2902.1Renewable Generators, including behind-the-meter (BTM) generators, shall be certified as qualified resources by the Commission:
(a) Solar Energy Systems no larger than fifteen megawatts (15 MW) in capacity (unless a facility is located on property owned by the Government of the District of Columbia or by any agency or independent authority of the Government of the District of Columbia in which case the facility can be larger than fifteen megawatts (15 MW) in capacity) that are located within the District or in locations served by a distribution feeder serving the District are eligible for certification to meet the solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS;(b)(1) A Solar Energy System which is currently connected to the Electric Company's distribution system, is not located in the District, and is not currently served by a distribution feeder serving the District shall not be eligible for certification to meet the solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS through an extension of the distribution system and/or a new service connection. The Electric Company shall not reconfigure its distribution system, including extensions of the system or new service connections, solely to allow a Solar Energy System to become eligible for certification to meet the solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS; and(2) A Solar Energy System which is not currently connected to the Electric Company's distribution system and is not located in the District may be eligible for certification to meet the solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS, if the appropriate connection point as determined by the Electric Company is on a distribution feeder serving the District. The Electric Company shall not reconfigure its distribution system, including extensions of the system or new service connections, solely to allow a Solar Energy System to become eligible for certification to meet the solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS.(c) Solar Energy Systems that are not located within the District and not in locations served by a distribution feeder serving the District, regardless of capacity, may be certified to meet the non-solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS if the Solar Energy System is within the PJM Interconnection Region;(d) Eligibility for certification to meet the solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS, for Solar Energy Systems not located within the District and in locations served by a distribution feeder serving the District, is based on the Electric Company's current Cross Border Feeder Map posted on its website;(e) Solar Energy Systems not located within the District and in locations served by a distribution feeder serving the District, once certified by the Commission to meet the solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS, will remain certified and in good standing to produce SRECs that are eligible to meet the solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS; and(f) Solar Energy Systems not located within the District and in locations served by a distribution feeder serving the District, once certified by the Commission to meet the solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS, may be expanded or replaced and continue to produce SRECs that are eligible to meet the solar portion of the Tier One requirement of the RPS, provided that the Solar Energy System is served by a distribution feeder serving the District at the time of the replacement or expansion, subject to approval consistent with the provisions of Subsection 2902.14 of this chapter.2902.2Renewable Generators, including BTM generators, may be certified as a Tier One source. In order to be certified, applicants shall complete the Commission's "Application for Certification as an Eligible District of Columbia Renewable Energy Standards Generating Facility."
2902.3An applicant submitting an Application for certification as a renewable source shall state, at a minimum:
(a) The name of the renewable energy facility for which the Application is made and its address;(b) The name of the owner of the facility and the owner's contact information;(c) The name of the operator of the facility and the operator's contact information;(d) The name of a contact person and the person's contact information;(e) The renewable fuel type(s) and capacity information;(f) The operational start date;(g) Whether the facility is a BTM generator;(h) Whether the facility uses net metering;(i) The type of meter used to measure solar energy production;(j) The type of facility (residential, Community Renewable Energy Facility (CREF), District government, or Federal government, if applicable);(k) The date of the final approved interconnection;(l) Whether the facility is owned by a third party; and(m) Whether the facility has a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).2902.4In addition to the information required in Subsection 2902.3, an applicant submitting an Application shall also attach:
(a) A current Certificate of Good Standing for the applicant issued by the state in which the business was formed, if applicable;(b) A copy of the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration Form EIA 860, if the rated capacity is greater than one megawatt (1 MW);(c) A Certificate of Authorization to Conduct Business in the District, if applicable;(d) Documentation of authority to sign on behalf of the applicant;(e) Documentation that the energy output of non-residential solar heating, cooling, or process heat property systems producing or displacing greater than ten thousand kilowatt hours (10,000 kWh) per year is determined by an on-site energy meter that meets performance standards established by the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) and the solar collectors used have an OG-100 certification based on the most current adopted standard from the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC), if applicable;(f) Documentation that the energy output of non-residential solar heating, cooling, or process heat property systems producing or displacing ten thousand (10,000) or less kilowatt-hours per year is determined by the most current adopted SRCC OG-300 annual system performance rating protocol applicable to the property or by an on-site energy meter that meets performance standards established by OIML and the solar collectors used have an OG-100 certification based on the most current adopted standard from the SRCC, if applicable;(g) Documentation that the energy output of residential solar thermal energy systems is determined by the most current adopted SRCC OG-300 annual rating protocol or by an on-site energy meter that meets performance standards established by OIML and the solar collectors used have an OG-100 certification based on the most current adopted standard from the SRCC, if applicable;(h) Interconnection Application and Agreement approval for the Renewable Generator, if applicable; and(i) Documentation of site maps, string drawings, or construction drawings which identify the Solar Energy System's capacity, number of panels, tilt and azimuth, and inverter manufacturer and model, if applicable. These maps and/or drawings shall include any as-built modifications, even if they are different from the site maps or construction drawings that were submitted to the appropriate jurisdictional permitting authority.2902.5An applicant submitting an Application shall attest to:
(a) Environmental compliance, if the fuel type is not solar energy;(b) General compliance that all information contained in the Application is true and accurate;(c) General compliance with all Commission rules; and(d) General compliance, once certified, with production reporting requirements, terms of use, and the operating rules of GATS.2902.6An Application shall be submitted through the Commission's website at www.dcpsc.org using the RPS Portal. Applications may be submitted through the RPS Portal twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. Review of applications in accordance with Subsections 2902.7 and 2902.8 shall commence on the next business day if the Application is submitted after 5:30 p.m. on a business day or if submitted on a non-business day.
