Image: Interstate Renewable Energy Council screen capture of PG&E map. Californias experience, says a policy paper, shows that best practice guidelines for validating maps are needed to aid state regulators. Con Edison uses the most recent actual hourly loads to capture the Distributed Energy Resources (DER) impacts embedded in the service area to develop the load shapes for the individual networks. #HViWPy;&)kkgg N?22Z/'QHn5PBgayqzYL*k$4798poGo+kn~V9X|,Fv1>dv3>#w]z#?w(KWpy@Ixgw\@32qVz.+Z:p:dCANg87p] yVz|&G rl;s FaaH\ W(x6_n a_W_$37&\Gs4rq! In general, this section applies to larger generators (e.g., Commercial Wind Farms, Biomass or Solar Projects). The resulting tools are like treasure maps for solar developers. 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. Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and similar chain dollar stores are targeting vulnerable communities across the US. DER hosting capacity is a function of resistance on any circuit Fact: DER hosting capacity increases w/nominal voltage . 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 Hosting Capacity data that is being provided is for information purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for the established interconnection process. Seven states now require utilities to produce solar hosting capacity maps: California, Nevada, Minnesota, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, and Connecticut, according to Yochi Zakai, an attorney at Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger, LLP, who wrote the IREC paper and represents IREC in state proceedings. 4 0 obj What makes feeder locations a greater risk threat in Minnesota than in New York or California? That meant solar developers had zero access to critical power grid connection information, substation status, and other local solar plant connections. Select one or more editions for targeted, up to date information delivered straight to your inbox. Please contact our Customer Care Center if you have questions. States that now provide HCA maps include California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Xcel has not fulfilled the requirements outlined in the Commissions July 2020 Order. Ultimately, a published set of best practices for validating hosting capacity maps is needed, the paper says, so that stakeholders and regulators know if utilities are performing a comprehensive data validation effort.. 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. For the Stage 2 displays, each circuit's 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. We ask that the Commission require Xcel Energy to provide these violations in the HCA map pop-ups (as requested by the Commission in the July 2020 order), rather than just in the sub-feeder Tabular Results. 2 0 obj 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. Utility National Grid operates in Rhode Island and illustrates local line capacities with its HCA map. %PDF-1.7 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. Grid security is a vital issue, but we fear it may serve as an excuse to further delay the interconnection of distributed generation. Hosting Capacity is an estimate of the amount of DER that may be accommodated without adversely impacting power quality or reliability under current configurations and without requiring infrastructure upgrades. This is necessary, because developer complaints have continued to the present. The LSRV is an added credit for DER installations in eligible areas where the utility grid would benefit from additional generation capacity. Register with an email address to update your login credentials. Frequently Asked Questions to provide guidance to common interconnection application inquiries. We continue to believe such an approach would risk grid security and customer privacy, confidentiality and security as described in more detail in Section III below and in attachment E. Therefore, we again provide a heat map view of available hosting capacity. Modeling experts could determine what those additional checks should be, the paper says. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. 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. Read the report, and find all of our resources and reporting on chain dollar stores here. Join our newsletter. Each circuit's hosting capacity is determined by evaluating impacts of DER along the three phase distribution mainline. The six other states requiring hosting capacity analysis are California, Connecticut, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland. Knowing exactly what circuits can handle and which circuits are arguably in need of solar power is like a treasure map. View the Interconnection Queue. The Company continues to question the Commissions intentions and displays a general lack of urgency in this matter. In Why Utilities in Minnesota and Other States Need to Plan for More Competition, ILSR found that Xcel Energys forecasts for distributed solar, including customer-sited and community solar, are significantly low in light of existing trends and comparative models. It may be easy to under-invest in a robust hosting capacity analysis if the utility (and regulators) under-count potential distributed solar development. The Hosting Map can provide insight into how much solar can be installed in which locations in order to help solar reach a significant portion of the Illinois Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) of 25% electricity from renewable sources by 2025. Implementing energy-efficient equipment can help you save money and cut your energy consumption by 2040%.*. These network curves shows a representative load profile of the forecasted hourly peak (maximum) loads for 2018, and a representative load profile on light loads (minimum load) for the networks (based on 2017 data). Supporters agreed that the Companys participation in greater inter-developer transparency could facilitate cost-sharing in line upgrades and would be an improvement from the current cost-causer pays model. Maria McCoy is a Researcher with the Energy Democracy Initiative. Integrating hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process is not only possible, it is already being done. It does not appear on display pages. Join our newsletter. www.tdworld.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. 