Interconnection is the process of connecting a distributed generation system to the electric grid. Integrating hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process is not only possible, it is already being done. pv magazine offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. Hosting capacity analysis provides an opportunity to accommodate significant potential growth in distributed solar resources and ILSRs solar adoption model forecasts suggest that theres an urgency to action: within five years, distributed solar deployment could push the margins of Xcels hosting capacity. As a solar developer and individual cheering for a strong power grid, few pieces of data are as useful as site data sorted by grid demand. As your last line of defense against power fluctuations and data loss, the UPS provides emergency power to run your IT equipment. You may not have a full-fledged data center but your facility has a space housing your server or at least some networking equipment. Synchronous Generation and System Fault Current Limitations. Surplus availability for solar capacity always listed in AC/inverter sizing terms is determined by the utility and based on the minutia inherent to each circuit. Geneva, NY 4 0 obj It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. The California utility PG&Es first hosting capacity map showed little or no room for new distributed solar on 80% of its feeders, reports a paper from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). ComEd anticipates that the Interconnection Queue data will typically be updated monthly. 14456 When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. You may submit your application for Level 1 Distributed Generation Interconnection or Levels 2, 3 or 4 Distributed Generation online. 2. www.tdworld.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. A technical error has occurred. Your contributions support local solutions. stream www.tdworld.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. Solar hosting capacity is the gold to be found in these utility treasure maps. The platform will forecast, plan, interconnect, monitor, control, and effectively manage the integration of local generation resources into our existing electric distribution system. Given the proper policies and incentives, like robust hosting capacity analyses, distributed solar development can serve as a tool for economic stimulus and increased energy justice nationwide. Interconnection Guidelines(pdf). You will be redirected once the validation is complete. The library zone below is used to load resources. Xcel has since written should the Commission determine it is in the public interest for the Company to advance and mature the HCA to be conducted more frequently and/or to integrate with the interconnection process, the Company would refine cost and timing estimates. The procedures for interconnection are divided into four levels as follows: Generally speaking, DG facilities that are certified by nationally recognized testing laboratories and meet certain standards of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Underwriters' Laboratory, and the National Electrical Code, may qualify for interconnection under an expedited review process provided for in Levels 1 - 3. % Whether youre a customer, contractor, or developer, our interactive maps can help you identify potential sites for private generation. That meant solar developers had zero access to critical power grid connection information, substation status, and other local solar plant connections. Link leads to external site, Share to LinkedIn. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has required that Xcel Energy, the largest electricity provider in Minnesota, conduct annual hosting capacity analysis reports since 2016. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Here are a few upgrades you can implement to help you get started: Airflow management - Reduce energy use up to 20% by preventing cool supply air from mixing with the hot air released from IT equipment. WASHINGTON - As the Illinois solar market grows from the Future Energy Jobs Act, the largest utility in the state has posted a planning tool to identify potential PV capacity in their service territory. Why Minnesotas Community Solar Program is the Best, Feds Should Collect Better Data for Fairer Markets and Energy Justice. A technical error has occurred. 742 Pre Emption Road Hosting capacity is defined as the approximate amount of generation that can be accommodated at a given point in time on the system without impacting reliability, requiring specialized inverter settings, or without requiring system modifications. Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. The hosting capacity analysis is conducted under current configurations. According to ComEds description, Hosting Capacity is an estimate of the amount of DER [distributed energy resources] that may be accommodated under current configurations at the overall circuit level without significant system upgrades to address adverse impacts to power quality or reliability. This website will enable developers and local decision makers to estimate how much solar could be installed by township, sections and fractions of sections as small as mile by mile. The watchword is actionable. If the maps arent actionable (b/c theyre not accurate) they re actually worse than useless. The Company continues to question the Commissions intentions and displays a general lack of urgency in this matter. Apply Now. E999/CI20-800, rule whether Xcel Energy must comply with Order Point 12 of the July 2020 order. Implementing energy-efficient equipment can help you save money and cut your energy consumption by 2040%.*. . The Electricity Forum (In Canada) The provision of this data would support using hosting capacity analysis in the place of initial review screens for interconnection processing, which the Commission adopted as a long-term goal in the July 2020 order. Please be mindful of our community standards. Utility National Grid operates in Rhode Island and illustrates local line capacities with its HCA map. Solar tower of power shows benefits of vertical installations, Court rules that inverter sizing guides grid connection, California pulls the plug on rooftop solar, Retaining value for solar customers under California NEM 3.0 rule change, U.S. The Commissions July 2020 order, in response to Xcel Energys 2019 Hosting Capacity Analysis (HCA) Report, found that improved and additional information will be necessary in future reports and provided the Commissions direction for future HCA reports. In this order, the Commission determined that Xcel should publish the actual locations of distribution system lines because giving customers and developers access to more precise data would allow them to make informed decisions about whether to pursue a project before investing significant time or resources into the planning process. Order Point 12 required Xcel Energy to do so in its 2020 Hosting Capacity Report. If you are considering the option of connecting a generator to ComEd's electric transmission system, you must meet certain facility connection and performance requirements that are established to avoid adverse impacts on reliability. This site uses cookies. It divides the ComEd service territory into townships (6 miles X 6 miles). Why is Connecting Clean Energy to the Grid So Hard? As for load capacity, it is important to understand that load capacity varies hourly throughout the year, depending on demand; if load capacity shows up as zero at one location and time, that doesnt mean that it is zero year-round. Be aware of your private generation configuration options and system limitations. However, the developers obligation to take on power grid risk slowed efficient markets from forming. This map is one tool that customers and developers can use to help assess the available hosting capacity in a given general location. