Report: Connected West Long-Range Transmission Plan
GridLab and Gridworks | September 2024
On September 26, GridLab and Gridworks released the Connected West report, a long-range transmission plan that addresses the growing energy needs of the Western U.S. over the next 20 years. The report, conducted by Energy Strategies, underscores the critical role of strategic transmission planning and investment in maintaining grid reliability, cost-effectiveness, and economic growth while safeguarding sensitive natural and cultural resources.
The Connected West study is the first of its kind, providing a West-wide transmission plan designed for a high-energy-demand future. It recommends targeted infrastructure investments to support a decarbonized, electrified economy and to ensure reliable energy access across the region.
Watch the webinar hosted by Gridworks on October 8, where they discussed the study's key findings and featured experts from the industry and energy policy fields. For more details, read the full report here.
Report: Better Together: The Benefits of Coordination in the Development of Transmission and Distributed Energy Resources
Strategen | September 2024
On September 16, Strategen published Better Together: The Benefits of Coordination in the Development of Transmission and Distributed Energy Resources, a report emphasizing the critical need for integrated planning between transmission systems and DERs. Historically, these two systems have operated in silos, but with the accelerating clean energy transition, coordination between them has become essential to maintain grid reliability, enhance efficiency, and reduce costs.
The report outlines how investing in the transmission-distribution interface can support the growing role of DERs, which are expected to nearly double in capacity by 2027. Case studies from Southern California, Hawaii, and Australia illustrate the benefits of aligning strategies to ensure renewable energy flows seamlessly across regions. Learn more here.
Report: State Policies to Advance Transmission Modernization and Expansion
Americans for a Clean Energy Grid | September 2024
On September 9, Americans for a Clean Energy Grid published a report analyzing how state policies can drive the modernization and expansion of high-capacity interstate transmission infrastructure. The report highlights states' pivotal role in transmission planning and development, particularly in creating policies that support grid reliability, affordability, and resilience. Through surveys and expert interviews, the report identifies key state-level policies that promote transmission expansion, emphasizes the importance of long-term planning, and advocates for interstate collaboration. It also offers practical examples for state policymakers and advocates to follow in advancing grid modernization. For more details, read the full report here.
Report: 2023 Transmission Congestion Report
Grid Strategies | September 2024
On September 9, Grid Strategies published the 2023 Transmission Congestion Report, revealing that transmission congestion in the U.S. cost consumers approximately $8 billion in 2023. This congestion results from insufficient transmission grid capacity, which blocks the delivery of lower-cost energy resources to consumers, forcing reliance on more expensive alternatives. When scaled across the country, the estimated total congestion cost rises to $11.5 billion.
The report emphasizes the significant impact congestion has on consumers and the development of clean energy, as it slows down the deployment of cheaper renewable resources. The findings call for proactive investment in expanding transmission capacity to alleviate congestion, lower consumer costs, and enhance the reliability of the U.S. electric grid. For more details, read the full report here.
Report: Unlocking America's Energy: How to Efficiently Connect New Generation to the Grid
Grid Strategies and The Brattle Group | August 2024
On August 27, Grid Strategies and The Brattle Group recently released a report calling for significant reforms to the generator interconnection process—the critical step for connecting new, large-scale energy resources to the grid. The report, Unlocking America's Energy: How to Efficiently Connect New Generation to the Grid, outlines strategies to expedite the connection of new energy projects while reducing costs and improving reliability.
The report proposes several key reforms, including:
- Introducing an interconnection "entry fee" to provide upfront cost certainty.
- Fast-tracking projects that utilize existing and planned grid capacity .
- Optimizing the interconnection study process, and
- Speeding up the construction of essential transmission infrastructure.
These changes are crucial to overcoming the current backlog of 2,600 GW of projects waiting for grid connection and ensuring a more efficient, cost-effective energy future. This report provides a timely roadmap for the structural changes needed to accelerate the integration of new energy projects, reduce costs, and enhance grid reliability. Learn more here.
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