Question: Total Renewable Energy Credit requirement is 1,300 Solar On-Site Renewable Energy Credits (SO-RECs); can the proposal be for more?
Answer: Yes, we may consider additional SO-RECs beyond the 1,300 SO-REC minimum requirement.

Question: Do you have a list of large capacity customers or a blog page for those types of customers?
Answer: Due to privacy and confidentiality policies, we do not post our customer information. However, we encourage developers to make contact directly with Black Hills Energy customers who may serve as a possible host facility.

Question: Is there a possibility of multiple bid awards?
Answer: Yes, the RFP states that multiple bids may be awarded.

Question: Can you give us the definition of on-site solar?
Answer: The definition of a Solar On-Site system is defined in Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES), Section 3652 “Definitions,” as a solar renewable energy system located on the premises of an end use electric consumer located within the service territory of a Qualifying Retail Utility (QRU). Also, the non-residential customer, prior to the installation of the system, shall not have as its primary business the generation of electricity, and the customer must use the facility for a legitimate commercial, industrial, governmental or educational purpose other than the generation of electricity.

Question: Why are you issuing this RFP?
Answer: When a QRU is attempting to acquire solar resources greater than 100kW, a competitive bidding process must be used.

Question: What other technologies can be in the RFP?
Answer: This RFP is for SO-RECs only.

Question: How does the net meter work?
Answer: When a customer installs an eligible renewable energy system, the existing revenue meter is replaced with a digital bi-directional “net meter” and customer is placed on a net meter tariff. The meter records energy generated by the system and energy consumed by the facility. Any energy produced by the renewable energy system that exceeds the requirements of the facility exits the meter and is pushed onto the Black Hills distribution system. Alternatively, energy consumed by the facility is recorded as energy consumed and is recorded by the net meter. Excess kilowatt hours (kWh) are carried forward from month to month and credited at a ratio of 1:1 against the customers retail kWh consumption in subsequent months. If at the end of the calendar year the customer has accrued excess kWhs, Black Hills Energy will compensate the customer for those excess hours at a rate of $0.04416/kWh.

Question: For net metering purposes, how is a facility with more than one meter impacted?
Answer: If multiple renewable energy systems are placed on different meters, each meter would be replaced with a net meter.

Question: Where can I find the net meter tariff?
Answer: The tariff for all our rates can be found at the following Black Hills Energy URL.
http://www.blackhillsenergy.com/customers/energyrates/documents/co/CoERates.pdf

Question: Who provides and pays for the net meter?
Answer: Black Hills Energy pays for and installs the net meter

Question: Are there any demand implications?
Answer: The interconnection screening process ensures that the renewable energy system will not have an adverse impact on the system. Interconnection screening per RES rules will be conducted.

Question: How does Black Hills Energy satisfy their solar REC requirement as mandated by the RES?
Answer: The RES requires that 4% of the 2008 5% total renewable energy requirement must come from solar resources. Of that 4%, one half must come from SO-REC’s. In 2007, Black Hills Energy met the SO-REC requirement through our solar rebate program and provisions in the RES. The other half of the requirement was satisfied through a solar REC (S-REC) purchase agreement with an out of state firm.

Question: Where should we send the RFP proposals?
Answer: All proposals and questions must be sent to the BHEsolarRFP@BlackHillsCorp.com mail box.