Connecting To The Grid

IREC's Connecting to the Grid program provides services and resources to facilitate the development of interconnection procedures and net metering rules for renewable-energy systems and other forms of distributed generation (DG).  This page of the IREC web site serves as an information clearinghouse on interconnection and net-metering issues.

Daily updates from DSIRE

Want the latest net metering and interconnection updates?  Here are daily data feeds from DSIRE:

In 2009, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) released updates for its highly respected and influential rules and procedures for interconnecting and net metering distributed generation. IREC first developed its model net metering rules in 2003 and developed its model interconnection procedures in 2005.   Since that time, the solar photovoltaics market has nearly tripled and there has been significant market growth for renewable distributed generation as a whole. To facilitate that growth, many states have adopted net metering and interconnection policies and many others have revisited and expanded their existing policies to incorporate lessons learned from facilitating increased penetrations of distributed generation.  IREC's model rule updates capture these evolved best practices and compile them into a template regulators and utilities can use as a starting point when drafting local rules.

Connecting to the Grid Guide 6th Edition (2009)

The sixth edition of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council's (IREC) Connecting to the Grid Guide provides a comprehensive introduction to a span of topics that relate to grid-tied renewable energy sources. The sixth edition has been revised to include information on IREC's recently updated model procedures, alternative billing arrangements for net metering, energy storage and several other emerging issues in the field. This guide is designed for state regulators and other policymakers, utilities, industry representatives and consumers interested in the development of state-level interconnection and net metering policies.

Among the important advances incorporated within the new IREC 2009 model interconnection rules are:

  • clarifying that third party ownership of facilities is permissible;
  • raising the size eligibility for the simplest installations from 10 kilowatts to 25 kilowatts;
  • allowing online applications;
  • addressing state-jurisdictional facilities over ten megawatts; and
  • updating provisions related to network interconnections.

IREC's model net metering rules (2009) were highly influential in New Jersey and Colorado, which are widely considered to have the best net-metering policies in the United States. Following the lead of Colorado and other states , IREC’s updated rules no longer limit facility size, other than requiring that annual generation not exceed 120% of expected annual consumption.  Among the important advances in net metering rules incorporated within the model IREC rule:

  • increase in the size of systems eligible for net metering
  • expansion of program capacity caps
  • meter aggregation
  • accommodation of third-party ownership of net metered systems

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