Tennessee Valley Authority
Green Power Providers Program
TVA has developed a long-term, sustainable renewable energy program known as Green Power Providers. This program offers consumers, businesses and industries across the Tennessee Valley the option to build renewable generation with a maximum project size of less than 50 kilowatts (kW) in size.
Green Power Providers replaces the successful Generation Partners pilot program that was initiated in 2003. Green Power Providers implements industry best practices to continue helping add sustainable solar and renewable energy in the Tennessee Valley. The new program offers several advantages, including longer term contracts and a “fast track” process for smaller systems. Up to 7.5 megawatts (MW) of renewable generation capacity is available for purchase through Green Power Providers through December 2013.
“TVA and participating local power companies have transitioned from a successful, but aging Generation Partners pilot program to a newly designed Green Power Providers program. TVA is in the process of aligning all of its renewable energy programs on a calendar year basis to provide transparency and sustainability in pricing and capacity levels. This strategic alignment is good for our local power companies, renewable energy developers and consumers, and balances the need for clean and low-cost energy” says Patty West, director of TVA’s renewable energy programs.
Through innovative renewable energy programs like Green Power Providers, TVA and participating local power companies are putting TVA’s vision of low-cost and cleaner energy into action. Green Power Providers will benefit Tennessee Valley power consumers because it aligns renewable generation payments with those who voluntarily support renewable energy through TVA’s Green Power Switch program. These two optional programs complement TVA’s existing renewable programs, including the Solar Solutions Initiative for installations between 50 kW and 1 MW and the Renewable Standard Offer program for renewable energy generation up to 20 MW.
Green Power Providers Frequently Asked Questions
How the Program Works
Homeowner or Business Contacts Local Power Distributor
Before buying a renewable generation system, contact your local power company to ensure that it participates in the Green Power Providers program. If so, you should read the Program Guidelines, apply for interconnection to the power grid and, once approved, sign interconnection and participation agreement with the local power company.
TVA Approves Application
Once you have signed the participation agreement with the local power company, TVA provides final approval of the agreement and your premium is locked-in for a full 10 years of the 20-year agreement. Now you can go ahead and buy an eligible renewable generation system.
Green Power Providers Participant Installs Green Power Source
The generating system must be installed and approved by the local power company within 180 Calendar Days of TVA’s approval of the Participation Agreement. Solar and wind installations approved by TVA in Calendar Year 2013 must be installed by a renewable energy professional with entry-level NABCEP certification. NABCEP is an acronym for the North Amercian Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (www.nabcep.org). The system must comply with environmental regulations and national standards, be certified by a licensed electrician, and comply with all applicable codes. See a list of NABCEP installers.
Local Power Company Approves the System
The local power company will complete a system/site review and, if the system passes inspection, submit the System Acceptance Form (SAF) to TVA. The qualifying form must be sent to TVA within ten business days.
Participant Receives Payment
TVA will buy the green energy output at the retail electricity rate plus a premium rate for a full 10 years of the 20-year agreement. For the remainder of the agreement term, TVA will purchase the green energy output at retail rate only. TVA will retain the RECs for the full 20-year agreement term. Once the system is generating, qualifying participants will receive an additional $1,000 to help offset start-up costs.
How to Qualify for Green Power Providers Program
A generation source must fulfill the following requirements to qualify:
Eligible Resources
Eligible resources include solar, wind, low-impact hydropower, and biomass. Biomass includes all solid, liquid and gaseous forms of these fuels:
- Woody waste
- Agricultural crops or waste
- Animal or other organic waste
- Energy crops
- Landfill gas and wastewater methane.
Size
It must have a minimum total nameplate generation capacity (DC) of 500 watts and a maximum of 50 kilowatts (kW). Qualifying systems cannot exceed 50 kW for a single participant on one site. Systems greater than 10 kilowatts in size will be subject to a load requirement. A “load requirement” simply means that the system’s maximum capacity will be limited so that it should not generate more than 100% of the energy usage or consumption at the home or business. Please note that any requested system size increase will be subject to available program capacity in the given year and the entire modified capacity (kW) will be subject to load requirements. For a good rule of thumb load requirement estimate, see chart below:
Annual Energy Usage (kWh) |
Maximum Nameplate Capacity (kW DC) |
|---|---|
Up to 13,140 |
10.0 |
19,710 |
15.0 |
26,280 |
20.0 |
32,850 |
25.0 |
39,420 |
30.0 |
45,990 |
35.0 |
52,560 |
40.0 |
59,130 |
45.0 |
65,700 |
50.0 |
Systems larger than 50kW may qualify for the Renewable Standard Offer. Learn more here.
Site Location
The system’s location must match the participant’s billing address for power services. Residential participants must have a residential building and residential billing meter at the address of the qualifying system, or if a commercial or industrial customer, participant agrees that its primary commercial or industrial purpose is not electricity generation at the building with a commercial or industrial billing meter at the address of the qualifying system.
Billing Meter
The meter measures billing demand or energy consumed at the site, or both. It must be located at the site and fully operational when the participation agreement is signed.
System History
The system must not have previously generated renewable energy for sale to TVA prior to October 1, 2012, unless the system was part of the Generation Partners pilot.
Read more information for participants
