Early engagement notice - Sleeved Pool for zero-carbon electricity

Bristol City Council (BCC) is formulating a requirement for a ‘sleeved pool’ to route locally generated zero-carbon electricity from generators in and around Bristol to BCC and other customers. We would like to seek input from the market and gain interest from potential bidders, prior to formulating a formal procurement opportunity. This will provide early insight into the likely level of interest from that market and will help shape the requirement.

The proposed structure for the requirement is in two parts. The first would be a Generation Pool, managed by a Pool Manager, whose role would be to aggregate generation across multiple local renewable energy systems (wind turbines, solar farms, rooftop solar, etc) to provide a ‘Firming Service’, passing baseload blocks to a second pool. The Generation Pool Manager would also be responsible for co-ordinating generation, export of surplus power, and paying Generators for power provided to the pool.

The second pool would be a Demand Pool, managed by a second Pool Manager, whose role would be to manage a basket of demand customers, providing billing and accounting services for these customers. The Demand Pool Manager would also need to pay and manage non-commodity costs, and source additional power from the grid to make up any shortfalls from the Generation Pool.

It is proposed that the two pools would be separately competed as two Lots in a single tender. An outline specification for the service as currently envisaged is attached.

BCC is seeking views on:

• Overall:
o The level of interest in providing this service
o Views on the practicality of the pool designs as proposed
o Optimum contract length (3+1 years?)
o Suggestions as to how the specification might be improved

• Generation
o Views on accepting low volumes of power spilled from rooftop systems and the surplus from private-wire arrangements.

• Demand
o Yet to be determined before tender launch.

BCC is proposing to meet individually with interested bidders during August 2024, ahead of a formal tender launch for the full service.

BCC's current availability for discussions regarding this opportunity is as follows, please contact ella.clarke@bristol.gov.uk should you wish to join one of the below sessions:

- 15/07/24 (1600 – 1700)
- 16/07/24 (1500 – 1630)
- 19/07/24 (1500 – 1630)
- 20/08/24 (14.30 – 16.00)
- 22/08/24 (13.30 – 1500)