The ComEd Energy Efficiency Program is funded in compliance with state law. We provide localized 8,760 hour forecasts to assist developers in considering the application of DER in our service territory. 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. Find a viable business owner interested in solar 2. In practice, this is how it worked from a solar sales perspective: 1. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. The Commission should set a deadline and intermediate goals for the ultimate integration of hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process. The utility will also have to provide downloadable data of line segments with limitations they may have for adding capacity at different connection spots. More articles from John Fitzgerald Weaver. Georgia solar groups call for a hosting capacity map Get information on current projects and opportunities. We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. With the evolution of these HCA maps, developers now have access to something that previously was elusive: useful data. The Hosting Capacity map gives an indication of how much generation (expressed in kW) can be added to a feeder before the feeder reaches capacity or other limitations that reduce the reliability of service to electric customers on the feeder. 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. 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." Our interactive portal can help guide decisions regarding the interconnection of resources. 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. 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. The IREC paper describes how some utilities have worked to ensure accurate inputs to their hosting capacity analysis, and use automated flags to identify anomalous modeling results. The LSRV is an added credit for DER installations in eligible areas where the utility grid would benefit from additional generation capacity. It does not appear on display pages. Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. Join our newsletter. ComEd has assembled the answers to some 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. Head over to BusinessTypes or PublicSector for energy-reducing ideas specific to your organization. Featured photo credit: Victoria Catterson via Flickr (CC BY 2.0). Solar developers take on module manufacturing risk. Where applicable, ComEd will offer an interconnection agreement. That meant solar developers had zero access to critical power grid connection information, substation status, and other local solar plant connections. 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. 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. As documented in the Star Tribune, interconnection delays have frustrated Minnesotas solar developers. With significant anticipated growth in distributed solar across all states, electric grid managers need every tool possible to smooth its incorporation into the grid. 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." You may submit a formal request for DER interconnection at a specific site online. Examples include new loads, undergrounding projects, new circuits, voltage, and reliability. 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. The Commission should host staff-facilitated working group sessions on integrating hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process. Select one or more editions for targeted, up to date information delivered straight to your inbox. Created Date: 12/6/2022 2:39:55 PM . Log in using your email address if you've already registered. 1. A decade ago, resources for scouting viable locations for new distributed energy resources (DER) simply did not exist. 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. Circuit level data is visible when zoomed below the sixteenth-section scale. Solar hosting capacity is the gold to be found in these utility treasure maps. Xcel slows the adoption of cost-effective distributed generation. Why is Connecting Clean Energy to the Grid So Hard? o Customer/Utility information sharing portal w/maps showing DER hosting capacity & locations where EV . 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. What makes feeder locations a greater risk threat in Minnesota than in New York or California? 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. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. While hosting capacity analysis can be valuable as a data point, it could be an even better tool for distributed solar adoption. Xcel Energy (the Company) has been directed to complete its hosting capacity analysis in service of Xcel customers and grid stakeholders. New York City Coverage by the Numbers 750,000+ buildings in the city 5 billion square feet of floor space 3 million housing units 30 percent one- and two-family residences Notify me of follow-up comments by email. This process is automatic. And the newest version of their Integration Capacity Analysis (ICA 20) maps went online as of December 28. 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. In reviewing the capacity values, you learn that they include minimum plus maximum levels and existing private generation. Hosting Capacity is the amount of distributed energy that can be placed without requiring system upgrades or effecting power quality. Californias process to incorporate hosting capacity analysis into the interconnection process began in 2014, so we understand that this will take some time. Once the map is displayed, use the address search tool bar in the top left corner to zoom into a specific address. Properly designed, the hosting capacity maps offer the ability to look closely at our power grid resources. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Please note that issues related to circuit protection require further analysis to make a definitive determination of hosting capacity. ComEd service territory covers over 11,000 square miles in northern Illinois including the . hosting capacity map can help you identify potential sites for the interconnection of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to ComEd's distribution circuits. 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. 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. We strongly recommend completing the application process online, as ComEd is making an effort to reduce paper use and streamline the application process. Beyond the pending integration into interconnection, California utilities have additional features on their hosting capacity maps that ILSR believes should be implemented in Minnesota. Don't miss a single report, infographic, or podcast! It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Implementing energy-efficient equipment can help you save money and cut your energy consumption by 2040%.*. E999/CI20-800, rule whether Xcel Energy must comply with Order Point 12 of the July 2020 order. The IREC paper is titled Validation is critical to making hosting capacity analysis a clean energy game-changer.. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. For example, the 18 sections of Oak Park Township capacity range from 612 to 909 kW, and total 13,260 kW of photovoltaic power. About the Hosting Capacity Platform | Con Edison 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. New CRAC units are energy efficient, so youll not only effectively cool your IT closet, youll save on energy and maintenance costs, too. 4 0 obj Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled. Error: Please call us at 1-800-752-6633 to complete this request. Knowing exactly what circuits can handle and which circuits are arguably in need of solar power is like a treasure map. 