Clean energy could meet growing electricity demand, study suggests
While a government report suggests keeping coal units online and adding gas units to meet electricity demand, a GridLab and Telos Energy study suggests that building and connecting clean energy projects now awaiting interconnection could serve near-term demand growth.
Low-cost alternatives to solar-stalling “direct transfer trip” requirements
The solar trade group Coalition for Community Solar Access reports that a utility requirement to use “direct transfer trip” often makes solar projects uneconomical, while both CCSA and the renewable energy research group IREC find that the hazards targeted by direct transfer trip can be met effectively with far less costly options.
Grid operators plan billions for transmission to meet load and connect renewables
Industry experts discussed the forces driving regional transmission planning, the net benefits of transmission, and the impact of high-capacity transmission projects.
Speeding interconnection through automation is a proven technology, says software executive
A major U.S. grid operator has shown that interconnection automation is feasible, but there is “much more to do,” said one software executive. Another said that eight transmission planners using his firm’s software can do the work of 80.
Google aims to boost transmission capacity with advanced conductor upgrades
Google aims to help deliver more power to areas where it has data centers, by funding projects that increase the capacity of existing transmission lines using advanced conductors made by CTC Global. Large solar projects near reconductored lines could benefit.
Flexible transmission allocation would allow Western solar projects to proceed
Enabling renewable projects in the Pacific Northwest to obtain flexible transmission rights could help states reduce electricity costs and meet renewables targets, suggests a report. The approach could also have utility in most of the West.
Grid operator SPP partners with Hitachi to speed interconnection studies
The partnership aims to reduce interconnection study times by 80%, to address SPP’s portion of a national bottleneck of 2,500 GW of solar, wind and storage projects awaiting interconnection.
States urged to promote advanced transmission technologies that can enable more solar
States have an opportunity to influence transmission providers to adopt advanced conductors and other technologies that increase transmission capacity, says a renewables trade group. Added transmission can enable more solar to connect to the grid.
A Boston hospital’s 572 kW battery is expected to pay for itself in 7 to 10 years
The battery system is expected to earn $80,000 per year by providing energy to the local utility during peak summer demand periods, while saving $57,000 per year by reducing the hospital’s own monthly and annual peak consumption.
Grid operator PJM enters collaboration to streamline interconnection applications
A consulting firm incubated by Google as a “Moonshot” project will collaborate with PJM to streamline the interconnection application process.
