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Market Convergence FAQ with Schneider Electric – Understanding Renewable Options

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Market Convergence FAQ with Schneider Electric – Understanding Renewable Options

September 16
18:50 2019

As the price for renewable energy falls, it becomes competitive with traditional sources of electricity, driving the convergence of the renewable power and traditional, fossil fuel-based power markets.

By strategically sourcing electricity in an integrated way that includes both renewable and conventional power, companies can simultaneously save money, stabilize and better forecast costs and budgets, plan for volatility, and meet their environmental goals.

In part I of this three-part Q&A, market experts at Schneider Electric respond to common questions they receive about energy convergence, focusing on the renewable opportunities available to corporate energy buyers.

Q: What are the various forms of renewable power that my organization can purchase?

A: Companies generally source renewable electricity in one of four ways:

  • Onsite (or distributed) generation
  • Offsite utility-scale
  • Green tariff
  • Energy attribute certificates (EACs)

Are the providers the same for renewable and traditional grid options?

Yes, with some differences. For example, companies can purchase renewable power directly from a renewable energy developer under a PPA. Renewable electricity is also increasingly available directly from retail power suppliers. Some providers have only utility scale solutions while others offer only distributed generation/behind the meter solutions. Some offer both.

Why isn’t renewable energy procurement automatically combined with traditional power procurement?

When compared to the traditional power supply market, the renewable energy market is still relatively immature. The majority of renewable energy contracts require a longer term financial commitment than traditional electricity contracts. The generation is also widely distributed and available from a variety of technologies, including wind, solar, and hydro power. As a result, sourcing and contracting for renewable energy is still a complicated endeavor that involves more extensive financial modeling, supplier vetting, and project location and risk analysis—with financing implications. As the market continues to mature, and renewable energy penetration continues to grow, sourcing will inevitably continue to evolve.

Does my current power supplier or load-serving entity have renewable power options? Should I purchase my renewables from them?

Your existing power supplier may have renewable power options, and if they don’t today, then it is likely that they will in the future. You’ll likely begin to see more retail offers for renewable power during your sourcing exercises. These offers may convey additional expense or risk.

When selecting renewable electricity, it is important to weigh both bundled and unbundled options. Unbundled renewables—whether in the form of EACs or PPAs—may provide greater sourcing flexibility and may also be more cost- and risk-effective.

An independent advisor, like Schneider Electric, will also work on behalf of its clients to obtain a holistic picture of renewable electricity motivations and goals, risk tolerance, sustainability objectives, and cost and investment parameters. This allows them to make unbiased recommendations on the best solutions, at the best price, with the least amount of risk. A power supplier or load-serving entity cannot be unbiased in the same way.

What are the risks that companies face by expanding into renewable power? Are there new requirements?

The risks are dependent upon the type of renewable power product sourced. This is one of the key reasons we recommend evaluating all renewable power contracts carefully and singularly. Suppliers may bundle costs and various commercial and financial risks together with generation, leaving companies in these contracts exposed to undue risk, or in the position to pay excessive premiums to mitigate those risks.

However, integrating renewable power with traditional power procurement increases the complexity of power management. The costs of EACs can vary widely by location and generation source. PPAs require continuous monitoring to ensure they are performing as expected. Companies must ensure that they are not double-hedged in both the traditional and renewable power markets.

What markets are most active and make the most sense for renewable power?

The U.S. is the most mature renewable power market, and there is a large pipeline of available PPA projects, onsite technologies, and EACs.

Many countries in Europe have strong renewable power markets and are ideal for the execution of PPAs. Many of these countries already have green tariffs in place, or also provide unbundled EACs. Increasingly, companies are looking to execute pan-European PPAs, which allow them to serve loads in multiple countries under the auspices of a single PPA.

Additional viable renewable energy markets exist in Australia, India, Mexico, Singapore, and Brazil, with new markets opening and maturing all the time.

Stay tuned for part II and III, or download our full guide to Common Questions About Energy Market Convergence.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries. With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software. In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency. We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment. #Schneiderelectric

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Country: India
Website: https://www.schneider-electric.co.in/en

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