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. Xcel petitioned to, as mentioned in the Hosting Capacity Analysis report, allow publicly posting additional information on CSGs in the interconnection queue, including feeder name, currently expected in-service date, and indicative interconnection cost. ILSR supports the publication of this information, as an interest in greater transparency was raised in the October 2, 2020 convening of the Distributed Generation Working Group. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. By viewing the map below, you agree and acknowledge that: The information in this tool is for guidance purposes only and is not guaranteed. After your application is determined to be complete, and the applicable fees are paid, ComEd will perform any necessary screening and/or studies based on the information provided as part of the application, such as specific location, generation size, and type. Each quarter section is further subdivided into sixteenth-sections (1/4 mile X 1/4 mile). Additionally, government permitting procedures designed to minimize environmental and land use impacts are independent of our interconnection process and may limit the suitability of a particular site. 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. As of today, that big solar power plant is still pending, but the small one is complete. Read our policy. . Information for Developers of Renewable Energy. 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. Southern California Edisons hosting maps contain a built-in function enabling users to filter sites based on available capacity above a certain threshold. hosting capacity map can help you identify potential sites for the interconnection of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to ComEd's distribution circuits. Interconnection Guidelines(pdf). I was involved in various CPUC regulatory proceedings on these maps and made the same kinds of comments frequently. Hold Ctrl or Cmd to select multiple editions. 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. Error: Please call us at 1-800-752-6633 to complete this request. If you have more to contribute, please comment with a link. Please be mindful of our community standards. Please contact our Customer Care Center if you have questions. The Companys actions can also run counter to the purpose of the hosting capacity analysis reports, as set by Minn. Stat. By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment. More recently, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and the Clean Coalition of California have made large contributions to the maps. With the evolution of these HCA maps, developers now have access to something that previously was elusive: useful data. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. As a result, the smaller 200 kWac project was told that the substation was full, and that it would have to share a roughly $650,000 upgrade cost, potentially delaying the project until the upgrades were complete. Each section is further subdivided into quarter-sections (1/2 mile X 1/2 mile). Please enable scripts and reload this page. Additional information includes total solar already on the circuit, the circuits voltage, whether the circuit is three phase or single phase, and a range of substation bank information. A technical error has occurred. The service requires full cookie support in order to view this website. Geneva, NY Don't miss a single report, infographic, or podcast! uqJF$ Washington, DC and part of Maryland: Potomac Electric Power Company map; Last year, ComEd in Illinois also published a hosting capacity map. Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. A technical error has occurred. % pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. The Interconnection Queue Report is intended to provide interconnection information according to the terms and conditions of ComEds Rider IQ Tariff. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. 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. Why Minnesotas Community Solar Program is the Best, Feds Should Collect Better Data for Fairer Markets and Energy Justice. 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. This process is automatic. Featured photo credit: Victoria Catterson via Flickr (CC BY 2.0). ComEd has created a hosting capacity map that developers can utilize that will help them locate areas in our service territory where the existing electrical infrastructure may be more cost. Multiple states require electric utilities to share their power grid data with solar developers. LSRV areas will display a status of Eligible on the Hosting Capacity map under LSRV Area Information. For more on LSRV, VDER and the Value stack, visit our Private Generation Tariffs page. Link leads to external site, Share to Mail. As part of the Hosting Capacity Portal we provide aggregated DG values at the substation level. The substation capacity may also be supplying additional load for another network and/or radial load area. 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. 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. The Commission should host staff-facilitated working group sessions on integrating hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process. Solar hosting capacity is the gold to be found in these utility treasure maps. We publish electrical technical handbooks and associated digital magazine advertising supplements. In fact, California regulators recently ruled to do just that utilize utility hosting capacity analyses to reduce the complexity of the interconnection process. Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy. 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. View interconnection queue information for all Distributed Generation or Distributed Storage Resource Projects. Additionally, we have provided the peak substation load for the previous year. The ComEd Energy Efficiency Program is funded in compliance with state law. Each utility has a set of rules and disclaimers governing the information they release, and what that information represents on their maps. 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. 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. Created Date: 12/6/2022 2:39:55 PM . While hosting capacity analysis can be valuable as a data point, it could be an even better tool for distributed solar adoption. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Really hope utilities and leaders are thoughtful about more consistent updates to these portals (live data, in an ideal world) to improve results across the board. 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. 