Numerous states continue to forge full speed ahead on clean energy policy, and many have doubled down on their efforts. Within a week of each other, both Maryland and Minnesota adopted more nuanced regulatory reforms that will increase clean energy access for more consumers, while supporting clean energy jobs and investments. From the trenches, IREC offers a ground-level view of these two important state regulatory reform efforts.
Up Front: The IREC Blog 
Smart Inverter Update: New IEEE 1547 Standards and State Implementation Efforts
At Intersolar in San Francisco, IREC hosted and participated in a panel discussion on the State of Smart Inverters: Adoption and Considerations for Implementation. From this discussion and IREC’s work on these standards, I provide an update and overview on the state of the IEEE 1547 standards and recent developments in California, with an eye to considerations other states would benefit from keeping in mind as they look to capitalize on the potential of smart inverters.
How New Grid Transparency Tools Are Improving Distributed Generation Siting
Now that numerous states and utilities have adopted grid transparency tools that enable customers to get information about the grid at a particular point of interconnection in order to help inform future interconnection applications, the question is: how well are they working? Exactly what are these tools, and what are the stakeholder experiences using them to get distributed renewable energy projects connected to the grid faster, cheaper and easier?
Minnesota Overhauls Interconnection Standards to Streamline Clean Energy (Some Decisions Deferred)
On May 24th, Minnesota made new strides for clean energy and became the third state in the Midwest in the last three years to adopt wholesale reforms to their state interconnection procedures – creating a more transparent and effective interconnection process for customers. The updated rules are the result of more than two years of work at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC), by IREC, in partnership with Fresh Energy and the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC).
Gold Star To The Silver State For Landmark Energy Storage Regulatory Settlement
Recently, the Silver State set itself apart from the pack with a landmark regulatory decision on interconnection rules for energy storage to explicitly allow distributed energy storage systems to connect to the grid and clarify the process projects would undergo as they seek interconnection. IREC played a leading role in advancing these reforms and negotiating the settlement among involved parties.
Blazing a Trail for Microcredentials in the Clean Energy Industry
When Jobs for the Future, a national non-profit that builds educational and economic opportunities for underserved populations in the U.S., was exploring microcredentials, they tapped IREC for its innovative expertise and leadership in the microcredentialing and credentialing space. Laure-Jeanne Davignon, IREC director of workforce and I were pleased to co-author this piece with Veronica Buckwalter, JFF senior project manager, on how microcredentials offer viable pathways for stackable credentials and career advancement for today’s rapidly evolving workforce.
Cornerstone for Next Generation Grid Activities: Forecasting DER Growth
This IREC Insight blog is focused on a relatively uncharted frontier in energy planning: distributed energy resource forecasting (aka DER forecasting). We will examine what a DER forecast is, why it matters, and what states, regulators and utilities should consider…
Four States Make Our 2017 Clean Energy States Honor Roll
It is at the state level that clean energy success can best be measured today. That’s why we created the 2017 Clean Energy States Honor Roll, to call out some of the year’s best success stories. We recognize Utah, Maryland, Illinois and Minnesota for their achievements in energy storage, net metering, interconnection and a clean energy workforce jobs initiative.
Tagged with: export credit rate, grid modernization, Illinois Future Energy Jobs Act, low-income and environmental justice communities, Maryland energy storage incentive, Maryland tax credit for energy storage, Minnesota Solar Comunity Gardens, Power Plant Research Project, Utah net metering policies
Want to Prevent Interconnection Gridlock? Make a Plan!
Despite the astoundIng increase of grid-connected solar from 2005 to 2013, U.S. utilities and developers still face interconnection challenges. With proper planning, however, and using integrated distribution planning (IDP), states can overcome major interconnection challenges, including closed circuits, that are hindering the integration of renewables.
From One Year to Another
December is a month we tend to look back over the year. As I do that, I see an incredibly successful, productive year as it relates to IREC’s goals and objectives. This is of course against the backdrop of an equally incredible year of frustration with what’s happening on the federal level. We know better than ever that it is state policy and regulatory actions that will directly determine the volume and pace of clean energy access and adoption by consumers across the U.S. This makes IREC’s impactful state-by-state work more critical than ever before.
