Over the last three years, IREC has been involved in proceedings before the Minnesota Commission focused on tools to enhance the transparency of Xcel Energy’s distribution grid.
distributed energy resources 
MN Utility Commission Pushes Xcel Energy to Improve Grid Transparency Tools
States Preparing for New Standards for a Smarter Grid
Over the next few years, states and utilities across the U.S. will have to implement new national standards for interconnection of clean energy technologies, which will transform how solar, wind, energy storage and other “distributed” energy resources function on the grid. Here’s a look at what some early states are doing to prepare.
New Primer Helps Regulators, Stakeholders Adopt New IEEE Standard for Distributed Energy Resources
IREC’s recently published Making the Grid Smarter: State Primer on Adopting the New IEEE Standard 1547™-2018 for Distributed Energy Resources will help states, regulators and other stakeholders navigate the related technical and policy issues they will need to address in the next few years.
The Evolution of Hosting Capacity Analysis as a Grid Modernization Tool
For anyone in the distributed energy industry, the term “hosting capacity analysis” is one to know. Hosting capacity analysis (HCA) is a new analytical tool that can help states and utilities plan for and build a cleaner electric grid that optimizes customer-driven distributed energy resources (DERs), such as rooftop solar and energy storage.
Nevada Closer to Ensuring Electric Grid Better Integrates Distributed Energy Resources
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.
Interconnection Workshop at Solar Power Southeast
What’s working and what’s not working with interconnection in the Southeast and across the country? Join IREC and SEIA at Solar Power Southeast in Atlanta on May 14, 1:00-4:30 and find out!
WEBINAR: New Tools for Building the Modern Grid
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.
Report Guides States to Optimize Modern Electric Grid
An in-depth guide released by IREC, Optimizing the Grid: A Regulator’s Guide to Hosting Capacity Analyses for Distributed Energy Resources, will help states manage the grid redesign with new analytical tools and the benefit of lessons learned from states leading the way.
Knowledge is Power: Access to Grid Data Improves the Interconnection Experience for All
Just as we reach for mapping technologies when we’re on the road, there are many proven and emerging tools that applicants, utilities and regulators can use to improve transparency and access to grid data in the interconnection process.
The New Mod Squad – Grid modernization for our shifting energy resources
We’ve heard a lot about smart grid over the past decade, but to achieve a truly intelligent grid we need to do much more than switch out analog meters for their digital counterparts. We must also implement comprehensive new regulatory structures to make use of the data and functionality provided by these equipment upgrades. In other words, we need to modernize the grid in addition to our modes of interacting with it.