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. LSRV areas will display a status of "Eligible" on the Hosting Capacity map under "LSRV Area Information.". Ameren Illinois has created a one-stop shop for Renewable Energy Developers to obtain all of the information they need to begin and complete a project. Smaller Generators | ComEd - An Exelon Company Interconnection Queue | ComEd - An Exelon Company Here's where these maps live: Pacific Gas & Electric's (PG&E) Grid Needs Assessment (GNA) maps More recently, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and the Clean Coalition of California have made large contributions to the maps. Each Township, Section, Quarter-Section, Sixteenth-Section, or circuit is color coded based on its maximum hosting capacity value. GwfaaLLI'U:gp*= G}.a[8. This tool isnt applicable for the vast majority of DER project planning (around 98%) in SDG&Es service territory. endobj 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. Read our policy. Xcel has not fulfilled the requirements outlined in the Commissions July 2020 Order. The US PLSS is used to subdivide and describe land. Developers can look at the map and predict where they might install a solar garden. 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. Each township is subdivided into 36 sections (1 mile X 1 mile). The Commission should accept Xcel Energys 2020 Hosting Capacity Analysis Report, but set more parameters around its implementation. Have questions about how to utilize and navigate the platform? As of today, that big solar power plant is still pending, but the small one is complete. 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, 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. 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. 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. Required fields are marked *. 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. However, the developers obligation to take on power grid risk slowed efficient markets from forming. The US PLSS is used to subdivide and describe land. WASHINGTON - As the Illinois solar market grows from the Future Energy Jobs Act, the largest utility in the state has posted a planning tool to identify potential PV capacity in their service territory. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com. pv magazine offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news. 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. 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. 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.. 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. Circuit configurations can change for various reasons. This site uses cookies. Link leads to external site, Share to Twitter. Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy. Questions? Join our newsletter. Click on a Township, Section, Quarter-Section, Sixteenth-Section, or circuit to display the maximum hosting capacity value. That meant solar developers had zero access to critical power grid connection information, substation status, and other local solar plant connections. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Nice piece and I agree fully. www.tdworld.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 765 990] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Xcel should be encouraged to update the hosting analyses monthly, or simply more regularly, he said. 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. Applications received by ComEd without payment of the application fee will not be entered into the interconnection process for review by ComEd. 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. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has required that Xcel Energy, the largest electricity provider in Minnesota, conduct annual hosting capacity analysis reports since 2016. Grid security is a vital issue, but we fear it may serve as an excuse to further delay the interconnection of distributed generation. Hold Ctrl or Cmd to select multiple editions. Please see Part 466 for specific qualification requirements (screens) for each interconnection level. 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 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. #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! Hosting capacity maps: A gold mine for solar developers We were flying blind. Log in using your email address if you've already registered. However, the interconnection process stands to gain much more from hosting capacity analysis. The library zone below is used to load resources. 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. Please enable JavaScript on your browser and try again. Integrating hosting capacity analysis with the interconnection process is not only possible, it is already being done. Additional displays with tabulated data have been included in the form of data pop-up displays to indicate that the hosting capacity may be lower at any given location. Processing: Hosting Capacity map added on August 11, 2017. Southern California Edisons hosting maps contain a built-in function enabling users to filter sites based on available capacity above a certain threshold. Every interconnection location must be specifically assessed through the formal interconnection process. 2016 - 2023 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Register with an email address to update your login credentials. 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. Each quarter section is further subdivided into sixteenth-sections (1/4 mile X 1/4 mile). As raised in a July 2020 Order by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, an improved hosting capacity analysis could be used to streamline the interconnection process of plugging solar into the electric grid. A decade ago, resources for scouting viable locations for new distributed energy resources (DER) simply did not exist. 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. 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. You may submit your application for Level 1 Distributed Generation Interconnection or Levels 2, 3 or 4 Distributed Generation online. It divides the ComEd service territory into townships (6 miles X 6 miles). 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. Developer submits the interconnection requestand hopes for the best. x\r8}wTw*YNdc!88RV'O]t )$DZIIOF ys=N~=hAs`9Dr3N%_+E6'0QMwx4SJ\ip_NOuzr-2j#b/)eJm ! Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) When was the last time you replaced your IT closets UPS? 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%. Error: Please call us at 1-800-752-6633 to complete this request. 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. View interconnection queue information for all Distributed Generation or Distributed Storage Resource Projects. 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. Please enable scripts and reload this page. New York States adoption of Reforming the Energy Vision is moving our industry forward toward a new and sustainable energy future. 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. 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. 3 0 obj Maria McCoy is a Researcher with the Energy Democracy Initiative. PG&E, after conducting validation work, conceded that the solar results were erroneous, says the IREC paper. 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. 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. From what you need to develop an individual residential project, to Community Solar, and all the way up to a large industrial project. A legend can also be found in the top left corner of the map. Link leads to external site, Tips & Tools for Lowering Your Energy Bill, Savings for Multifamily Building Managers, Savings for Small-Medium Business Customers. In general, this section applies to larger generators (e.g., Commercial Wind Farms, Biomass or Solar Projects). As part of the Hosting Capacity Portal we provide aggregated DG values at the substation level. 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. 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. Xcel . 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 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. Hosting Capacity Analysis Could Simplify Grid Interconnection for www.tdworld.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. 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. The tool functions well, as intended, to provide developers of large DERs early insight into grid locational hosting capacity.