Rooftop solar and distributed wind systems at CROPP Cooperative in Monroe, WI.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) has released a new roadmap meant to lead to shorter timelines and “better outcomes” for connecting clean energy resources to the distribution and sub-transmission grids.
The Distributed Energy Resource Interconnection Roadmap sets targets and strategies intended to improve interconnection processes and maintain the reliability of the electric grid. DOE also announced $16 million in upcoming funding to support stakeholder engagement and technical assistance to adopt interconnection strategies on the distribution and transmission grids.
Additionally, DOE and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation announced $2.1 million for selected distribution utilities to pilot interconnection software solutions. To encourage collaboration, DOE launched i2X Connect, an online platform that provides a space for interconnection stakeholders to exchange ideas and know-how. Improving interconnection processes will reduce costs, shorten timelines, and support a reliable, resilient electric grid.
“As more people and businesses choose to buy solar energy, wind turbines, batteries, and electric vehicles, they are facing significant delays and roadblocks connecting to the grid,” said Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “The solutions in this roadmap tackle interconnection challenges from all angles to help communities across the country connect these resources faster while increasing the resilience and reliability of the grid.”
Deployment of DER resources is accelerating rapidly, DOE said; for example, from 2010 to 2023, the number of residential rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems grew from 89,000 to 4.7 million. DOE argues that DER interconnection processes at the distribution and sub-transmission system levels need to evolve to handle the growing volume of customer demand.
What’s on the roadmap?
The DOE roadmap is intended for a broad range of interconnection stakeholders—including utilities, state agencies, regulators, equipment manufacturers, consumer advocates, equity and energy justice groups, researchers, interconnection customers, and other actors—with 39 solutions organized around four goals:
Increasing data access, transparency, and security
Improving interconnection processes and timelines
Promoting economic efficiency in interconnection
Maintaining a reliable, resilient, and secure grid
The roadmap provides specific actions that the interconnection community can take in the next five years and beyond to address current DER interconnection challenges. Developed through engagement with more than 1,000 interconnection stakeholders, the roadmap solutions offer strategies rather than prescriptive fixes and are categorized to help stakeholders in different states or regions identify those that best meet their needs and priorities.
