With significant anticipated growth in distributed solar across all states, electric grid managers need every tool possible to smooth its incorporation into the grid. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. In summary, there are 5 things we ask of the Commission: Thank you for the opportunity to comment and for taking up this important conversation; we appreciate that there has not been any legislative preemption of this regulatory process. Xcel slows the adoption of cost-effective distributed generation. Each utility has a set of rules and disclaimers governing the information they release, and what that information represents on their maps. The tool functions well, as intended, to provide developers of large DERs early insight into grid locational hosting capacity. The Illinois Commerce Commission established Title 83 Illinois Administrative Code Part 466 (Electric Interconnection of Distributed Generation Facilities) to establish standardized applications and review procedures and agreements for customers wanting to connect generators of equal to or Less than 10 MVA in parallel to a utility's electric distribution system. Apply Now. States that now provide HCA maps include California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. As documented in the Star Tribune, interconnection delays have frustrated Minnesotas solar developers. PG&E, after conducting validation work, conceded that the solar results were erroneous, says the IREC paper. New CRAC units are energy efficient, so youll not only effectively cool your IT closet, youll save on energy and maintenance costs, too. Here's where these maps live: Pacific Gas & Electric's (PG&E) Grid Needs Assessment (GNA) maps A potential applicant may submit a formal written request form along with a non-refundable fee for a pre-application report on a proposed project at a specific site. 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. The Commission should accept Xcel Energys 2020 Hosting Capacity Analysis Report, but set more parameters around its implementation. But, the paper adds, a comprehensive effort would likely include other checks not described here, as no utility claims to have performed a comprehensive validation effort. Oak Park, according to the PlanItGreen Report Card, a joint project of the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation and Seven Generations Ahead, uses about 325 million kWh. The Interconnection Queue Report provides the following minimum information for all Distributed Generation (Excluding Level 1 Applications) or Distributed Storage Resource Projects for which a queue position has been assigned: Each substation and feeder where an interconnection will be made is identified in the reported data by a unique index number assigned for the purpose of reporting interconnection queue information and not by any geographic or operational designation or description. Each township is subdivided into 36 sections (1 mile X 1 mile). 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. We were flying blind. Going significantly beyond this amount would likely require a combination of upgrades by ComEds infrastructure, potentially higher interconnection costs and deployment of technologies like energy storage. Register with an email address to update your login credentials. Whether you're a customer, contractor, or developer, our interactive Our Electrical Training Institute is a leader in electrical training, through public enrolment electrical courses as well as on-line electrical training courses and webinars. If specific system impact studies are required, and ComEd system modifications are found to be necessary, the study results will include an indicative cost estimate for the system modifications to accommodate the DER. However, the interconnection process stands to gain much more from hosting capacity analysis. LSRV areas will display a status of "Eligible" on the Hosting Capacity map under "LSRV Area Information.". Additionally, we have provided the peak substation load for the previous year. A technical error has occurred. Don't miss a single report, infographic, or podcast! 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. %PDF-1.7 Find a viable business owner interested in solar 2. It does not appear on display pages. You may not have a full-fledged data center but your facility has a space housing your server or at least some networking equipment. endobj Register with an email address to update your login credentials. Computer Room Air Conditioning Unit (CRAC) Older equipment can cost your facility more money on energy costs and maintenance. ComEd has assembled the answers to some 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. That could potentially generate around 20 million kWh. In Hawaii, the solar community helped Hawaiian Electricafter the utility cut off interconnection requests for a period of timeto develop a better understanding of hosting capacity on its lines. In reviewing the capacity values, you learn that they include minimum plus maximum levels and existing private generation. An application fee is charged for each interconnection application submitted. Error: Please call us at 1-800-752-6633 to complete this request. In the Commissions July 2020 order, the Commission adopted a long-term goal to use the hosting capacity analysis in the interconnection processs fast track screens. The Commissions July 2020 Order also required the Company to study three additional objectives for hosting capacity analysis: These objectives set the Commissions intentions for hosting capacity analysis to, at the least, augment initial review screens and, at the most, totally automate interconnection studies. The Hosting Capacity Map shows a considerable disparity among communities in mile by mile sections with some able to host only 100-200 kWs to some with capacities of over 3,000 kW. ComEd will provide the pre-application data to the potential application within 20 business days after receipt of the completed pre-application report request form and payment of the $300 fee. 