A new paper, Key Decisions for Hosting Capacity Analyses, shares key lessons about a new grid mapping tool that can help utilities and states better integrate clean energy technologies on the electric grid.

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Yochi Zakai, attorney with Shute, Mahaly, and Weinberger representing Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). The two discuss hosting capacity analysis and how publicly shared grid information can help solar developers, electric customers, and others make more informed decisions.

the California Public Utilities Commission ordered several key improvements to the Integration Capacity Analysis, a valuable grid transparency tool.

Nevada is one of a handful of states to adopt legislation directing its public service commission and regulated investor-owned utility to initiate a comprehensive distribution resource planning  (DRP) reform effort.

After many months of deliberation and input from stakeholders, the Nevada Public Utilities Commission adopted a framework for the state’s newly required investor-owned utilities’ Distribution Resource Plans (DRP), which will determine what resources and grid upgrades the utilities will need to make to meet consumer demand for electricity.

IREC recently hosted a webinar with the authors of our new Hosting Capacity Analyses (HCA) guide, a tool to help state regulators integrate and optimize distributed energy resources as an integral component of the grid.

While perhaps lower on the radar screen from some other clean energy policy issues, hosting capacity analysis certainly warrants the full attention of stakeholders, policymakers and regulators working to transform the electricity grid. As a national organization that works state-by-state on these important issues, IREC observes that hosting capacity analyses are building blocks with which the grid of the future will be built.