Cover EASTERN SHORE SOLAR December 10, 2014 1 Presentation Agenda - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Cover EASTERN SHORE SOLAR December 10, 2014 1

Presentation Agenda  High Level Context  Project Review  Focus Areas  Protective Measures  Summary  Q&A 2

ESS Project 80 MW of standard solar panels  Proven technology… Like thousands of projects  Clustered on 900 acres… Scale is essential to economics  Competes with fossil energy… Summer peak advantage  Power to Electric Grid… 20,000 homes equivalent  Removal & Restoration  3

Who is Community Energy Privately held: 15 years in the renewable energy business  Over 1,000 MW of wind and solar… 300,000 homes…  A veteran 235 MW of solar built/under construction in 2013 and 2014  Four projects of similar size in four states  4

Organizational Chart Community Energy Holdings, Inc. Parent Company Holder of all project companies Community Energy Renewables, LLC Eastern Shore Solar I LLC 4 individual project companies were formed Eastern Shore Solar II LLC to own the assets/rights of each of the 4 projects that were submitted to PJM in Eastern Shore Solar III LLC February 2010. Eastern Shore Solar IV LLC Eastern Shore Solar LLC Owner of shared facilities (Connector Station) 5

Why Accomack County? Some of best sun in 13 state PJM grid  With trackers, best production for summer peak  needs Good, flat land  Can achieve necessary scale  PJM studies show very favorable interconnect at  Oak Hall 6

Approval Process Accomack County  Conditional Use + Final • Small Rezoning • AG and Forestal • Tax Ordinance • VA Permit By Rule  VA Dept. of Environmental Quality • VA Dept. of Game & Inland Fisheries • VA Dept. of Conservation & Recreation • VA Dept. of Historical Resources • PJM 13 State Power Grid  7

VA Permit By Rule › Efficient Virginia permitting for Renewable Energy Projects › DEQ has authority rather than State Corporation Commission Environmental, wildlife, habitat, cultural and historic review › › Public Review and Input Project information to be made publically available for 30 days › and a Public Meeting will be held. Likely late Jan / early Feb “…our twin statutory goals: to promote renewable energy and to protect natural resources.” – 9/15/10 DEQ letter announcing PBR 8

PJM Electric Grid SOLAR & WIND 13 States 1200 Generators • • 61 Million Customers Balanced Real Time • • 170,000 MW Electrons can cross long distance • • Under 1/2% Renewable Electrons typically stay close • • 9

PJM Regulatory Studies Very regimented… Same all forms of power  Computer model of Grid, Engineering design by PJM &  Delmarva Power, according to strict rules and process Feasibility Study / Impact Study / Facility Study  (2010 through Aug 2014) Signed Interconnect Agreement Sept 2014. $$ Security for  Engineering & Construction 10

PJM Questions  Price Effect? No price increase or decrease to A&N Customers. • ESS competes with conventional power  Back-Up Power Needed? No need for backup power. PJM is < 1/2% renewable. • 2014 Study  Impact to Chesapeake Peaker Plant / Natural Gas Pipeline?  Solar Project will not harm Analysis by Scott Gass, PowerGEM. • 11

Electric Grid & Nat Gas Pool of 175,000 MW of generation  80 MW large for solar, small for Power Generation  Impact not expected on 315 MW Chesapeake Peaker Plant  (Peaker / Natural Gas) Network Studies by PJM & Delmarva Power  Concerning NG pipeline and Chesapeake 315 MW Peaker  Simulations of fall, winter, spring summer peak with and without 80 MW • of Solar No impact on Chesapeake or NG pipeline viability • 12

Project Details  George “Ed” Young, P.E. – Location & Civil Engineering  Steve Hazel – Site Overview / Electrical & Construction  Matthew Rutt, P.E. – Example Area Layout  David Krupp – Cluster Layout & Landscape Buffer 13

New Church Project Location Atlantic Metompkin Onley Belle Haven 14

Site Overview Clusters (4 projects)  Oak Hall Substation  Transmission Lines  Cost Effective  Native Landscaping  15

