If our project finances the on-site PV through an ESCO Performance Contract where the PV is owned and operated by a third party, but the electricity is sold back to the project/building owner - I assume this is eligible for EAc2 as the power is produced and used on-site? Also, I assume the PV does not have to be tied to the grid to qualify?
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Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11477 thumbs up
December 28, 2010 - 6:55 pm
Yes, generated and used onsite with environmental attributes intact are the keys, so it sounds like you qualify. No, there is not a grid-tie requirement.
Sam Keehn
Environmental and Sustainability ManagerEnergy Management Services, Int.
73 thumbs up
April 12, 2011 - 4:12 am
What about the opposite? If the electricity will only be tied to the grid and not connected directly to the project. The project will be connected to the same substation that the PV is connected to however.
The PV installation is part of the project, using a rack system above the surface parking area (all of which are new). Our client is a major company and in all practical matters is the muncipality and power company. The project is an office building and the PV installation will make up a large percentage of the annual energy used (approx 50%) though not all.
Sam Keehn
Environmental and Sustainability ManagerEnergy Management Services, Int.
73 thumbs up
April 12, 2011 - 4:53 am
Just found the someone else's CIR on this topic. Seems like our approach is compliant. We are only interested in the grid connection, not the subsidized price.
CIR 2473
4/15/2009
The applicant is requesting clarification if an on-site installed renewable energy system that ties into the grid directly without connecting to the building meets the requirements of EA credit 2 and if the subsidized price can be applied to the calculations. 1. The owner of the on-site PV system (or the entity that has entered into a Power Purchasing Agreement to have PV installed on their property) is the key criteria here, not which side of the meter the energy seeps into. It should be noted that environmental benefits can only be claimed once. In cases where a building that hosts a PV system does not use the PV and/or the PV is fully financed, owned and sold to third parties, the host is not entitled to LEED recognition or REC value, unless the RECs are repurchased by the building owner. Only under such conditions of electricity generation using an on-site PV system, 100% of RECs need be repurchased when hosted on the same building. 2. No, subsidized price cannot be applied to the calculations.