Solar Survey

EPA ICR No. 2434.46

OMB Control No. 2010-0042

Approval expires 11/30/2017

Survey on EPA Green Power Partnership’s Products/Services in Addressing Higher Education Solar Power Project Development Issues

To effectively address common barriers and challenges related to the development of solar photovoltaic projects within the Higher Education sector EPA’s Green Power Partnership is seeking your feedback on key solar project development issues. Your opinions, insights and experience will help enhance future EPA Green Power Partnership product and service offerings.

Survey Administration Notes

At the conclusion of each workshop segment (e.g., policy, financing & project economics, and RFPs, contracts, and administrative issues) EPA will survey workshop participants on questions related to the segment. Survey questions will be preceded by informational presentations relevant to the workshop segment topics.

Introduction to Each Survey Segment (5 mins)

• Provide background on the survey

• Explain the survey process and respondents’ role

• Deliver the survey to respondents

Policy Segment Survey Questions (10 mins)

1. How would you prioritize the following “policy issues” as it relates to your personal need for advancing solar project development at your institution? Please use a scale of 1-5 with 1=Not a Priority, and 5=Essential. Please select a response for each line.

	Not a Priority 1	Low Priority 2	Medium Priority 3	High Priority 4	Essential 5	Not Applicable
Understanding the availability of Third-party ownership financing structures
Solar claims guidance and best practices
Influence of State Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) policies
Understanding of greenhouse gas inventory guidance
Effect of Interconnection policies on project development
Effect of Net Metering policies on project development
The availability and access to Financial Incentives
Access to Solar Renewable Energy Certificate markets
The implications of Dodd-Frank Act (e.g., triggering securitization regulations)
Impact of regulated market policies

2. What other “policy issues,” if any, would you benefit from receiving additional information on? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Whom at your institution would benefit from receiving information on the following “policy issues” as it relates to developing solar projects? Please select one at least one response for each line.

	Sustainability Staff	Facility Staff	Faculty	Business Officers	Administration	Students	Not Applicable
Understanding the availability of Third-party ownership financing structures
Impact of regulated market policies
Influence of State Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) policies
Effect of Net Metering policies on project development
Effect of Interconnection policies on project development
The availability and access to Financial Incentives
The implications of Dodd-Frank Act (e.g., triggering securitization regulations)
Access to Solar Renewable Energy Certificate markets

4. What additional institutional stakeholders, if any, would benefit from receiving additional information on specific “policy issues” in order to advance solar project development at your institution? Indicate both the stakeholder role and the policy issue area. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Financing & Project Economics Segment Survey Questions (10 mins)

5. How would you prioritize the following “financing or project economics issues” as it relates to your personal need for advancing solar project development at your institution? Please use a scale of 1-5 with 1=Not a Priority, and 5=Essential. Please select a response for each line.

	Not a Priority 1	Low Priority 2	Medium Priority 3	High Priority 4	Essential 5	Not Applicable
Understanding Third-party ownership financing structures
Accessing alternative financing (e.g., alumni, student fees, internal carbon fees, community models)
Conducting economic project feasibility assessments
Options for monetizing solar renewable energy certificates
Speaking CFO language when pitching a solar project
Determining assumptions for project economic assessments
Understanding drivers and assumptions of project economics
Availability and use of standard project economic analysis tools

6. What other “financing or project economics issues,” if any, would you benefit from receiving additional information on?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Whom at your institution would benefit from receiving information on the following “financing & project economics issues” as it relates to developing solar projects? Please select one at least one response for each line.

	Sustainability Staff	Facility Staff	Faculty	Business Officers	Administration	Students	Not Applicable
Evaluating Third-party ownership financing structures
Accessing alternative financing (e.g., alumni, student fees, internal carbon fees, community models)
Conducting economic project feasibility assessments
Options for monetizing solar renewable energy certificates
Speaking CFO language when pitching a solar project
Determining assumptions for project economic assessments
Understanding drivers of project economics
Availability and use of standard project economic analysis tools

8. What additional institutional stakeholders, if any, would benefit from receiving information on specific “financing & project economics issues” in order to advance solar project development at your institution? Indicate both the stakeholder role and the financing & project economics issue area. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

RFP, Contracts & Administrative Issues Segment Survey Questions (10 mins)

9. How would you prioritize the following “RFP, contracts & administrative issues” as it relates to your personal need for advancing solar project development at your institution? Please use a scale of 1-5 with 1=Not a Priority, and 5=Essential. Please select a response for each line.

	Not a Priority 1	Low Priority 2	Medium Priority 3	High Priority 4	Essential 5	Not Applicable
Guidance in writing solar project Request for Proposals (RFP)
Methods for evaluating and comparing different solar project proposals
Understanding contract development best practices
Understanding best practices for advancing a contract through the administrative process
Access to standardized templates and contracts
Approaches for pitching solar projects to CFOs and other key stakeholders
Common tools and resources for conducting site feasibility analyses
Best practices in developing Operations & Maintenance contracts for institution owned systems

10. What other “RFP, contracts or administrative issues”, if any, would you benefit from receiving additional information on? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

11. Whom at your institution would benefit from receiving information on the following “RFP, contracts & administrative issues” as it relates to developing solar projects? Please select one at least one response for each line.

	Sustainability Staff	Facility Staff	Faculty	Business Officers	Administration	Students	Not Applicable
Guidance in writing solar project Request for Proposals (RFP)
Methods for evaluating and comparing different solar project proposals
Understanding contract development best practices
Understanding best practices for advancing a contract through the administrative process
Access to standardized templates and contracts
Approaches for pitching solar projects to CFOs and other key stakeholders
Common tools and resources for conducting site feasibility analyses
Best practices in developing Operations & Maintenance contracts for institution owned systems

12. What additional institutional stakeholders, if any, would benefit from receiving information on specific “RFP, contracts & administrative issues” in order to advance solar project development at your institution? Indicate both the stakeholder role and the RFP, Contract or Administrative issue area. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Demographic Options Survey Questions (5 mins)

13. Please indicate your role at the Higher Education institution you represent.

__ Sustainability staff

__ Facility staff

__ Faculty

__ Business Officer (i.e., CFO)

__ Administration

__ Student

__ Other (please specify):_____________________

__ Prefer not to answer

14. Please describe the type of Higher Education institution you represent?

__ Private – 4 year

__ Private – 2 year

__ Public – 4 year

__ Public – 2 year

__ Other (please specify):_____________________

__ Prefer not to answer

15. Currently, what type of solar project development, if any, are you most interested in for your Higher Education institution?

__ On-campus solar projects

__ Off-campus solar projects

__ All of the above

__ None of the above

__ Prefer not to answer

16. What is the name of your institution (optional)___________________________

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions!

If you have any questions or concerns about this survey, please contact:

James Critchfield Email: Critchfield.James@epa.gov

US Environmental Protection Agency Phone: (202) 343-9442

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20460

Mail Code 6202A

Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average five (5) minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments on the Agency’s need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggestions for reducing the burden, including the use of automated collection techniques to the Director, OEI Collection Strategies Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency (Mail Code 2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20460; and to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA. Include the EPA ICR number (2434.46) and the OMB control number (2010-0042) in any correspondence.