Electrical Overview Solar panels like on Homes  Construction Process  DC to AC Inverters  UG Wires to Connector Station  Connector Station to Oak Hall  Substation 24/7 Monitoring  Orientation for First Responders  16

Panels & Racking 17

Inverter Stations DC to AC  Insider Array Area  Wires Under Ground  18

Connector Station 1/3 Size of Oak  Hall Substation Landscaping  19

Construction 20

Example Area Clusters Repeat  Clusters connect via  under ground wires Representative Panel  Layout 21

Landscaping Schematic 22

Landscaping Burger Landscape Architects (Onancock)  Native Plants of Accomack and Northampton  Guide Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, Dot Field Native Plants: Landscape Buffer  Wildlife Habitat: Grasses / Shrubs / Trees  Design Criteria  Near Field / Far Field • Residential Views • Roadside Views • Connector Station • Final Design with Final Site Plan  23

Native Plant Profile Example Native Evergreen Trees (Example Plant Profile) Native to VA Eastern Shore   Recommendations from Native Plants of Accomack and Northampton Guide Habitat for birds, butterflies, etc.   Local Procurement 24

Landscaping 25

Landscaping Native Habitat Hawk Enjoying Landscape Habitat 26

Grass Cover  Low Maintenance  Drought tolerant  Soil Stabilization  Groundwater Infiltration  Organic Contribution  Noxious Weed Control 27

Focus Topics  Agriculture  Natural Resources  Infrastructure  Economy  Fit to Comprehensive Plan 28

Agriculture  Land: < 1% used for 30 years / Soil Enhanced  Landowner: Steady Secure Income  County: Enhanced Tax Base  Ag Business: Context of 30% crop variability, +/- 25% fuel cost, weather  Visual: Clustered & Buffered 29

Natural Resources In depth parallel review by 4 state agencies/public hearing  No emissions & reduced water off site and to Chesapeake  Avoids wetlands, habitat and Resource Protection Area  Prime Chesapeake Waterfowl resource unaffected…WEST  Creates diverse, new habitat for ground nesting birds and  butterflies Native Trees/Shrubs/Tall-Grasses for Landscaping  30

Infrastructure  No need water or sewer  No schools  No additional police/EMS  No new roads or permanent facilities  Temporary Use unlike house or retail  Optimizes Existing Grid Infrastructure 31

Economy  Secure annual income to Landowner/Farmer  $125M capital project with local hire of labor, restaurants, landscape, hotels, tourist, etc.  400 + Construction Jobs / ESCC Training  Land assessment for taxes $2-3k to $14k  Media promotes AC, tourism, education benefits 32

Comprehensive Plan  New, diverse, clean business to AC  Compatible with AG culture and stabilizes family farm  Protects natural resources/reduce AG runoff to Chesapeake  Provides for new solar career opportunities  Stable, diverse public revenue w/o added costs 33

Protective Measures  Full safety analysis by PJM and Delmarva Power  First Responder Training  Avoid wetlands and habitat  Soil & Erosion during construction  Visual landscape buffering & setbacks  Decommission: Remove / Restore 34

CUP Conditions  Performance Guaranties  First Responder Orientation  Landscape Buffer Plan  Site Operations & Maintenance with Noxious Weed Control  Removal & Restoration with Financial Security Requirements 35

Proffers (for Rezoning)  Solar Energy Array… County Ownership  Public Education at project and nature walk  ESCC career opportunities 36

Benefits to AC • $125m capital project, with economic multiplier • Secure income to Landowner/Farmer • Tax diversified…$100,000 annual plus rollback • Solar Project Proffer ($50,000) • Education Area • Curriculum with Community College • Major opportunity for media promotion 37

Summary  Thoughtfully designed, proven technology, proven company  Fit to Comprehensive Plan  Solid income to Landowners and AC and does no harm… VA Permit By Rule assurance  Clean solar energy addresses VA Energy Plan and utility needs… PJM assurance  AC can be proud of this project 38

Thank You EASTERN SHORE SOLAR December 10, 2014 39