This paper serves as an introduction to the virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA)—its place in the off-site renewable energy procurement market, how the VPPA works, and why VPPAs have been a popular instrument in the United States thus far.
Corporate Purchaser’s Guide to Risk Mitigation
The report, of which this is the executive summary, dives into five specific risks buyers find unfamiliar: price, shape, basis, volume, and operational risk. It then reviews a range of mitigation strategies.
Municipal Solar Site Selection Tool (MSSST)
This Excel workbook is designed to efficiently identify promising sites for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. It provides key screening criteria, actionable steps, and the relevant resources needed to conduct preliminary site evaluations. Specific screening criteria are provided for building rooftops, parking canopies, open fields, brownfields, and landfills. The tool is intended for use by municipal decision-makers, but the screening criteria are applicable to most solar projects.
Solar and Wind Off-Site PPA Economic Calculator (SWOPEC)
This Excel model provides a lifecycle financial analysis of off-site renewable energy physical PPAs and virtual PPAs. There are two primary use cases: 1) evaluating the economic implications of off-site versus other renewable procurement methods early in the procurement process, and 2) comparing different off-site PPA RFP bids later in the procurement process.
Solar For All
This tool visualizes U.S. rooftop solar technical potential and other dimensions of low-income energy use in the residential sector. Unless otherwise specified, LMI is defined in this app as 0-80% of Area Median Income (AMI).
Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD)
The Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool is designed to help states, communities and other stakeholders create better energy strategies and programs by improving their understanding of low income housing and energy characteristics.
State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) Beta
The State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) tool aims to improve data-driven state and local energy planning by integrating and resolving planning-relevant data at jurisdictional levels. SLOPE Beta integrates data on energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities.
Green Procurement Foundational Training
A webinar in which CRA staff provide an overview of the most common transactions used to purchase renewable electricity in the U.S.
On-Site Solar Pitch Deck Template
This pitch deck can be utilized to help secure buy-in from key decision makers for an on-site solar project. It includes customizable slides to calculate or speak to the climate, jobs, health, economics, resilience, and visibility benefits of an on-site project. Additionally, it includes information and case studies for financing and ownership structures.
A Guide to Sample Community Solar Garden Leases
The guide provides a predefined set of terms and an overview of the key clauses to include in a community solar lease contract.