Commercial and industrial solar projects in the US must wait an average of more than three years for utility grid approval. As a result, there is a slowdown in solar development, an increase in costs, and uncertainty. But, due to the broken solar interconnection process, many projects are abandoned before they have even started.
That’s why, the need to improve country’s solar interconnection process is a urgent need of time. However, The recent severe heat waves in the United States and Europe as well as the highest energy prices calls for immediate action.
Measures Taken to Repair The Broken Solar Interconnection Process
To design projects, solar developers require thorough, simple access to the broken solar interconnection process, studies, pricing, and grid maps. Also, Numerous business associations and research institutions have done substantial research on solar interconnection process. It’s time to rethink the interconnection procedure and know how to do it. A standardized connectivity procedure would streamline the process and offer developers an idea of what to anticipate. The developers should know the cost of connecting a project to the grid as early as possible.
California is actively making the broken interconnection process more transparent. According to it the providers who don’t finish interconnection studies on schedule should face penalties. What steps the US is taking to address the broken interconnection process?
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) outlining the agency’s proposed changes to solve broken solar interconnection system. The NOPR recommended first-ready research gave projects the likelihood of being built at priority. Additionally, it suggested setting strict timeframes for interconnection investigations as well as conducting an open study.
The Underlying Idea
These actions should be in right away to break the bottleneck preventing nations from implementing the necessary renewable energy. It’s a wonderful step that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has taken on the broken solar interconnection process. This has led to progress on interconnection throughout the US. Interconnection reform must also consider the rules regarding broken solar process.