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." 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. Please note that this analysis was conducted under current configurations, without installed DER, and prior to infrastructure upgrades such as; installing a recloser or remote terminal unit at the Point of Common Coupling, replacing a voltage regulating device or controller to allow for reverse flow, substation-related upgrades including 3V0 protection, or other protection-related upgrades. California has taken steps to mitigate this risk by requiring electricity utilities to provide increasingly detailed maps of the grid. 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. For example, Minnesotas community solar program is on track to reach one gigawatt of generation capacity as early as 2022 and ILSR predicts the development of an additional 475 megawatts of residential solar by 2034. The Commission should accept Xcel Energys 2020 Hosting Capacity Analysis Report, but we submit the following concerns about the Report and suggest additional development to advance the common goals of customers and the Commission. But by the time the projects interconnection was returned, a 5 MWac solar project had won approval at the substation. endobj Minnesota solar companies filed 129 interconnection complaints in 2019. The tool functions well, as intended, to provide developers of large DERs early insight into grid locational hosting capacity. The three utilities, PG&E, SCE and SDG&E, agreed that the questionable load results warrant investigation and refinement of their methodology, the paper says. Inaccurate results were also found in a different type of hosting capacity map produced by PG&E and two other California utilities, the IREC paper says: maps showing the capacity for added load on a circuit, such as electric vehicles. 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. 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. It divides the ComEd service territory into townships (6 miles X 6 miles). To investigate whether PG&Es early solar hosting capacity results were accurate, California Public Utilities Commission staff worked with PG&E, IREC and other stakeholders. The map sections indicate potential capacity by AC kilowatts with a link to to ComEds recently upgraded Interconnection and Net Metering homepage. 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. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Properly designed, the hosting capacity maps offer the ability to look closely at our power grid resources. 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. Updates: Last updated in February/March 2017, with exception of Hosting Capacity map & supporting Portal documents. Where applicable, ComEd will offer an interconnection agreement. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. ComEd, a Northern Illinois subsidiary of Exelon, has a hosting capacity website for its communities indicating how much photovoltaic capacity can be sited in given areas, based on the existing electrical infrastructure. Please enable scripts and reload this page. However, the map is only updated on an annual basis (number 3), making it considerably less useful for those who need an accurate depiction of grid capacity. Required fields are marked *. Circuit level data is visible when zoomed below the sixteenth-section scale. Xcel slows the adoption of cost-effective distributed generation. 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 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. However, the developers obligation to take on power grid risk slowed efficient markets from forming. If you are considering the option of connecting a generator to a utility's electric distribution system, you must meet certain requirements before moving forward. Con Edison does not warrant the accuracy of these informational forecasts. In practice, this is how it worked from a solar sales perspective: 1. 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. You may not have a full-fledged data center but your facility has a space housing your server or at least some networking equipment. Here's where these maps live: Pacific Gas & Electric's (PG&E) Grid Needs Assessment (GNA) maps Southern California Edison provides one such example of a more thorough hosting capacity map that includes criteria violation values. As the Virginia Clean Economy Act passed last year, Dominion has a similar map now. The IREC paper is titled Validation is critical to making hosting capacity analysis a clean energy game-changer.. The maximum (peak) load hourly profile curve and minimum (light) load hourly profile curve are plotted on a single graph along with the capacity (in MW) of the substation supplying that network. 3. Subject to your specific situation, ComEd's response may require further action to be taken and/or further expense to be incurred by you in order to complete the interconnection. "The hosting capacity map will be stale soon after it's published," he said. To its merits, ILSR offers the following question to Xcel Energys refusal to follow Commission orders: as several members of the Hosting Capacity Analysis and Distribution Grid Data Security Workshop pointed out, both New York and California IOUs disclose feeder lines on their hosting capacity maps. Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. 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 library zone below is used to load resources. The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) respectfully submits the following comments on Xcel Energys 2020 Hosting Capacity Report. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. 1. It does not appear on display pages. Xcel Energy (the Company) has been directed to complete its hosting capacity analysis in service of Xcel customers and grid stakeholders. 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. 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. 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. Whether youre a customer, contractor, or developer, our interactive maps can help you identify potential sites for private generation. Only 3 URL's can be saved at a time. 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. Select one or more editions for targeted, up to date information delivered straight to your inbox. Each Township, Section, Quarter-Section, Sixteenth-Section, or circuit is color coded based on its maximum hosting capacity value.
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