1. SI2 released a white paper on interconnection challenges in the solar and storage industry and proposed new solutions to accelerate the clean energy transition.
2. The report recommends creating more holistic regional transmission planning processes and a new funding paradigm for transmission upgrade costs to reduce uncertainty and lower interconnection costs.
3. The report emphasizes the need for policymakers, grid operators, and Congress to reimagine the interconnection funding paradigm to streamline the process and allow for more rapid build-out of renewables.
The Solar and Storage Industries Institute (SI2) has released a white paper addressing interconnection challenges in the solar and storage industry and proposing new solutions to speed up the transition to clean energy. The report suggests creating more comprehensive regional transmission planning processes and a new funding model for transmission upgrade costs, which would lead to lower interconnection costs, a stronger transmission system, and faster deployment of renewable energy.
SI2’s executive director, David Gahl, stressed the need to address underlying issues in the interconnection process to avoid burdening clean energy projects with all transmission system upgrade costs. The report recommends integrating data from interconnection queues with demand forecasts and clean energy goals to improve transmission planning responsiveness and reduce costs.
Furthermore, the report calls for policymakers to reimagine the interconnection funding paradigm to limit grid upgrade costs to essential measures for connecting projects to the local network. This would streamline the interconnection process, reduce backlogs, and allow for rapid deployment of renewables, crucial for meeting climate goals and managing the surge in clean energy demand.
Industry leaders, like Abigail Ross Hopper from SEIA and Tom Rutigliano from NRDC, emphasize the importance of addressing interconnection challenges to accelerate clean energy projects and build a grid capable of supporting a sustainable future. SI2’s analysis offers a roadmap for policymakers and stakeholders committed to advancing clean energy solutions in the changing energy landscape.