to make a 25% interconnection payment on the project?
90 Business Days
What does CESIR stand for:
Coordinated Electric System Interconnection Review (CESIR)
In order to finalize the SEQR process, what is the name of the approval or denial that the lead agency would grant the project?
A Negative Declaration - means the project has no major environmental impact (this is what we want)
A Positive Declaration - means the project has substantial environmental impact and more studies need to be performed (a project is essentially dead if a Pos Dec is declared)
What are the milestones a project needs to hit in order to qualify for the NYSERDA NYSUN MWBlock incentive?
1) SEQR Neg Dec and Site Plan Approval and/or a SUP approval
2) 25% payment made to utility (minimum)
* must be greater than 200kW
What items are needed to release an option payment?
1) Signed Lease
2) Receive Title Report
3) Receive Phase 1 ESA
How many days after making the 25% interconnection payment do we have until the 75% interconnection payment is due?
120 business days
At what point is the utility interconnection payment no longer refundable?
Once the 75% payment is made and/or the utility has begun construction on line upgrades associated with the project (any work being done, once the utility has started billing towards the project)
*No earlier than the 75% payment
How does a jurisdiction take the role of lead agency?
They send out lead agency letters to the following:
NYS DEC, County, USACE, and any agencies that the project falls within some level of their jurisdiction.
The above agencies have 30 days to respond to the town's lead agency letter, and outline whether they want to take lead agency.
What is the maximum AC system size a project needs to be to qualify for our MW Block NYSERDA Incentive?
5MWac
What is the ideal frame size / panel layout when you have a very tight solar site and limited land available for the layout?
Frame size: 2 up x 12 (portrait) Fixed Tilt
According to the Public Service Commission (PSC), how many solar POI's are allowed to exist on a single parcel?
Formerly it was 1, however a ruling in 2021 determined that there is no longer a cap on this.
DAILY DOUBLE!!
What interconnection payment is fully refundable
25% Interconnection Payment
If a town does not have a solar bylaw, and the project is not granted a site plan approval, what actions can the developer take to access an approval?
1) There are no legal measures to appeal the denial, since the town has no bylaw
2) You could try to have the county take lead agency and circumvent the town, however this is rarely an option (Leigh has seen this first hand with St Johnsville).
If a town does not respond to our Intent to Construct PILOT letter, what are the next steps that we take as a developer?
We wait 60 business days for a response and then send out our Notice to Construct letter. If they do not respond to either letter, we do not enter into a PILOT with the jurisdiction.
What form of mitigation do we need to proceed with if a project is located within an ag district?
We have to go through the process with NYS Department of Ag & Markets to mitigate the impact
The form of mitigation is typically a calculated payment, but could also be a conservation of farmland
What do utilities need to do to be eligible for NYS incentives ?
They must pay into an SBC/RPS standard
This stands for:
Systems Benefit Charge
Renewable Portfolio Standard
What utility proof do we need in order to submit for our NYSERDA Incentive?
A project needs proof of paying the 25% payment
If a project is approved, (Neg Dec on SEQR and Site Plan Approval and/or SUP Approval), and abutters appeal the town's decision, what is the appeal process through NYS called?
Article 78
What is the title of the process in NYS that a project goes through to obtain permitting approvals when the project size exceeds 19.99MWac per POI?
The project would be permitting through NYS's Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) through a process called "94-C"
What are the key values that go into the NYS VDER Stack? 5 total
*500 Bonus points for outlining what each one of these mean
LBMP - Localized Based Marginal Price (price of the next kWh for the utility, largely aligned with price of natural gas *base load is nuclear and hydro, next kWh is natural gas generated, hence LBMP is aligned with natural gas)
ICAP - Installed Capacity Value (A project’s ICAP component is based on how well it reduces statewide energy consumption during periods of high energy load)
E Value - Environmental Value (avoided carbon emissions)
DRV - Demand Reduction Value (This value is determined by how much a DER project reduces the utility's peak demand.)
LSRV - Locational System Relief Value (Solar systems that produce extra electricity in an area with high electric demand, like a congested metropolitan area, are compensated more than a system that produces electricity in an area with lower demand, if your solar system is producing excess energy in a high-demand area then you will receive more compensation than a solar system owner in a low-demand area would)