Driving Clean Power: New Indicators for Impactful Procurement

Join the Center for Resource Solutions' Clean Energy Accounting Project (CEAP) for an engaging webinar exploring its newly released guidance, Indicators of Clean Electricity Procurement that Drives New Supply. This discussion will feature experts including developers with extensive experience in promoting clean energy growth. They'll be sharing insights on how voluntary clean electricity buyers can increase the impact of their procurement strategies. Learn how aligning your purchasing decisions with high-impact practices such as long-term contracts, direct investment, and early commitments, can accelerate the transition to a clean energy grid. Attendees will gain practical tips for applying this flexible framework for leadership in the voluntary clean electricity market.

SPEAKERS
• Susanne Fratzscher, Vice President, Strategic Solutions, Sol Systems
• Joan Hutchinson, Managing Director & Head of Offtake Advisory, Marathon Capital
• Todd Jones, Principal, U.S. Markets, Center for Resource Solutions (CRS)
• Renee O'Donnell, Program Manager, CEAP, CRS

Transcript

1. Driving Clean Power: New Indicators for Impactful Procurement July 10th, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT This webinar is being recorded. Joan Hutchinson, Marathon Capital Todd Jones, CRS Susanne Fratzscher, Sol Systems Renee O’Donnell, CRS Moderator
2. Agenda 9:00 AM Welcome 9:05 AM Introduction to CRS and CEAP 9:10 AM Highlights of the CEAP Guidance 9:25 AM Panel Discussion 9:45 AM Q&A 10:00 AM Close and Thank You 2 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
3. Panelists Susanne Fratzscher Vice President of Strategic Solutions Sol Systems Todd Jones Principal, US Markets Center for Resource Solutions Joan Hutchinson Managing Director Marathon Capital 3 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
4. Housekeeping 4 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. • This webinar is being recorded. The recording will be posted to our website and shared with you via email after this meeting. • Please save your questions until the end. If we don't get to everyone's questions, we will connect with you directly after the webinar. • If you're interested in diving into more specific questions, please contact renee.odonnell@resource-solutions.org to find a time to speak with our team.
5. Center for Resource Solutions & the Clean Energy Accounting Project 5 5 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
6. Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) creating policy and market solutions to advance sustainable energy since 1997. • Expert assistance • Renewable energy and climate policy • Clean Energy Accounting Project (CEAP) • Renewable Energy Markets annual conference • Green-e® certification for suppliers and users of renewable energy, carbon offsets and biomethane in the voluntary market Center for Resource Solutions 6 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
7. CEAP develops standardized, stakeholder-reviewed clean energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accounting guidance addressing outstanding questions in voluntary and regulatory markets. CEAP resolves areas of uncertainty in the measurement, tracking, and reporting of clean energy and GHG emissions by: • Developing and promoting guidance, best practices, and new metrics • Resolving specific, complex clean energy and GHG emissions accounting questions • Facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration among key stakeholders • Creating educational resources and participating in thought leadership events Clean Energy Accounting Project (CEAP) To Learn More: www.resource-solutions.org/CEAP 7 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
8. PAGE 8 • 3Degrees • Apple • Carbon Solutions Group • CDP • Clean Energy Buyers Institute • Constellation • Google • Meta • Priority Power • Steel Dynamics • STX • WSP © 2021 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved. Advisory Committee
9. Indicators of Clean Electricity Procurement that Drives New Supply: Guidance Highlights 9 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
10. 10 © 2023 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The Need for Guidance • Voluntary buyers increasingly seek to maximize the impact of clean electricity purchases. • Lack of consensus on what constitutes impactful procurement has created: o Overreliance on generalized assumptions o Market fragmentation and uncertainty o Barriers to investment and growth
11. 11 © 2023 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Purpose of the Guidance • This guidance answers: What are credible indicators of impactful clean energy procurement? • Focuses on ex ante identification of purchases that: o Advance new clean energy supply o Help maintain existing clean energy generation • Provide clarity, alignment, and tools to support collective action toward a clean energy future
12. 12 12 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Scope and Limitations Definitions • Indicators, not metrics: Observable proxies for impact; not intended to quantify new generation from purchases. • Definition of impact: Focused on direct or increased indirect effect on clean energy supply. Assumptions • Any clean energy: Assumes any new clean energy contributes positively. • Long-term impact included: Reflects actions that influence supply over any timeframe. Limitations • Impact of Individual Procurements: Emphasizes the effect of a single purchase, not total market impact. • Baseline is Active and Voluntary Purchasing: Impact starts with voluntary, surplus-to-regulation procurement from projects generally <15 years old. • U.S. focus: Guidance is specific to U.S. procurement. • Practical Guidance: Based on existing research; no new analyses of empirical or modeled impact of procurement options.
13. 13 13 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Applicability • Broad applicability: Relevant across U.S. regions and procurement options, though availability may vary. • All buyer types: Designed for all buyers; smaller buyers may need aggregation or partnerships. Characteristics • Equal weight: Indicators are independent and equally valid; meeting more increases confidence. Understanding the Indicators Use and Implications • Not exclusive or required: Indicators are not prerequisites; other impactful actions may exist. • All voluntary demand matters: All voluntary purchases support clean energy deployment. • Primary and secondary markets: Both market types contribute to growth and stability.
