Major California utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) released a request for offers in which it seeks to procure 176.15 MW of front-of-the-meter solar projects ranging from 0.5 MW to 20 MW in capacity.
Eligible projects must come online by December 31, 2024. Proposals for the program are due by May 6, and PG&E said it expects to execute agreements and to seek approval from the California Public Utilities Commission this summer.
The projects will be distributed throughout PG&E territory and will directly influence the growth of the Solar Choice program administered by the utility. Solar Choice is an opt-in program for customers who prefer to have their energy sourced by renewables and are willing to pay a premium for clean energy. The program strives for transparency, providing a map of local solar projects like the ones requested in this procurement effort that power customers’ homes.
Image: PG&E
When enrolled in Solar Choice, customers choose between 50% or 100% options, and will pay a small premium based on their enrollment level. A customer receiving 500 kWh in Solar Choice service would pay about $3.50 per month on top of their utility bill. Rates can be calculated here.
Solar Choice is part of the greater Green Tariff Shared Renewables Program, established in 2013 by Governor Jerry Brown. The program supports renewable energy access for institutional, commercial, and individual customers.
“These new projects will directly contribute to the continued growth of PG&E’s renewable energy customer programs — which have experienced steadily increasing customer enrollment over the past few years — while at the same time helping to create prosperity for California and supporting the planet,” said Fong Wan, senior vice president, Energy Policy Procurement, PG&E.
Those interested in staying up to date with future projects can sign up for PG&E’s project procurement distribution list.
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EAST BAY COMMUNITY ENERGY already does this for a discounted rate under the PG&E rates already in the San Francisco bay’s Area’s East Bay communities. Now PG&E will charge more for the very energy that they pay less for? Anything to squeeze more money out of the poor who cannot get their own solar panel systems. Time to re- regulate the Utilities again in California.