The Benefits of an All-Source RFP in Duke Energy Indiana's 2021 Integrated Resource Planning Process
Ahead of Duke Energy Indiana's 2021 integrated resource planning (IRP) process, Synapse worked with Energy Matters Community Coalition to advocate for an all-source request for proposals (RFPs) to reveal essential cost data that could be used to improve IRP modeling. This effort culminated in a November 2020 report titled, The Benefits of an All-Source RFP in Duke Energy Indiana’s 2021 Integrated Resource Planning Process. The report identified best practices in issuing all-source RFPs, and explained how all-source RFPs can reduce costs for consumers and open utility resource planning to cleaner technologies. Due to the recent rapid cost reductions for renewable and storage technologies, it is important to identify accurate and up-to-date cost data to ensure realistic modeling outcomes. The report also noted examples of other utilities that have issued all-source RFPs and successfully received low-cost bids from clean, renewable resources that saved consumers money.