The US Department of Energy (DOE) has introduced its first-ever roadmap aimed at expediting the connection of more clean energy to the grid, with the goal of resolving a significant backlog of solar, wind, and battery projects awaiting construction. Nearly 2,600 gigawatts of clean energy generation and battery storage capacity are currently seeking grid interconnection, as per a recent report from DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The Transmission Interconnection Roadmap, developed by DOE's Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X), is intended for various stakeholders, including transmission providers, interconnection customers, state agencies, and others. The roadmap establishes ambitious targets for improving interconnection by 2030 and outlines tools to facilitate the swift and efficient connection of additional clean energy projects to the grid.
The primary objective of the roadmap is to ensure the Biden administration's target of achieving 100% clean electricity by 2035 is met.
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm stated:
“Clearing the backlog of nearly 12,000 solar, wind, and storage projects waiting to connect to the grid is essential to deploying clean electricity to more Americans. Through the i2X program, the Biden-Harris Administration is accelerating the interconnection process by ensuring all stakeholders have better access to data and improved standards and procedures as we seek to develop and maintain a more efficient, reliable, and clean grid.”
The Transmission Interconnection Roadmap outlines four key goals:
- Increase data access, transparency, and security for interconnection.
- Improve the interconnection process and timeline.
- Promote economic efficiency in interconnection.
- Maintain a reliable, resilient, and secure grid.
These goals aim to enhance the availability, quality, and standardization of data on projects in interconnection queues, improve queue management practices, reduce costs for electricity consumers, and update technical requirements within interconnection studies and tools.
