2026 New Build Carbon Free Energy & Storage Projects Request for Offers (RFO)

Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) seeks to procure new build carbon-free energy and storage resources to meet renewable portfolio standard (RPS) goals, greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, and reliability requirements. This RFO solicits offers for eligible renewable energy resources including wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, bioenergy with carbon capture, advanced nuclear reactors, and energy storage technologies (both paired with renewable generation and standalone). Projects must be new build with expected commercial operation dates as early as 2026, with delivery terms ranging from a minimum of ten years to a maximum of twenty years.

SVCE prioritizes projects within the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) balancing authority or with certified deliverability to CAISO, and prefers projects of 10-75 MW in size, though projects of any size are eligible. Projects in CAISO Queue Clusters up to and including Cluster 16 are accepted. Respondents must provide pricing options including all-in energy and capacity pricing ($/MWh), energy pricing with potential index plus carbon-free adders, or capacity pricing ($/kW-month), all at fixed prices with no escalation. Pricing must be provided at the Project P-node and is strongly encouraged to be provided in trading hubs SP15, NP15 and applicable DLAPs.

Key evaluation criteria include value competitiveness, project viability, portfolio fit with SVCE's board-directed goals, respondent experience, workforce and labor considerations with strong preference for prevailing wage and project labor agreements, environmental and social justice commitments, and benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act. Prevailing wage is required with strong preference for projects committing to sign project labor agreements.

Important dates include: RFO issuance February 5, 2026; proposal deadline March 4, 2026 at 12:00 PM PPT; RFO questions must be submitted by February 20, 2026; shortlist notification expected April 2026; exclusivity agreement execution required within two weeks of shortlist notification; and target contract execution Q4 2026 (may be expedited for projects with 2026 online dates). Shortlisted respondents must execute an exclusivity agreement and provide a $3/kW cash deposit or letter of credit.