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. Your email address will not be published. Circuit configurations can change for various reasons. 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. Here's where these maps live: Pacific Gas & Electric's (PG&E) Grid Needs Assessment (GNA) maps 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. A technical error has occurred. Parts of the grid that are constrained are marked with red lines (the area around number 1), while parts of the grid with available hosting capacity are marked with green and yellow lines (the area around number 2). We adjust the load shapes to the individual network peak demand and energy send-out forecasts, including the projected DER impacts, such that the forecast includes the impact of load modifiers. Peak and Minimum Load Duration Curves 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. Your email address will not be published. Be aware of your private generation configuration options and system limitations. 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. ComEd has assembled the answers to some It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Fax 905-686-1078 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. Xcel slows the adoption of cost-effective distributed generation. Most of these projects wont need high-voltage transmission lines, but instead can connect to the grid directly where customers are using power, or where there is excess capacity. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Minnesota solar companies filed 129 interconnection complaints in 2019. The highest capacity locations are seen in dark blue. Granularity increases as users zoom in. Without offering an explanation, when the final interconnection for the 200 kW project was approved, the utility assessed no new fees. 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. 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. Southern California Edisons hosting maps contain a built-in function enabling users to filter sites based on available capacity above a certain threshold. pv magazine offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. Although the values are meant to provide the user with a general idea of availability, space on the . The Interconnection Queue Report is intended to provide interconnection information according to the terms and conditions of ComEds Rider IQ Tariff. 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. By viewing the map below, you agree and acknowledge that: The information in this tool is for guidance purposes only and is not guaranteed. 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. In Georgia, solar groups last year called for state regulators to require Georgia Power to produce such maps. 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. 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. The risks could be mitigated somewhat by knowing the power grid well, or by tracking down an insider willing to answer specific questions. You may not have a full-fledged data center but your facility has a space housing your server or at least some networking equipment. 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 documented in the Star Tribune, interconnection delays have frustrated Minnesotas solar developers. Each township is subdivided into 36 sections (1 mile X 1 mile). It divides the ComEd service territory into townships (6 miles X 6 miles). 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. While hosting capacity analysis can be valuable as a data point, it could be an even better tool for distributed solar adoption. New York States adoption of Reforming the Energy Vision is moving our industry forward toward a new and sustainable energy future. Please contact our Customer Care Center if you have questions. Solar hosting capacity is the gold to be found in these utility treasure maps. With significant anticipated growth in distributed solar across all states, electric grid managers need every tool possible to smooth its incorporation into the grid. A legend can also be found in the top left corner of the map. Based on ComEds Hosting Capacity, Oak Park could generate about 6% of its electricity from solar power located within its borders. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. New CRAC units are energy efficient, so youll not only effectively cool your IT closet, youll save on energy and maintenance costs, too. 2. Apply Now. In at least five more states, regulators are considering requiring utilities to produce such maps, or to improve the maps they are already publishing, Zakai said: Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Californias process to incorporate hosting capacity analysis into the interconnection process began in 2014, so we understand that this will take some time. 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. 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. These tools make it so every stakeholder in the process is able to work more efficiently and save the entire system precious time + money. 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. The Commission should host staff-facilitated working group sessions on integrating hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process. 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. <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 765 990] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Call us at 1-855-433-2700 during normal business hours to speak with a ComEd Energy Efficiency Program representative. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has required that Xcel Energy, the largest electricity provider in Minnesota, conduct annual hosting capacity analysis reports since 2016. The watchword is actionable. If the maps arent actionable (b/c theyre not accurate) they re actually worse than useless. LSRV areas will display a status of "Eligible" on the Hosting Capacity map under "LSRV Area Information.". Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Read our policy. As the Virginia Clean Economy Act passed last year, Dominion has a similar map now. 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. But the inefficient air conditioning units preventing your servers from overheating may be costing you more in energy costs and maintenance fees every month. Each section is further subdivided into quarter-sections (1/2 mile X 1/2 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. Why Minnesotas Community Solar Program is the Best, Feds Should Collect Better Data for Fairer Markets and Energy Justice. On April 7, ILSR submitted comments to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to recommend they accept Xcel Energys 2020 Hosting Capacity Analysis Report, recognizing a few caveats: Read ILSRs comments to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in full below. 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. That meant solar developers had zero access to critical power grid connection information, substation status, and other local solar plant connections. Once the map is displayed, use the address search tool bar in the top left corner to zoom into a specific address. You will not reproduce or use in any other medium, distribute, or otherwise use the tool or its information for any purpose other than the identification of potential sites for the interconnection of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to ComEd's distribution circuits. 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. A technical error has occurred. <>/Metadata 270 0 R/ViewerPreferences 271 0 R>> Some locations within the PECO service territory have greater potential to support such interconnections than others. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) When was the last time you replaced your IT closets UPS? Please turn on JavaScript and try again. You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. The Company requested that the Commission excuse the complaints from the Quality of Service Plan, a request that the Commission denied. The Commission should order Xcel Energy to publish all criteria violations on the HCA map. 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. uqJF$ However, the interconnection process stands to gain much more from hosting capacity analysis. Control systems Monitor your operations and set temperature points and fan speeds to optimize savings. 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.. Xcel should be encouraged to update the hosting analyses monthly, or simply more regularly, he said. If the Commission rules that Xcel must comply with Order Point 12, it should levy financial penalties if the Company does not comply. Information for Developers of Renewable Energy. In fact, California regulators recently ruled to do just that utilize utility hosting capacity analyses to reduce the complexity of the interconnection process. Interconnection Guidelines(pdf). Read our policy. Interconnection is the process of connecting a distributed generation system to the electric grid. 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. 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. 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. If you have more to contribute, please comment with a link. 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. Please be mindful of our community standards. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Examples include new loads, undergrounding projects, new circuits, voltage, and reliability. The LSRV is an added credit for DER installations in eligible areas where the utility grid would benefit from additional generation capacity. With the evolution of these HCA maps, developers now have access to something that previously was elusive: useful data. Con Edison does not warrant the accuracy of these informational forecasts. It does not appear on display pages. 2016 - 2023 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Legal Notice Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy pv magazine 2023, Welcome to pv magazine USA. 1. 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. pv magazine offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. The hosting capacity map utilizes the United States Public Land Survey System (US PLSS) to present results. Register with an email address to update your login credentials. Washington, DC and part of Maryland: Potomac Electric Power Company map; Last year, ComEd in Illinois also published a hosting capacity map. Additionally, we have provided the peak substation load for the previous year. Learn about the benefits of installing solar, along with local and private generation specs and incentives. Required fields are marked *. Log in using your email address if you've already registered. 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. www.tdworld.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. For example, according to Xcel Energys integrated resource plan filing (Docket 19-368), future development of distributed generation resources will be meager. Our new report details these companies rapid expansion, the growing resistance, and the pressing need for federal policy interventions. The substation capacity may also be supplying additional load for another network and/or radial load area. Please enable JavaScript on your browser and try again. States that now provide HCA maps include California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 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. The ComEd Energy Efficiency Program is funded in compliance with state law. The 8,760-hour forecasts are for informational purposes. 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. 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. 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. 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%. 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.. You can remove a saved URL to remember another. 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. It does not appear on display pages. If you have any issues viewing the data, please Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Error: Please call us at 1-800-752-6633 to complete this request. 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. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. 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. By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment. 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 hosting capacity map is offered free of charge and correspondingly is not as accurate as the next steps for obtaining more specific information. We were flying blind. This map is one tool that customers and developers can use to help assess the available hosting capacity in a given general location. The Electricity Forum (In Canada) Here are links to several Hosting Capacity Maps intended for solar developers. In this role, she contributes to blog posts, podcasts, video content, and interactive features. 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. Have questions about how to utilize and navigate the platform? If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com. 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. This data is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for the established interconnection application process. 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. We provide localized 8,760 hour forecasts to assist developers in considering the application of DER in our service territory. 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. The interactive map displays the highest circuit hosting capacity at the: Township, Section, Quarter-Section, Sixteenth-Section, and circuit level. . Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. 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. In general, this section applies to smaller generators (e.g., Residential Power Projects). 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. Implementing energy-efficient equipment can help you save money and cut your energy consumption by 2040%.*. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled. Register with an email address to update your login credentials. %PDF-1.7 From schools, local government buildings and fire and police stations to offices, medical facilities and more, each facility has a room storing networking equipment or at least a small server stack. As it turned out, the larger-scale ground mount project was moving slowly due to local resistance. Please be mindful of our community standards. Your email address will not be published. Please contact our Customer Care Center if you have questions. In practice, this is how it worked from a solar sales perspective: 1. Link leads to external site, Share to Mail. 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. This data can be accessed by selecting a feeder or network on the mapping display and advancing to the associated data pane. 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. But by the time the projects interconnection was returned, a 5 MWac solar project had won approval at the substation. ComEd anticipates that the Interconnection Queue data will typically be updated monthly. We are glad that the Commission has asked Xcel to provide all criteria threshold violations, rather than just the primary limiting factor. ComEd Delivery Customer Class Peak Load Contributions Customer Delivery Classifications Delivery Class Code Network Peak Load Contribution (NSPL) kW Capacity Peak Load Contribution (PLC) kW Capacity Peak Load Contribution (PLC) kW. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Southern California Edison's hosting maps contain a built-in function enabling users . Properly designed, the hosting capacity maps offer the ability to look closely at our power grid resources.