April 2024

Registration is Open for gridCONNEXT^® 2024!!!

View gridCONNEXT 2023 Sessions

With this year's theme, Grid Evolution: From Pilot to Scale, gridCONNEXT^® 2024 will offer a platform to share experiences and best practices for the transition from pilot projects to wide-scale deployment of grid modernization initiatives.

Join us for the GridWise Alliance's hallmark annual event dedicated to grid modernization! 

Sponsorship opportunities are available. If your company is interested in learning more about sponsorship, please click the link above and/or reach out to K. Malaika Walton. 

Highlights From the Department of Energy

DOE Announces Final Transmission Permitting Rule and Investments to Support Grid Modernization

In a continued commitment to bolster the U.S. power grid, the White House announced a final transmission permitting reform rule and a new commitment for up to $331 million aimed at adding more than 2,000 megawatts (MW) of additional grid capacity throughout the Western United States. The final rule establishes the Coordinated Interagency Transmission Authorizations and Permits (CITAP) Program, which aims to significantly improve Federal environmental reviews and permitting processes for qualifying transmission projects.

>>Read the Final Rule

DOE Releases Reports Aimed at Advancing Grid Modernization Efforts

Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Innovative Grid Deployment -- The latest addition to their Liftoff series, DOE urges the electricity industry to use existing commercial technology to manage the chaotic shift toward clean energy and the eruption of power demand from data centers. The report spells out advantages of advanced technologies that boost the capacity of transmission lines; replace aging power cables with lighter, stronger wires; and give grid operators more visibility and control over power flows. The report estimated that deploying these technologies could unlock 20-100 GW of additional capacity. 

>>Read the Liftoff Report

Transmission Interconnector Report -- This report presents a road map aimed at improving processes that will allow generators to connect to the grid more quickly and efficiently. In steps that go beyond the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s recent interconnection reform rule, the DOE's Transmission Interconnection Roadmap calls for considering market-based options to ration interconnection access and separate the interconnection process from making network upgrades.

>>Read the Interconnection Roadmap

GridWise Alliance Members Partner with DOE's National Laboratories

Three GridWise Alliance members have joined a broad coalition of energy leaders in supporting DOE's national laboratories effort to support the Assessment of Communication Architecture for Energy Services (ACAES).

Anterix, EPRI and PNNL will join nine other industry stakeholders in conducting a sophisticated analysis to identify and suggest ways to mitigate gaps in technology, standards, and processes for communications across the grid. The team will also focus on cyber-security with plans to ultimately recommend new and improved technology, standards, and practices to address potential risks and help ensure that a grid with high distributed energy resources penetration is secure. 

What We're Watching and Reading

GridWise Alliance CEO Karen Wayland and GridWise Board member Chris Guttman-McCabe of Anterix were recently featured as guests on White House Chronicle where they discussed local electricity regulations versus national need with renowned co-hosts, LLewellyn King and Adam Clayton Powell III. Catch it on your local PBS station or click the link below to watch now. 

>>Watch the White House Chronicle episode

The latest GridWise Blog post, written by John Greene, US Policy and Regulatory Affairs Manager at member company Piclo titled, "The United States of Grid Modernization." John's piece illustrates where grid modernization progress is today, where it needs to go to meet demand and policy goals, and the innovative state energy markets leading the "charge." 

>>Read the blog post and see Piclo's heatmap!

GridWise Alliance member S&C Electric Company recently published a White Paper highlighting the the importance of the Distribution Grid and how it could become the "Hero of Energy" with the proper investments.

>>Access a free download of the white paper

Upcoming Grid Modernization Events

Grid Modernization: Where are we today? An industry roundtable discussion, May 1, 11 AM ET, Virtual Event

• CEO Karen Wayland and GridWise Board Member Russell Boyer of Dell, will join an esteemed panel of experts to discuss the state of the industry.

Milken Institute Global Conference,

May 5 - 8, Beverly Hills, CA

• Karen is a panelist in the session, "Powering the Future: Energy Storage, Delivery, and a Modern Grid."

Welcome to our Newest GridWise Alliance Members!

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