14. 14 14 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Overview of Impact Indicators 14 Indicators in 3 Categories Increased Indirect Impact on New or Existing Clean Energy 7. Supporting new or replicable transaction structures 8. Aggregating demand to expand market access 9. Investing in tracking, certification, or market infrastructure 10. Purchasing from dispatchable renewables or projects paired with storage 11. Participating in collaborative siting efforts 12. Supporting emerging technologies 13. Facilitating or investing in transmission expansion 14. Time-matching procurement to hourly load Direct Impact on New Clean Energy 1. Long-term procurement (10+ years) 2. Early commitments to projects, ideally before they begin operations 3. Purchasing that provides critical revenue— “missing money”—or covers a significant portion of project costs 4. Purchases that accompany direct investment or financing for a project Direct Impact on Maintaining Existing Clean Energy 5. Procurement that helps prevent project closure 6. Procurement that enables repowering
15. 15 15 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1. Long-term contracts (10+ years): Enable financing and are one of the clearest ways to support new projects. 2. Early commitments: Agreements made before commercial operations have greater development impact—the earlier, the better. 3. Significant financial contribution: Discounted value of contracted RECs ≥5% of project NPV, or procurement covers “missing money” needed for viability. 4. Direct investment: Equity, tax equity, or debt financing alongside procurement directly supports project development. Indicators of Impact on New Clean Energy
16. 16 © 2023 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 5. Preventing closure: Procurement with investment that keeps a project operating when it would otherwise shut down. 6. Enabling repowering: Procurement with investment that supports replacing major equipment and may increase project capacity. Indicators of Impact on Maintenance of Existing Clean Energy
17. 17 17 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 7. Innovative transactions: Novel deal structures that can be replicated or standardized. 8. Increased market access: Expands purchasing opportunities for new or diverse buyers. 9. New market infrastructure: Adds or improves tracking, certification, or transparency tools. 10. Dispatchable renewables/storage: Supports reliability and addresses net peak demand. Indicators of Increased Indirect Impact on New or Existing Clean Energy 11. Collaborative siting: Partnerships that streamline permitting or interconnection. 12. Emerging technologies: Supports projects using technologies identified as clean and emerging. 13. Transmission expansion: Accompanies investments that increase grid capacity for clean energy. 14. Time-matching: Procurement matched to hourly load, especially where clean supply is scarce.
18. • Type of product or contract (e.g., PPA, unbundled RECs, utility tariff) • REC price • Low-cost grid emissions impact • REC arbitrage • Large-scale procurement • Project-based additionality • Retail options tied to new dedicated resources • “Derisked” revenue streams • Impact on project IRR vs. WACC • Meeting hurdle rate for project investment • Overcoming interconnection or siting barriers Dismissed Indicators (Appendix A) • Contracts longer than project’s expected lifetime • Effect on market price of RECs or clean energy • Organizational long-term clean energy commitments • Primary vs. secondary market procurement • Procurement from projects generating during peak demand • Procurement from projects operating when regional renewable output is low • Procurement from “local” or geographically close projects
19. 19 © 2023 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. • 3 impact categories, 14 total indicators • Ex ante indicators: Provide voluntary buyers with guidance to increase individual impact on clean energy supply. • Applicable across contexts: Designed for use across regions, buyer types, and procurement options in the U.S. • Use what’s relevant: You don’t need to meet every indicator or change your strategy overnight. • More informed decisions: Encourages buyers to request project-level information and act with greater intention. Key Takeaways
20. 20 © 2023 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Future Work • More specific guidelines for applying the indicators in different market conditions • Metrics or benchmarks for more standardized assessment and verification • Regional adjustments • Indicators for other impacts (e.g., GHG emissions impacts or community benefits)
21. Panel Discussion 21 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 21 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
22. PAGE 22 © 2025 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
23. Levels of CEAP Participation Advisory Committee Chooses initiative topics; has editorial influence on guidance documents, supports growth of CEAP _______________________ Multiple openings for new members Corporate Membership - $25,000 Working Groups By invitation only, participates in monthly calls, provides redline feedback on guidance doc, supports guidance release _______________________ Approx 12-18 organizations per initiative Participation Fee - FREE Initiative Sponsor Co-leads Working Group, supports branding and promotion of guidance, establishes leadership position in the field _______________________ Maximum of two sponsors per initiative Sponsorship Cost - $10,000
25. Thank you! 25 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 25 © 2025 CENTER FOR RESOURCE SOLUTIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Todd Jones Principal, US Markets todd.jones@resource-solutions.org 415-561-2118 www.resource-solutions.org/ceap Renee O'Donnell CEAP Program Manager renee.odonnell@resource-solutions.org 415-561-2102