Clean Energy Trade Associations Urge FERC to Act on Near-term Interconnection Improvements

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the American Clean Power Association, Advanced Energy Economy, and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) filed supplemental comments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to emphasize the need and opportunity for near-term interconnection improvements.   

These joint comments highlight areas of agreement from leading clean energy companies that would allow timely and cost-effective interconnection of much-needed new, clean generation while FERC continues to work towards comprehensive transmission planning reform. FERC has the opportunity to improve certainty, reduce costs, and resolve backlogs of projects waiting to connect to the grid, and our organizations jointly urge FERC to move forward with these much-needed reforms. 

Following are comments from the three organizations on this development. 

Sean Gallagher
Vice President of State and Regulatory Affairs, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
“Interconnection backlogs are one of the biggest impediments to our ability to quickly and efficiently decarbonize our electricity grid in the near term. Without meaningful reforms to the interconnection process, like the ones we’ve outlined for FERC, the United States will never be able to meet its long-term decarbonization goals. Our comments will help the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issue a once in a generation rulemaking that will unlock renewable projects across the nation, enabling us to create thousands of jobs and new economic development opportunities across America.” 

Jeff Dennis
Managing Director, Advanced Energy Economy (AEE)
“Reforming the generator interconnection process is foundational to moving to a 100% clean electricity system. While progress is being made in regions like PJM, FERC, independent grid operators, and transmission owners will need to put more resources and sustained focus toward faster interconnection timeframes as the clean energy transition accelerates. If adopted by FERC, the reforms we propose today will lay a foundation for lower-cost and more effective grid interconnection practices that reduce wait times and backlogs in the future.”

JC Sandberg 
Chief Advocacy Officer, American Clean Power (ACP)
“The clean energy trades are speaking with one voice to emphasize the need for near-term interconnection improvements that will unlock thousands of megawatts of wind, solar, and storage waiting to connect to the grid.  ACP fully supports reforms to FERC’s interconnection policies that will result in more timely and cost-effective grid interconnections, spurring clean energy deployment across the country.  Simultaneously, FERC should continue to move forward with transmission planning and cost allocation reforms that are needed to meet the Biden Administration’s goal of building a carbon-free grid.”

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Media Contacts: 

Jen Bristol, SEIA’s Director of Communications, jbristol@seia.org (202) 556-2886

Adam Winer, AEE’s Communications Director, awiner@aee.net 202.380.1950 x 1015   

Jason Ryan, Senior Media Relations Manager, ACP, jryan@cleanpower.org
202.412.7005
 

About SEIA®: 

The Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA) is leading the transformation to a clean energy economy, creating the framework for solar to achieve 30% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030. SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies and other strategic partners to fight for policies that create jobs in every community and shape fair market rules that promote competition and the growth of reliable, low-cost solar power. Founded in 1974, SEIA is the national trade association for the solar and solar + storage industries, building a comprehensive vision for the Solar+ Decade through research, education and advocacy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org and follow @SEIA on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. 

About Advanced Energy Economy:
Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) is a national association of businesses that are making the energy we use secure, clean, and affordable. AEE is the only industry association in the U.S. that represents the full range of advanced energy technologies and services, both grid-scale and distributed. Advanced energy includes energy efficiency, demand response, energy storage, wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, electric vehicles, and more. AEE’s mission is to transform public policy to enable rapid growth of advanced energy businesses. Engaged at the federal level and more than a dozen states around the country, AEE represents more than 100 companies in the $240 billion U.S. advanced energy industry, which employs 3.2 million U.S. workers. AEE’s PowerSuite online platform allows users to track regulatory and legislative issues in state legislatures, U.S. Congress, state PUCs, RTOs/ISOs, and FERC. Sign up for a free trial at powersuite.aee.net. Follow us at @AEEnet.

About American Clean Power:
American Clean Power is the voice of the clean power industry that is powering America’s future, providing cost-effective solutions to the climate crisis while creating jobs, spurring massive investment in the U.S. economy and driving high-tech innovation across the nation. We are uniting the power of America’s renewable energy industry to advance our shared goals and to transform the U.S. power grid to a low-cost, reliable and renewable power system.

Learn more about the benefits clean power brings to America at www.cleanpower.org and follow us on Twitter @USCleanPower, Facebook and LinkedIn.