Energy Auctions Expert Consultant - Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Policy and Investment Analysis for Selected Developing Countries

Job Description

The Climate Economic Analysis for Development, Investment and Resilience (CEADIR) project, funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) helps national and subnational governments, the private sector, and civil society make the business and economic case for climate change mitigation and adaptation by planning strategies, investments, and policies. This global project conducts assessments, develops and disseminates tools, and increases capacity for analysis, design, and implementation of clean energy (renewable energy and energy efficiency), sustainable landscapes, and adaptation. It supports Low Emission Development Strategies, Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plans and helps mobilize private and public financing.

ACTIVITY CONTEXT

USAID has requested that the CEADIR activity provide technical assistance and to develop a paper on how BESS can be incorporated into technology neutral auctions. BESS are a critical component of emerging grid modernization technologies and best practices for utilities and power generators in the developed and developing world including smart grids, mini-grids, merchant renewable energy projects and distributed energy resources. This assistance will help USAID to support cost-effective, rapid deployment, and implementation of such technology.

Advanced industrial economies have taken significant steps to promote and deploy BESS; the technology will be essential in emerging markets as they seek to modernize their power grids, meet national targets for renewable energy deployment and energy access, and promote the efficient use of resources and energy security. CEADIR will develop an innovative thinking thought piece paper based mostly on qualitative data gathered from stakeholder interviews and, to a lesser extent, desktop research that will inform policy makers, USAID actors, and other stakeholders interested in incorporating BESS into technology neutral auctions. The focus of this paper will be to identify the challenges and opportunities of incorporating BESS into technology neutral auctions and make recommendations for future auctions in emerging markets.

Scope of Work (SOW)

CEADIR is seeking an expert consultant with experience designing or executing energy auctions, preferably technology neutral auctions, that will support the development of an innovative thinking thought piece paper on the challenges and opportunities for incorporating BESS into technology neutral energy auctions and make recommendations for future auctions that promote an equal playing field for BESS technology bids. The support will include:

• Reviewing and narrowing down an already developed bulleted listing of key elements from past auction processes that might influence and impact BESS integration to approximately five key elements and help prepare an explanation of how these five elements will influence or will be influenced by incorporating BESS;
• Identify a minimum of four stakeholders who will be interviewed for the auctions paper and contribute to drafting a questionnaire for stakeholder interviews based upon the five auctions elements that influence and impact BESS integration;
• Participate in interviews with stakeholders and provide quality assurance on the qualitative information gathered after the interview process;
• Develop a stakeholder interview summary; and
• Serve as a co-author on the challenges and opportunities of incorporating BESS into technology neutral auctions paper.

DELIVERABLES

The consultant will:

• Identify approximately five topics the paper should address: CEADIR in cooperation with USAID identified potential key elements in a technology neutral auction that will be impacted and impact the successful incorporation of BESS into auctions. CEADIR and USAID identified over 50 possible opportunities and challenges for BESS in technology neutral auctions.
• Develop an interview questionnaire: CEADIR will use the five identified key elements of a technology neutral auction that impact or are impacted by BESS to develop a targeted stakeholder interview questionnaire.
• Interview a minimum of four stakeholders who have worked on incorporating BESS into technology neutral auctions: The interviews will develop primary qualitative data and focus on the five key elements of a technology neutral auction that impact are impacted by BESS. The qualitative data will be used in developing a paper that will inform policy makers and USAID actors on the challenges and opportunities of incorporating BESS into existing and future technology neutral auctions. The respondents could include utilities, developers that have submitted BESS bids in technology neutral auctions, or government officials that work on auctions design.
• Perform a quality assurance review of the qualitative data gathered from the stakeholder interviews and develop a short (no more than five pages) summary report of the stakeholder interviews.
• Serve as a co-author for the BESS technology neutral auctions paper (approximately 20 pages) that will inform USAID and policy makers in Emerging Markets on the challenges and opportunities of incorporating BESS into technology neutral auctions: Using the information gathered from the interviews, the identified five key elements, and CEADIR’s previous reverse renewable energy auction work, the consultant will serve as a co-author of a paper that will inform USAID and policy makers on:
• Those key elements of an auction that impact and are impacted by incorporating BESS into existing and planned auction processes.
• The challenges and opportunities of incorporating BESS into technology neutral auctions where BESS is competing with other technologies like wind, solar, fossil, and demand response.
• Recommendations and considerations for incorporating and designing BESS into future auctions, or other countries that are expected to hold technology neutral auctions, based upon desktop research but mainly informed by the qualitative data gathered from the stakeholder interviews.
• A review of two existing case studies of auctions that included BESS.

SCHEDULE AND LEVEL OF EFFORT

The consultant will have a total of 10 days LOE for the consultancy, beginning as soon as possible and ending October 30, 2019. The consultant will submit their proposed rate.

COMMUNICATION

The consultant shall work in collaboration with the Activity Manager, Loretta Bauer, throughout the implementation of this activity.

CEADIR Team:

1. Loretta Bauer, Activity Manager: Loretta_Bauer@abtassoc.com
2. Mikell O’Mealy, RE Specialist: Mikell_OMealy@abtassoc.com
3. Alexa Smith-Rommel, Communications Specialist: Alexa_SmithRommel@abtassoc.com
4. Pablo Torres, Chief of Party, CEADIR: ptorres@crownagents.com

QUALIFICATIONS

The applicant must submit a resume and cover letter detailing the following qualifications:

• 15 + years of experience working in the Energy Sector
• Previous energy auction design experience, preferable technology neutral auctions where a winning bidder was a BESS or BESS hybrid project
• Experience working with utilities would present an advantage
• A Master’s degree in either finance or engineering or the equivalent in experience and education

About the Organization

Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global leader in research and program implementation in the fields of health, social and environmental policy, and international development. Founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1965, Abt Associates was built on the concept that sound information and empirical analysis are the best foundations for effective decision making. The firm blends the subject matter expertise of our staff with technical capabilities in applied research, program implementation, and data collection to shape policy, strengthen systems, measure performance, and deliver other solutions to our public and private sector clients. Examples of Abt Associates’ work include nationally recognized research, evaluation, and technical assistance to improve the efficiency of healthcare systems, the effectiveness of government housing programs, the production of food, and the measurement of public opinion. Abt’s staff of more than 2000 includes national and international experts who are known for their understanding of communities and governments worldwide, innovative research techniques, and insightful—and often groundbreaking—analyses and recommendations. Approximately 51 percent of our staff has graduate degrees; one in six has a doctorate. Our staff’s educational and professional disciplines include economics, engineering, environmental analysis, epidemiology, food security, health, housing, international development, psychology, social science, statistics, and survey methodology. Abt’s research staff is experienced with prominent statistical software packages, including SPSS, SAS, and STATA, along with qualitative software such as NVIVO and Atlas. In 2011, Abt Associates was ranked among the top 20 global research firms and one of the top 40 development innovators. Abt has offices in Atlanta, Ga.; Rockville, Md.; Cambridge, Mass.; Chicago, Ill.; Durham, N.C.; and New York City and program offices in nearly 40 countries in Africa, Central and Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa. www.abtassociates.com