Clean Energy Trade Associations Urge FERC to Act on Near-term Interconnection Improvements
Feb 14 2022
WASHINGTON, DC February 14— Today, the American Clean Power Association (ACP), Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) filed supplemental comments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to emphasize the need and opportunity for near-term interconnection improvements.
These joint comments highlight areas of agreement from leading clean energy companies that would allow timely and cost-effective interconnection of much-needed new, clean generation while FERC continues to work towards comprehensive transmission planning reform. FERC has the opportunity to improve certainty, reduce costs, and resolve backlogs of projects waiting to connect to the grid, and our organizations jointly urge FERC to move forward with these much-needed reforms.
Following are comments from the three organizations on this development.
JC Sandberg
Chief Advocacy Officer, American Clean Power Association (ACP)
“The clean energy trades are speaking with one voice to emphasize the need for near-term interconnection improvements that will unlock thousands of megawatts of wind, solar, and storage waiting to connect to the grid. ACP fully supports reforms to FERC’s interconnection policies that will result in more timely and cost-effective grid interconnections, spurring clean energy deployment across the country. Simultaneously, FERC should continue to move forward with transmission planning and cost allocation reforms that are needed to meet the Biden Administration’s goal of building a carbon-free grid.”
Jeff Dennis
Managing Director, Advanced Energy Economy (AEE)
“Reforming the generator interconnection process is foundational to moving to a 100% clean electricity system. While progress is being made in regions like PJM, FERC, independent grid operators, and transmission owners will need to put more resources and sustained focus toward faster interconnection timeframes as the clean energy transition accelerates. If adopted by FERC, the reforms we propose today will lay a foundation for lower-cost and more effective grid interconnection practices that reduce wait times and backlogs in the future.”
Sean Gallagher
Vice President of State and Regulatory Affairs, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
“Interconnection backlogs are one of the biggest impediments to our ability to quickly and efficiently decarbonize our electricity grid in the near term. Without meaningful reforms to the interconnection process, like the ones we’ve outlined for FERC, the United States will never be able to meet its long-term decarbonization goals. Our comments will help the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issue a once in a generation rulemaking that will unlock renewable projects across the nation, enabling us to create thousands of jobs and new economic development opportunities across America.”