From the U.S. Department of Energy:

“The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), today announced up to $30 million available from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to accelerate the interconnection process for new energy generation through the introduction of artificial intelligence techniques. The new Artificial Intelligence for Interconnection (AI4IX) program will develop partnerships between software developers, grid operators (including Regional Transmission Operators (RTOs) and Power Marketing Administrations), and energy project developers to modernize the interconnection application process and significantly reduce the time required to review, approve, and commission new generation interconnections across the country.”

In the press release, the DOE cited GridUnity’s leadership, saying:

“The AI4IX program aligns with DOE’s continued support for improving interconnection queues across the United States. Under the Department’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) Program, DOE is supporting a multi-state project led by GridUnity to deploy AI-enabled software to improve the efficiency of the interconnection process with multiple RTOs covering approximately 60% of the U.S. population—around 210 million people—to enhance energy reliability, security, and lower costs.”

Read the press release here.

GridUnity’s head of Sales Ashley Kelley and head of product strategy Robert Sherick were interviewed by Power-Grid International and Renewable Energy World about the just-announced $49.5 million grant awarded to the company under the GRIP program. From the article:

“Interconnection is really where the bottleneck is,” notices GridUnity head of sales Ashley Kelly. “Our software platform streamlines that process.”

“We’ve got a purpose-built solution focused on load and generation interconnection on both the transmission and distribution side,” expounds Sherick.

GridUnity’s Digital Integration for Grid Interconnection Tools, Analysis, and Logic (DIGITAL) project allows visibility of the full end-to-end process from pre-application to permission to operate. The company’s interconnection solution is among 38 projects chosen to receive funding through the Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovations Partnerships (GRIP) program. Nearly $2 billion in new awards spanning initiatives in 42 states and Washington, D.C. were announced today. The funding will go toward protecting the grid against growing threats of extreme weather, lowering electricity costs for communities, and increasing capacity to meet load growth stemming from the recent rise of manufacturing, data centers, and electrification.

DOE received applications requesting more than seven times the funding available in this round, even after doling out $3.5B for 58 projects last October and $2.2B more in August of this year.

“We kind of appreciate the fact that it was highly competitive and that lots of folks are looking for federal funding,” Sherick offers.

Read the full article on Power-Grid International or Renewable Energy World.

Utility Dive today covered the news of the third tranche of GRIP awards, which included $49.5 million to our DIGITAL project to streamline and speed grid interconnection. The article says that:

“The projects will boost transmission capacity by more than 7.5 GW, accelerate interconnection for clean energy and spark over $4.2 billion in public and private investment, according to DOE.”

and

“Selected projects include: $50 million for GridUnity, which will use cloud computing and other advanced processes to speed up the grid interconnection process around the United States. DOE expects the project will cut interconnection times by more than a year on average.”

Read the full article here. 

GridUnity is a platinum sponsor of GridTECH Connect California, taking place in Newport Beach. GridUnity CEO Brian Fitzsimons will moderate the panel on Navigating interconnection through CAISOs new process and Robert Sherick will host a peer-to-peer roundtable on Unifying tools, processes, and stakeholders for efficient interconnection in California and beyond. 

Register using the GridUnity code for 20% off: SPONINV

Learn more and register on the GridTECH Connect website.

BNN Breaking wrote about Southwest Power Pool choosing the GridUnity platform for interconnection, cluster study management, and infrastructure coordination, saying:

“Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the pivotal Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) orchestrating the central United States’ electrical grid, has taken a significant leap forward in renewable energy integration. By adopting GridUnity’s advanced Interconnection Life Cycle Management (ILCM) platform, SPP aims to revolutionize the efficiency, transparency, and management of generation interconnections. This collaboration, spotlighted at the recent DISTRIBUTECH International event, underscores a shared commitment by GridUnity and AWS to foster renewable energy growth.”

“As the world moves towards a more sustainable and renewable energy-dominated future, initiatives like the integration of GridUnity’s ILCM platform by SPP are pivotal. By enhancing the efficiency and transparency of the generation interconnection process, SPP is not only facilitating the growth of renewable energy but also ensuring that the grid remains secure and reliable for its users. This initiative, highlighted at the DISTRIBUTECH International event, represents a significant step forward in the journey towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy landscape.”

Read the full article here.