Renewable energy projects larger than 10 megawatts (MW), also known as utility-scale projects, are complex and typically require private-sector financing. The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) developed a guide to help federal agencies, and the developers and financiers that work with them, to successfully install these projects at federal facilities. FEMP's Large-Scale Renewable Energy Guide, Developing Renewable Energy Projects Larger than 10 MWs at Federal Facilities: A Practical Guide to Getting Large-Scale Renewable Energy Projects Financed with Private Capital, provides a framework to allow the federal government, private developers, and financiers to work in a coordinated effort on large-scale renewable energy projects. The framework includes key elements that should describe a successful, financially attractive large-scale renewable energy project.
The guide also offers key elements that can help federal agencies build strong business cases, define and mitigate risks, and establish good project characteristics. Federal projects that demonstrate these elements should attract the private sector to respond to the federal competitive acquisition process and invest in large-scale renewable energy projects.
In addition, the guide:
- Shows agencies and developers that they have a common goal of deploying significant amounts of large-scale renewable energy projects at federal facilities.
- Provides a common language to facilitate effective communication and support successful working relationships between developers and federal agencies.
- Lays out a common process that is grounded in commercial development and risk, but accommodates the unique requirements and constraints of each party.
- Offers an organizational framework, evaluation process, and sample resources in appendices for federal employees and others seeking to learn about private development methodologies.
