Value chain · CLM-1260
In plain terms
In 2009-2011 California's regulators took a contract to buy power from a space solar company through each formal step: the energy commission accepted a 200 MW space solar receiving station as a renewable source in principle, and the utility regulator signed off on the contract's emissions terms. None of these papers shows the satellite or the station being built.
The claim as recorded
The Solaren space-based solar power purchase agreement moved through California's regulatory steps between 2009 and 2011. PG&E filed Advice Letter 3449-E on 10 April 2009; the CPUC conditionally approved it on 3 December 2009 in Resolution E-4286, deferring its emissions-standard finding because the Energy Commission had not yet established space-based solar as eligible for the Renewables Portfolio Standard. The Energy Commission pre-certified "Solaren SSP California Receive Station #1" as RPS-eligible (certificate dated 5 January 2010; final action 26 April 2010, per PG&E): 200.00 MW, photovoltaic, owned and operated by Solaren Corporation, annual fossil fuel usage 0.00 per cent. PG&E then filed Advice Letter 3690-E on 18 June 2010 asking the CPUC to find the contract compliant with the Emissions Performance Standard, and the CPUC Energy Division wrote on 3 February 2011 that it was effective from 16 December 2010. The CPUC letter cites the resolution as "E-4386" in its subject and "E-4380" for the effective date, where the filing cites E-4286; this record does not resolve the difference.
Evidence behind this: Utility and regulator filings: what was filed, conditioned and certified, by date; not evidence that the facility was built.
Scope and limits
A RECORD OF REGULATORY STEPS, NOT OF A BUILT SYSTEM. Pre-certification is, in the CEC letter's own words, subject to further verification once the facility is completed (PDF p.9, render). The 200 MW is the size on the certificate. No commercial operation is recorded in any held source; the 2016 completion that POWER reported in 2009 (CLM-1231) is not shown to have happened. The resolution numbers E-4380 and E-4386 on the CPUC letter conflict with the filing's E-4286, and neither later resolution is held. The CPUC letter on AL 3449-E itself (SRC-636 PDF p.1, 1 February 2010) says that advice letter "is effective November 20, 2009 per Resolution E-4286", against the 3 December 2009 date for E-4286 given here; E-4286 is not held and the difference is not resolved. The certificate's location reads "Cantus Creek, CA" as printed.
What it assumes
No assumptions are recorded against this claim.
Where it comes from
PDF p.2: AL 3449-E submitted "On April 10, 2009"; the Commission "conditionally approved the Solaren Advice letter in Resolution E-4286 on December 3, 2009" and deferred the EPS determination (paraphrase). PDF p.3: "On April 26, 2010, the CEC pre-certified the Solaren facility as eligible for the RPS program"; footnote 4: the certificate is dated 5 January 2010 but the CEC took final action on 26 April 2010 (paraphrase). PDF p.11 (render): the certificate names "Solaren SSP California Receive Station #1", size "200.00 MW", fuel type photovoltaic, annual fossil fuel usage 0.00 per cent, owner and operator Solaren Corporation (paraphrase except the station name). PDF p.1: the advice letter "is effective December 16, 2010 per Resolution E-4380"; subject line cites "Resolution E-4386".
Basis: dates; MW of the pre-certified facility
Related records
- Answers question
- QST-027 not published in this releaseQST-031 not published in this release
Cite this
energyaperture.com/c/clm-1260
CLM-1260, Energy Aperture, as of 2011-02-03.