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Shepherd, Rachel

Publications and source records attributed to Shepherd, Rachel.

Financing Federal Microgrids [Slides]

A microgrid can enhance a site’s electrical power system during normal operations, as well as provide reliable backup power to critical loads when electric utility power is interrupted. When components of a microgrid (and potentially the entire system) can be justified economically and paid for out of energy savings or avoided costs, implementation by one of several privately financed federal procurement mechanisms is possible. However, it is typically difficult to achieve enough savings and avoided costs to cover the design, equipment, and installation of certain microgrid components that are required to integrate the system. This presentation explores procurement options and agreements that may be useful to federal agencies interested in implementing microgrids at their sites. This information will be most useful to agencies when they are exploring electric energy system resilience options and/or considering different procurement options to meet their needs.

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PV System Owner's Guide to Identifying, Assessing, and Addressing Weather Vulnerabilities, Risks, and Impacts

The report is designed to help federal facility managers, engineers, contractors, and consultants identify the most common PV system vulnerabilities that could lead from mild to catastrophic loss of PV systems during severe weather events. The guide helps users understand the type and severity of severe weather that can occur at any given location, and provides pre- and post-storm operations and maintenance (O&M) measures that can reduce the potential for damage to a PV system during a severe weather event and help speed the recovery of a PV system damaged during a storm. The guide emphasizes safety in responding to damage from severe weather events.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

ESPC ESA Training Series: Photovoltaic (PV) Project Considerations

This training covers technical, economic and other photovoltaic (PV) project considerations. Technical topics include cost-effectiveness, resilience, cybersecurity, and electrical considerations. In addition, other topics, such as compatibility with agency mission, site plans, coordination with the serving utility, the National Environmental Policy Act, and agency approval requirements. Considerations specific to third-party owned/third-party financed PV projects are also covered, as well as available resources and templates for project development. The training also includes a recap of the first session in the Energy Savings Performance Contracts Energy Sales Agreements (ESPC ESA) Webinar Series.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

ESPC ESA Training Series: Site-Specific/Stand-Alone Contract Vehicle

This webinar provides instructions and resources for financing distributed energy projects (e.g., on–site renewable energy, storage, and combined heat and power) using an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) energy sales agreement (ESA) through the site–specific/stand–alone contract vehicle. The site–specific/stand–alone contract vehicle is a procurement process using a request for proposal (RFP). Topics covered during the webinar include forming a strong project team, validating the feasibility of the distributed energy project at a site, acquisition planning, RFP development, procurement, proposal evaluation and contract award, and the construction and performance period. This webinar also provides an overview of the resources available in the ESPC ESA Toolkit, such as checklists and templates.

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ESPC ESA Webinar Series: ESPC ENABLE Contract Vehicle Overview

This webinar provides instructions and resources for financing distributed energy projects (e.g. on-site renewable energy, storage, and combined heat and power) using an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) energy sales agreement (ESA) through the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) ESPC ENABLE contract vehicle. The ESPC ENABLE contract vehicle is a streamlined procurement process that uses a standard investment grade audit tool and standard contract templates. Topics covered in the webinar include: An overview of the ESPC ENABLE contract vehicle; ESA-specific considerations for ENABLE contracts; and Case studies. This webinar also provides an overview of the resources available on the Federal Energy Management Program website, such as ESPC ENABLE templates. This webinar is the fourth of a series that provides information, best practices, and resources for implementing an ESPC ESA project. ESPC ESAs are a great option for federal sites that are motivated to reduce site costs, have no capital investment funding, and cannot use the U.S. Department of Defense 10 USC 2922a authority for long-term contracting.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Working With Your Utility Series: Interconnection Basics

This training provided information on interconnection basics for federal agencies developing distributed energy projects. Considerations covered included: Understanding interconnection processes and timelines, interconnection siting considerations, technology-specific interconnection issues, and interconnect agreements. This webinar is the first in a multi-part series on working with electric utilities to develop distributed energy projects on federal sites.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

ESPC ESA Overview and Requirements

This webinar is the first of a series that provides information, best practices, and resources for implementing energy savings performance contract (ESPC) energy sales agreement (ESA) projects.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

ESPC ESA Webinar Series: ESPC IDIQ Contract Vehicle Overview

This webinar provides instructions and resources for financing distributed energy projects (e.g. on-site renewable energy, storage, and combined heat and power) using an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) energy sales agreement (ESA) through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) energy savings performance contract (ESPC) vehicle. The DOE IDIQ ESPC contract vehicle uses a streamlined master contract that allows federal agencies to work with 21 energy service companies holding the current DOE IDIQ ESPC. Topics covered in the webinar include: An overview of the DOE IDIQ contract vehicle; ESA-specific considerations for IDIQ contracts; and Specific use cases. The webinar also provides an overview of the resources available on the Federal Energy Management Program website, such as IDIQ tools and templates. This webinar is the fifth in a series that provides information, best practices, and resources for implementing an ESPC ESA project. ESPC ESAs are a great option for federal sites that are motivated to reduce site costs, have no capital investment funding, and cannot use the U.S. Department of Defense 10 USC 2922a authority for long-term contracting.

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