Paired solar PV and battery energy storage systems, along with a defined operating agreement between developers and utilities, could save time and money during the interconnection process, according to two new studies.
Both analyses focus on two of the main pain-points for renewable energy deployment: First, the utility-developer relationship remains tenuous, and, second, the often slow and expensive interconnection process is seen by many as the biggest threat to meeting climate goals.
The Biden administration wants 5 million homes to be powered by community solar project by 2025, which would represent a 700% increase in capacity compared to 2021. But developers say a lack of transparency and urgency around interconnection puts that goal in serious jeopardy.
