Distributed Energy Interconnection Procedures Best Practices for Consideration

ABSTRACT

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) have jointly developed voluntary “best practices” for use by States in implementing interconnection requirements that allow for simple connection of distributed energy technologies to the electric grid. Recognizing that Section 1254 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires each State to consider interconnection procedures and complete its determination by August 8, 2007, EERE and OE offer these “best practices” to assist States in those determinations.

Several States have already established interconnection procedures, while other organizations have developed model procedures. Although EERE and OE do not endorse the model interconnection procedures of any single external organization, EERE and OE do encourage States to consider these “best practices” in establishing interconnection procedures.

Promoting distributed interconnection furthers Administration policy of modernizing our nation's electric grid and can be accomplished in a manner that is fair to interconnecting generators, utilities, and ratepayers.