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). % That meant solar developers had zero access to critical power grid connection information, substation status, and other local solar plant connections. The Commission should, after considering stakeholder input in Docket No. Solar hosting capacity maps, now required in seven states, show where solar can be added on a distribution circuit without incurring any grid expensebut only if those maps are accurate. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. Please enable cookies on your browser and try again. A PG&E spokesperson commented that To date, PG&E has connected more than475,000 solar customers to the electric grid and supports customers with resources before, during and after they go solar.. The substation capacity may also be supplying additional load for another network and/or radial load area. Once the map is displayed, use the address search tool bar in the top left corner to zoom into a specific address. Voices of 100%: Youth Propel a Climate Action Plan, Community Solar Collective Gives Member-Owners Pow, 475 megawatts of residential solar by 2034, as a tool for economic stimulus and increased energy justice, comments to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Why Utilities in Minnesota and Other States Need to Plan for More Competition, committed to make the interconnection process work better, approving the November 2, 2020 Petition To Publish Certain Information about Applications in the Interconnection Queue, map that includes criteria violation values, Mainstreaming Electric Homes Episode 178 of Local Energy Rules. SDG&E has a fast track process in place to interconnect small DER installations (such as rooftop solar on single-family homes) within an average of three days. Please see Part 466 for specific qualification requirements (screens) for each interconnection level. Prior to connecting, the distributed generation system owner must obtain written approval from the local utility in the form of an Interconnection Service Agreement and subsequent Authorization to Connect. By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment. Con Edison does not warrant the accuracy of these informational forecasts. The interactive map displays the highest circuit hosting capacity at the: Township, Section, Quarter-Section, Sixteenth-Section, and circuit level. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. 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. 2016 - 2023 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ILSR defers further discussion on this topic to Docket No. Whether youre a customer, contractor, or developer, our interactive maps can help you identify potential sites for private generation. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Each quarter section is further subdivided into sixteenth-sections (1/4 mile X 1/4 mile). The following charts, taken from the joint comments of ILSR and partners, illustrate the gulf between Xcels distributed solar forecast and ILSRs adoption model that aligns with distributed solar deployment in several mature markets. Xcel could do more to advance toward the ultimate goal: delivering its customers more cost-effective clean energy by integrating hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process. View the Interconnection Queue. As previously mentioned, existing DER is not considered in this stage of the hosting capacity analysis, and the data pop-ups are intended to provide additional context to the displays. But by the time the projects interconnection was returned, a 5 MWac solar project had won approval at the substation. Read our policy. Its also clear that hosting capacity could play an important role in addressing timeliness in processing the interconnection of distributed energy resources. Without offering an explanation, when the final interconnection for the 200 kW project was approved, the utility assessed no new fees. email the ComEd DER Interconnection team. The analyses presented in these displays provide the feeder level hosting capacity for the distribution circuits evaluated. Processing: Hosting Capacity map added on August 11, 2017. Whether youre a customer, contractor, or developer, our interactive maps can help you identify potential sites for private generation. Join our newsletter. For example, a recent 200 kWac project in Rhode Island learned when the interconnection application was submitted that no additional solar power was on either the local circuit or at the substation. ILSR asks that the Commission provide the Company more direction, in the form of deadlines to use HCA in initial or supplemental interconnection review (in the next 18-24 months) and automating at least a portion of interconnection proceedings (by 2025) as well as staff-facilitated working groups to guide implementation. You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Link leads to external site, Share to Twitter. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. More articles from John Fitzgerald Weaver. For the Stage 2 displays, each circuits hosting capacity is determined by evaluating the potential power system criteria violations as a result of large PV solar systems with an AC nameplate rating starting at and gradually increasing from 300 kW interconnecting to three phase distribution lines. Californias experience, says a policy paper, shows that best practice guidelines for validating maps are needed to aid state regulators. Minnesota is one of seven states that require utilities to conduct hosting capacity analysis and present their results in a map resource. Get information on current projects and opportunities. 6hA* Southern California Edison provides one such example of a more thorough hosting capacity map that includes criteria violation values. Each section is further subdivided into quarter-sections (1/2 mile X 1/2 mile). 