2902.7An Application shall be accepted for filing and docketed within fifteen (15) business days of the submission date provided no additional information is requested.
2902.8 The Commission shall issue a decision on the Application within thirty (30) business days of the submission date subject to the procedures set forth in Subsection 2902.6, except where the Commission has issued a request for additional information. If the Commission is unable to render a decision within the allotted time, the applicant shall request a review compelling the Commission to act upon the Application.
2902.9 In cases where the Commission determines that an Application is insufficient or incomplete, the Commission or its staff will send a written request for additional information within fifteen (15) business days of the submission date subject to the conditions set forth in Subsection 2902.6.
2902.10 A request for additional information from the Commission shall toll the deadline in Subsection 2902.8 for issuing a decision on the Application.
2902.11 After receiving a written request for additional information, the applicant shall have fifteen (15) days to submit the additional information.
2902.12 Upon receipt of the additional information from the applicant or its authorized representative, the Application shall be accepted for filing and docketed, and the Commission shall issue a decision on the Application in accordance with the time periods prescribed in Subsection 2902.8.
2902.13 Upon approval of an Application, the Commission shall assign a unique GATS certificate number to the eligible renewable energy generating resource.
2902.14 The following Subsections pertain to "Amended Applications,"? when a currently certified Renewable Generator undergoes an alteration or modification.
(a) The Commission shall be notified of any alterations or modifications in the operating characteristics of a certified Renewable Generator by submission of an Amended Application within thirty (30) days after the alteration or modification takes place. An alteration or modification includes but is not limited to changes in: (1) generation capacity, whether from hardware modification, change in azimuth or tilt, change in efficiency measures, or any other tangible alteration that has an effect on total capacity; (5) facility interconnection status; or (6) facility generator type. The RPS applicant shall submit the Amended Application with documentation of the alteration or modification taking place.(b) The Commission shall issue a decision on the Application within thirty (30) business days of the submission date. Should an Amended Application be denied, the Renewable Generator will not acquire any RECs associated with the alteration or modification.(c) Any Amended Application that includes a change in a Solar Energy System's orientation or system size shall include documentation of site maps or construction drawings which identify the system's capacity, number of panels, tilt and azimuth. These maps and/or drawings shall include any as-built modifications, even if they are different from the site maps or construction drawings that were submitted to the appropriate jurisdictional permitting authority.(d) For an Amended Application registered with the RPS Portal to be approved, the RPS applicant shall submit the Amended Application through the RPS Portal. For an Amended Application registered with the Commission e-Docket system to be approved, the RPS applicant shall submit the Amended Application through the Commission e-Docket system.2902.15Owners or operators of District-certified Renewable Generators shall notify the Commission, in accordance with Subsection 2902.14(d), of any substantive changes in the information provided in an original or Amended Application including but not limited to changes in contact information within thirty (30) days.
2902.16Every facility using qualifying biomass to generate electricity and certified as a qualifying resource by the Commission shall submit annually by June 1, information demonstrating each system's total system efficiency for the current calendar year consistent with the definitions of "total system efficiency," "fuel input," and "useful thermal energy output" in Subsection 2999.1.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 15, r. 15-2902
Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 55 DCR 000561 (January 18, 2008); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 2727 (April 10, 2009); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 7839 (October 2, 2009), incorporating text of Proposed Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 2596 (April 3, 2009); as amended by Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 2313, 2316 (March 23, 2012). as Amended by Final Rulemaking published at 62 DCR 654 (January 16, 2015); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 62 DCR 14087 (10/30/2015); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 4874 (4/1/2016); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 64 DCR 4231 (4/28/2017); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 65 DCR 13506 (12/14/2018); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 902 (1/31/2020); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 68 DCR 5434 (5/21/2021); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 69 DCR 2773 (4/1/2022); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 71 DCR 3262 (3/22/2024); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 71 DCR 16350 (12/27/2024)Section 2902 is formerly entitled, "Generator Certification." The Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 2313 (March 23, 2012) renamed the section, "Generator Certification and Eligibility."Authority: The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (Commission) pursuant to section 34 -802 of the D.C. Official Code and in accordance with section 2 -505 of the D.C. Official Code.