For example, according to Xcel Energys integrated resource plan filing (Docket 19-368), future development of distributed generation resources will be meager. No matter the size of your IT room, the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program has incentives to keep your critical IT infrastructure running efficiently. 12 of the July 2020 Order, the Commission directed the Company, to the extent practicable, show the actual locations of distribution system lines instead of broad blocks of color on the HCA map. The six other states requiring hosting capacity analysis are California, Connecticut, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland. For timely updates, followJohn Farrellon Twitter, our energy work onFacebook, or sign up to get theEnergy Democracy weekly update. The pre-application report produced by ComEd is non-binding and does not confer any rights; the potential applicant must file an application before it can interconnect with the ComEd system. 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. LSRV areas will display a status of "Eligible" on the Hosting Capacity map under "LSRV Area Information.". 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. You may submit your application for Level 1 Distributed Generation Interconnection or Levels 2, 3 or 4 Distributed Generation online. 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. 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). 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. As part of the Hosting Capacity Portal we provide aggregated DG values at the substation level. 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 8,760-hour forecasts are for informational purposes. 14456 pv magazine offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. Californias experience, says a policy paper, shows that best practice guidelines for validating maps are needed to aid state regulators. 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. Nice piece and I agree fully. Join our newsletter. Integrating hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process is not only possible, it is already being done. New CRAC units are energy efficient, so youll not only effectively cool your IT closet, youll save on energy and maintenance costs, too. Circuit configurations can change for various reasons. 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. 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. 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. Xcel should be encouraged to update the hosting analyses monthly, or simply more regularly, he said. 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. Southern California Edison's hosting maps contain a built-in function enabling users . 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. 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. This data can be accessed by selecting a feeder or network on the mapping display and advancing to the associated data pane. 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.. The Commission should order Xcel Energy to publish all criteria violations on the HCA map. ComEd's electric distribution system is dynamic and ComEd will provide periodic updates to the hosting capacity map. This site uses cookies. 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. Please be mindful of our community standards. 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. And the newest version of their Integration Capacity Analysis (ICA 20) maps went online as of December 28. Washington, DC and part of Maryland: Potomac Electric Power Company map; Last year, ComEd in Illinois also published a hosting capacity map. Register with an email address to update your login credentials. Your email address will not be published. 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 If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Hosting Capacity is an estimate of the amount of DER that may be accommodated under current configurations at the overall circuit level without significant systemupgradesto address adverse impacts to power quality or reliability. #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! Developers can look at the map and predict where they might install a solar garden. Whether youre a customer, contractor, or developer, our interactive maps can help you identify potential sites for private generation. But by the time the projects interconnection was returned, a 5 MWac solar project had won approval at the substation. Properly designed, the hosting capacity maps offer the ability to look closely at our power grid resources. You can remove a saved URL to remember another. 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. The hosting capacity map is offered free of charge and correspondingly is not as accurate as the next steps for obtaining more specific information. Control systems Monitor your operations and set temperature points and fan speeds to optimize savings. 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. Utility National Grid operates in Rhode Island and illustrates local line capacities with its HCA map. View interconnection queue information for all Distributed Generation or Distributed Storage Resource Projects. www.tdworld.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. Each Township, Section, Quarter-Section, Sixteenth-Section, or circuit is color coded based on its maximum hosting capacity value. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com. Our interactive portal can help guide decisions regarding the interconnection of resources. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. 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. 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. By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment. DER hosting capacity is a function of resistance on any circuit Fact: DER hosting capacity increases w/nominal voltage . With the evolution of these HCA maps, developers now have access to something that previously was elusive: useful data. 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. 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. Californias process to incorporate hosting capacity analysis into the interconnection process began in 2014, so we understand that this will take some time. 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. This map does not restrict applications from being submitted for a particular circuit, but rather is a tool to inform applicants on the amount of generation a circuit has the potential to host without the need for significant system upgrades at the customer's cost. 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. pv magazine offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. Beyond the pending integration into interconnection, California utilities have additional features on their hosting capacity maps that ILSR believes should be implemented in Minnesota. We strongly recommend completing the application process online, as ComEd is making an effort to reduce paper use and streamline the application process. L1W3V4 The Commission should, after considering stakeholder input in Docket No. This article originally posted atilsr.org. As the Virginia Clean Economy Act passed last year, Dominion has a similar map now. 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. Our service area includes all of New York City, and Westchester County, located directly north of New York City. 4 0 obj You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Its also clear that hosting capacity could play an important role in addressing timeliness in processing the interconnection of distributed energy resources. 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. In the same ruling, Xcel was ordered to create a better process for addressing interconnection complaints (by June 2021). 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. 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. Find out about our Hosting Capacity platform and system data available. As documented in the Star Tribune, interconnection delays have frustrated Minnesotas solar developers. 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. Don't miss a single report, infographic, or podcast! Link leads to external site, Share to Mail. Each township is subdivided into 36 sections (1 mile X 1 mile). The LSRV is an added credit for DER installations in eligible areas where the utility grid would benefit from additional generation capacity. We were flying blind. stream 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. ComEd has assembled the answers to some Multiple states require electric utilities to share their power grid data with solar developers. Adding complexity, theres still the human factor involved, because the numbers arent entirely accurate in all places; think of them as a guide. www.tdworld.