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Each substation and feeder where an interconnection will be made will be identified in the reported data by a unique index number assigned for the purpose of reporting interconnection queue information hereunder, and not by any geographic or operational designation or description. However, if the Commission does not apply greater pressure for action, hosting capacity may continue to be a largely performative exercise without providing tangible benefits to Minnesota stakeholders and electric customers. These forecasts have uncertainties, such as weather and hourly load curves, as well as the typical inherent forecasting error, including, but not limited to economic drivers, customer decisions and/or behavior, and forecasted DERs. Link leads to external site, Share to Twitter. The IREC paper is titled Validation is critical to making hosting capacity analysis a clean energy game-changer.. Although the values are meant to provide the user with a general idea of availability, space on the . Xcel has stated in the HCA report that the Company is committed to make the interconnection process work better. ILSR asks that the Commission hold them to that with specific, time-bound deadlines. An application fee is charged for each interconnection application submitted. Stay informed. In reviewing the capacity values, you learn that they include minimum plus maximum levels and existing private generation. Each circuit's hosting capacity is determined by evaluating impacts of DER along the three phase distribution mainline. In general, this section applies to larger generators (e.g., Commercial Wind Farms, Biomass or Solar Projects). Your completed pre-application and associated fees (in the form of a check or money order, only; do not send cash) should be sent to the following address: ComEdAttn: Interconnection Services Department2Lincoln Center, 9th FloorOakbrook Terrace, IL 60181Email our Interconnection Team. Stay informed. Multiple states require electric utilities to share their power grid data with solar developers. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) When was the last time you replaced your IT closets UPS? PG&Es initial solar hosting capacity map showed lots of red for Monterey, California, and was later corrected to show lots of green, says IREC. DER hosting capacity is a function of resistance on any circuit Fact: DER hosting capacity increases w/nominal voltage . Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy. Zoom in (+) and zoom out (-) icons are available to the left of the search tool bar. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. A complete copy of Part 466 is available on the link provided below. pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. Circuit configurations can change for various reasons. Select one or more editions for targeted, up to date information delivered straight to your inbox. Source: Data has been sourced from multiple National Grid groups and incorporated into this Portal by National Grid's IMAP team. The library zone below is used to load resources. Each township is subdivided into 36 sections (1 mile X 1 mile). RE: Docket E002/M-20-812 In the Matter of Xcel Energys 2020 Hosting Capacity Report. Please enable cookies on your browser and try again. Xcel . uqJF$ Required fields are marked *. The tool functions well, as intended, to provide developers of large DERs early insight into grid locational hosting capacity. pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. Please be mindful of our community standards. The analyses presented in these displays provide the feeder level hosting capacity for the distribution circuits evaluated. Email us at BusinessEE@ComEd.com or PublicSectorEE@ComEd.com. For example, the 18 sections of Oak Park Township capacity range from 612 to 909 kW, and total 13,260 kW of photovoltaic power. An SDG&E spokesperson provided this comment: SDG&E has continuously innovated, tested and improved the HCA tool by working with key stakeholders, including IREC and CPUC staff, to develop and refine the methodology. Once the map is displayed, use the address search tool bar in the top left corner to zoom into a specific address. Additionally, we have provided the peak substation load for the previous year. In Georgia, solar groups last year called for state regulators to require Georgia Power to produce such maps. Examples include new loads, undergrounding projects, new circuits, voltage, and reliability. Link leads to external site, Share to Mail. 1885 Clements Rd, Unit 218 Properly designed, the hosting capacity maps offer the ability to look closely at our power grid resources. Xcel Energy celebrates its reputation as a national leader in renewable energy with the nations largest community solar program, which gives customers cleaner energy options and more control over their energy use. This pride in marketing often doesnt align with the utilitys actions. Granularity increases as users zoom in. By viewing the map below, you agree and acknowledge that: The information in this tool is for guidance purposes only and is not guaranteed. Our interactive portal can help guide decisions regarding the interconnection of resources. SDG&Es HCA tool allows users to see hourly changes in load capacity., IRECs recommendations apply to both solar hosting capacity and load hosting capacity. L1W3V4 The Company updates the information provided based on data that is current as of a specific point in time and neither that data nor the queue is represented to be, and may not be relied upon to be, current, complete, or accurate as of any future date. Get information on current projects and opportunities. As outlined in an earlier pv magazine USA article, these still-young hosting capacity maps havent always shown the most accurate information, meaning that solar developers might not have reached out to customers in these regions. The ComEd Energy Efficiency Program is funded in compliance with state law. According to ComEd's description, "Hosting Capacity is an estimate of the amount of DER [distributed energy resources] that may be accommodated under current configurations at the overall circuit level without significant system upgrades to address adverse impacts to power quality or reliability." Please see Part 466 for specific qualification requirements (screens) for each interconnection level. Register with an email address to update your login credentials.