The U.S. Dept. of Vitality (DOE) launched a new roadmap outlining options to hurry up the interconnection of fresh power onto the nation’s transmission grid and clear the present backlog of photo voltaic, wind and battery tasks looking for to be constructed. The Transmission Interconnection Roadmap, developed by DOE’s Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X), serves as a information for transmission suppliers, interconnection prospects, state businesses, federal regulators, transmission homeowners, load serving entities (LSEs), tools producers, client advocates, fairness and power justice communities, advocacy teams, consultants and the analysis neighborhood, which incorporates DOE. The roadmap units aggressive success targets for interconnection enchancment by 2030 and descriptions instruments that can enhance the method for connecting extra clear power tasks to a dependable grid, whereas serving to obtain the Biden-Harris Administration’s objective of 100% clear electrical energy by 2035.
“Clearing the backlog of practically 12,000 photo voltaic, wind and storage tasks ready to connect with the grid is important to deploying clear electrical energy to extra Individuals,” mentioned U.S. Secretary of Vitality Jennifer M. Granholm. “Via the i2X program, the Biden-Harris Administration is accelerating the interconnection course of by making certain all stakeholders have higher entry to information and improved requirements and procedures as we search to develop and keep a extra environment friendly, dependable and clear grid.”
In response to a report not too long ago launched by DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley Nationwide Laboratory, practically 2,600 GW of technology and storage capability are actively looking for grid interconnection, which represents an eight-fold improve since 2014. The excessive quantity of tasks and insufficient present procedures for interconnection has led to uncertainties, delays, inequities and added prices for builders, shoppers, utilities and their regulators.
The i2X roadmap gives a broad vary of stakeholders resembling transmission suppliers, state businesses, federal regulators, tools producers and different actors with a set of 35 options organized round growing information entry, transparency and safety for interconnection; bettering interconnection course of and timeline; selling financial effectivity in interconnection; and sustaining a dependable, resilient and safe grid. The roadmap consists of 4 goal metrics for interconnection reform together with shorter interconnection instances, decrease interconnection value variance, elevated completion charges and nil disturbance occasions attributed to modeling.
Over the previous two years of creating the roadmap, DOE collected concepts and potential options by way of a collection of stakeholder workshops and digital conferences, together with a request for data printed in October 2023 to solicit public suggestions and feedback on a draft model of the doc. The options within the closing roadmap embody:
- Bettering the scope, accessibility, high quality and standardization of information on tasks already in interconnection queues
- Creating new and higher use of present fast-track choices for interconnection, resembling surplus interconnection service, technology alternative service and energy-only interconnection service
- Adopting and implementing a harmonized and complete set of technology interconnection necessities or requirements
- Exploring and evaluating potential choices for delinking the interconnection course of and community improve investments to extend up-front interconnection value certainty.
DOE assist to implement options
DOE has a number of roles in implementing the options recognized within the roadmap, resembling facilitating resolution adoption, offering funding and technical help, and supporting the analysis neighborhood. DOE’s Grid Deployment Workplace invests in accelerating interconnection of fresh power technology by way of the $5 billion Grid Innovation Program, which helps deployment of tasks that use progressive approaches to reinforce grid resilience and reliability. DOE’s Photo voltaic Vitality Applied sciences Workplace and Wind Vitality Applied sciences Workplace not too long ago launched a $10 million funding alternative for analytical instruments and approaches to speed up interconnection and will likely be main a collection of forthcoming public boards aimed toward implementation of interconnection requirements to keep up a dependable, resilient and protected grid.
Via the Title 17 Clear Vitality Financing Program, the Mortgage Packages Workplace seeks to finance power infrastructure tasks, together with transmission infrastructure investments to assist transmission interconnection, reconductoring transmission traces and upgrading voltage. DOE additionally helps electrical automobile charging deployment by way of the Joint Workplace of Vitality and Transportation. The Joint Workplace is convening stakeholders to establish gaps that presently exist between transmission and transportation planning to speed up the event of transmission inside transportation rights-of-way.
Register for a webinar on Might 8 at 1 p.m. ET to be taught extra concerning the targets and options within the roadmap.
Information merchandise from i2X