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. E999/CI20-800. Southern California Edisons hosting maps contain a built-in function enabling users to filter sites based on available capacity above a certain threshold. Information for Developers of Renewable Energy. By viewing the map below, you agree and acknowledge that: The information in this tool is for guidance purposes only and is not guaranteed. x\r8}wTw*YNdc!88RV'O]t )$DZIIOF ys=N~=hAs`9Dr3N%_+E6'0QMwx4SJ\ip_NOuzr-2j#b/)eJm ! Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy. 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. Computer Room Air Conditioning Unit (CRAC) - Older equipment can cost your facility more money on energy costs and maintenance. 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. Xcel slows the adoption of cost-effective distributed generation. The highest capacity locations are seen in dark blue. 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. . What this does indicate is that a densely populated community like Oak Park would most likely have to get the majority of its solar and renewable electricity from outside its boundaries to reach the statewide RPS goal of 25%. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled. A technical error has occurred. Processing: Hosting Capacity map added on August 11, 2017. The watchword is actionable. If the maps arent actionable (b/c theyre not accurate) they re actually worse than useless. A technical error has occurred. Link leads to external site, Share to LinkedIn. 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. Please be mindful of our community standards. Our new report details these companies rapid expansion, the growing resistance, and the pressing need for federal policy interventions. uqJF$ 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. If you have more to contribute, please comment with a link. 2016 - 2023 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Electricity Forum publishes Electricity Today T&D Magazine and Intelligent Power Today Industrial Electrical Magazine. 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 tool functions well, as intended, to provide developers of large DERs early insight into grid locational hosting capacity. That meant solar developers had zero access to critical power grid connection information, substation status, and other local solar plant connections. More articles from John Fitzgerald Weaver. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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." However, the developers obligation to take on power grid risk slowed efficient markets from forming. <> Contact: IMAP@nationalgrid.com Frequently Asked Questions to provide guidance to common interconnection application inquiries. John Farrell directs the Energy Democracy initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and he develops tools that allow communities to take charge of their energy future, and pursue the maximum economic benefits of the transition to 100% renewable power. Xcel has not fulfilled the requirements outlined in the Commissions July 2020 Order. The IREC paper is titled Validation is critical to making hosting capacity analysis a clean energy game-changer.. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so. We provide localized 8,760 hour forecasts to assist developers in considering the application of DER in our service territory. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. An application fee is charged for each interconnection application submitted. I was involved in various CPUC regulatory proceedings on these maps and made the same kinds of comments frequently. Owner signs deal, $2,5000 payment made for PE-stamped one line & interconnection application 3. 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. Every interconnection location must be specifically assessed through the formal interconnection process. Please enable cookies on your browser and try again. 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. 6hA* Your email address will not be published. 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. Hold Ctrl or Cmd to select multiple editions. 742 Pre Emption Road You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Your contributions support local solutions. 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. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled. The library zone below is used to load resources. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. Also, the map is taken from data as of a point in time and updated as of the date indicated in the pop-up display on the map, and therefore may not reflect current conditions in a given area. The utility will also have to provide downloadable data of line segments with limitations they may have for adding capacity at different connection spots. 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. Source: Data has been sourced from multiple National Grid groups and incorporated into this Portal by National Grid's IMAP team. Fax 905-686-1078 This tool isnt applicable for the vast majority of DER project planning (around 98%) in SDG&Es service territory. www.tdworld.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. 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. This data is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for the established interconnection application process. 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). That meant solar developers had zero access to critical power grid connection information, substation status, and other local solar plant connections. Please contact our Customer Care Center if you have questions. 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. Link leads to external site, Share to Twitter. 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. These values are representative of the total amount of DG that is installed on the feeders and networks associated with the area substation. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. This map is one tool that customers and developers can use to help assess the available hosting capacity in a given general location. The US PLSS is used to subdivide and describe land. An expedited review of the interconnection request under Levels 1 - 3 is available provided the proposed DG facility passes the screens outlined in Part 466 and does not require construction of facilities by ComEd to protect reliability and accommodate the interconnection of the DG facility. Your email address will not be published. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The Interconnection Queue Report is intended to provide interconnection information according to the terms and conditions of ComEds Rider IQ Tariff. The Commission should host staff-facilitated working group sessions on integrating hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process. Call us at 1-855-433-2700 during normal business hours to speak with a ComEd Energy Efficiency Program representative. Please note that issues related to circuit protection require further analysis to make a definitive determination of hosting capacity. 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. Synchronous Generation and System Fault Current Limitations. 216B.2425, subdivision 8, to support the continued development of distributed generation resources.. 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. Without offering an explanation, when the final interconnection for the 200 kW project was approved, the utility assessed no new fees. RE: Docket E002/M-20-812 In the Matter of Xcel Energys 2020 Hosting Capacity Report. . Zoom in (+) and zoom out (-) icons are available to the left of the search tool bar. 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. Why is Connecting Clean Energy to the Grid So Hard? <>/Metadata 270 0 R/ViewerPreferences 271 0 R>> 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. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. The risks could be mitigated somewhat by knowing the power grid well, or by tracking down an insider willing to answer specific questions. The hosting capacity map utilizes the United States Public Land Survey System (US PLSS) to present results. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. This is necessary, because developer complaints have continued to the present.