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. <>/Metadata 270 0 R/ViewerPreferences 271 0 R>> Hold Ctrl or Cmd to select multiple editions. Some locations within the PECO service territory have greater potential to support such interconnections than others. For these reasons, the installed and queued DG values in the data pop-ups have been included and will be updated on a monthly basis. Our interactive portal can help guide decisions regarding the interconnection of resources. The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) respectfully submits the following comments on Xcel Energys 2020 Hosting Capacity Report. endobj It divides the ComEd service territory into townships (6 miles X 6 miles). Xcel . Modeling experts could determine what those additional checks should be, the paper says. Beyond the pending integration into interconnection, California utilities have additional features on their hosting capacity maps that ILSR believes should be implemented in Minnesota. A decade ago, resources for scouting viable locations for new distributed energy resources (DER) simply did not exist. Multiple states require electric utilities to share their power grid data with solar developers. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has required that Xcel Energy, the largest electricity provider in Minnesota, conduct annual hosting capacity analysis reports since 2016.These reports identify where the grid can accommodate additional distributed generation capacity (including rooftop and community solar) and the results are displayed on the company's Hosting Capacity Map. Circuit configurations can change for various reasons. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com. California has taken steps to mitigate this risk by requiring electricity utilities to provide increasingly detailed maps of the grid. The Commission then fined the Company one million dollars (about 0.0007 of their annual 2020 revenue). Please note that issues related to circuit protection require further analysis to make a definitive determination of hosting capacity. These reports identify where the grid can accommodate additional distributed generation capacity (including rooftop and community solar) and the results are displayed on the companys Hosting Capacity Map. Please enable JavaScript on your browser and try again. It may also speed up the interconnection process; if developers can split an upgrade charge with other projects in the queue for that same feeder, they may be less likely to withdraw their application in the final stretch. 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. The US PLSS is used to subdivide and describe land. Why Minnesotas Community Solar Program is the Best, Feds Should Collect Better Data for Fairer Markets and Energy Justice. Why is Connecting Clean Energy to the Grid So Hard? We strongly recommend completing the application process online, as ComEd is making an effort to reduce paper use and streamline the application process. 1 0 obj Knowing exactly what circuits can handle and which circuits are arguably in need of solar power is like a treasure map. However, ILSR feels there are three issues worth addressing in this docket: 1) Xcel slows the adoption of cost-effective distributed generation, 2) Xcel has not fulfilled the requirements outlined in the Public Utility Commissions July 2020 Order, and 3) Xcel could do more to advance toward the ultimate goal: delivering its customers more cost-effective clean energy by integrating hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process. Your completed 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: ComEd Attn: Interconnection Services Department Two Lincoln Center, 9 th Floor Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 Email our Interconnection Service Department 1-630-576-8158 Interconnection Gui delines The LSRV is an added credit for DER installations in eligible areas where the utility grid would benefit from additional generation capacity. However, the developers obligation to take on power grid risk slowed efficient markets from forming. However, printable, mailable forms are available: Ifmailing in your forms,the completed 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 Team1-630-576-8158, This document provides guidance and technical standards applicable to Interconnection Customers planning to install and operate a generator interconnected to the ComEd distribution system. pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. The next step beyond ensuring accuracy and actionability is automating interconnection applications based on specific map grid circuits and line sections, with click and claim capabilities that link these maps with automated interconnection portals. 14456 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. The 3-year, 8,760 network forecast utilizes the General Electric-Multi-Area Reliability Simulation (GE-MARS) program to modify the actual hourly loads from the previous year based on monthly energy distribution from the previous year, forecasted peak demand, and energy send-out. This site uses cookies. The library zone below is used to load resources. The Department finds that hosting capacity maps can inform the interconnection process and can be a useful tool for interconnecting customers to identify low-cost/no-cost interconnection locations or otherwise inform their investment decisions. The IREC paper advises utilities to be pro-active in ensuring the accuracy of the mapsto save time for utility customers siting and designing new solar installations, and also for utility engineers performing interconnection studies. E999/CI20-800, rule whether Xcel Energy must comply with Order Point 12 of the July 2020 order. This hosting capacity data is provided for informational purposes only and is nota substitute for the established interconnection application process. The IREC paper is titled Validation is critical to making hosting capacity analysis a clean energy game-changer.. For timely updates, followJohn Farrellon Twitter, our energy work onFacebook, or sign up to get theEnergy Democracy weekly update. The Company, after being directed by the Commission to do so, has declined to provide the actual locations of distribution system lines in its 2020 hosting capacity report: In Order Pt. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. But after the utility corrected its hosting capacity analysis, the map showed lots of green, the paper says, indicating lots of room for solarfor example for Monterey, California, shown at right, compared to lots of red in the initial version shown above. Contact: IMAP@nationalgrid.com In practice, this is how it worked from a solar sales perspective: 1.
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