Ram Power has teamed up with a community-owned California utility to develop geothermal projects. Imperial Irrigation District will provide land for the projects and offtake the power, aiding financing by prepaying for some of the PPAs, says Daniel Schochet, executive v.p. at Ram in Reno, Nevada.

The duo will likely develop a number of projects totaling several hundred MWs on IID land. Under the agreement, Ram will be the initial owner and will finance and develop the project. The Imperial Valley utility will have the option of buying 50 percent of the project after tax credits have expired.

"From Ram Power's perspective, you want to be a stakeholder in the process with a utility. To the degree you involve and have a rapprochement, you have a stronger and more viable project," Schochet says.

Calls to Jesse Montaño, the interconnect transmission contracts administrator at IID working with Ram, were not returned.