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Fitial: Green energy plan drawing many proposals
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Posted on May 06 2008
More than a dozen companies have expressed interest in providing renewable energy to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said the firms are interested in submitting proposals across a wide range of green technologies, including wind, solar, biodiesel, ocean waves, and geothermal. He did not name any specific firms that have expressed interest in submitting proposals.
The companies have until next Friday, May 16, to submit their proposals.
Fitial said he is optimistic the request for proposals for a renewable energy grid will not meet the same fate as the privatization bid, which was cancelled amid complaints about fairness.
“We believe this RFP can withstand any protest and look forward to having the various proposals evaluated carefully and professionally,” Fitial said.
In a statement accompanying the request for proposals, CUC said it hopes to enter into long-term performance contracts with firms that will be fully responsible for building and running the utility’s renewable power generation projects.
“This [RFP] is the first in what the CUC envisions to be an ongoing process of growth and development of a comprehensive portfolio of increased energy efficiency in the CNMI islands, to reduce the islands’ dependence on fossil fuel/s,” CUC said.
CUC said it believes that solar photovoltaic, wind energy, or tidal energy—or any combination of these technologies—is technically and financially feasible. But firms are also urged to consider other technologies such as fuel cells, solar thermal power, geothermal power and methane gas-fired generation from landfills or a biomass facility.
CUC may select one contractor.
The RFP was issued in accordance to Public Law 15-23. Under the commonwealth’s green energy law, green energy must comprise 10 percent of the power CUC generates by the end of 2008. The renewable energy portfolio standard will double every two years until it reaches 80 percent by 2014.
