ESPC ESA Case Study: Energy Affordability at the National Institute of Standards and Technology

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland, installed a 5 MW-DC photovoltaic (PV) system under an energy savings performance contract energy sales agreement (ESPC ESA). The project was implemented using the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) ESPC ENABLE contract vehicle. This project provides an example of the benefits of using an ESPC ESA to reduce project costs and provide the best value to the government, allowing the system owner to monetize tax incentives such as the federal investment tax credit (ITC) and Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS), and use or sell the solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs).