Overcoming Interconnection Bottlenecks for Renewable Energy Deployment in the United States: A Qualitative Analysis

This thesis addresses the impact of interconnection bottlenecks on the deployment of renewable energy within the United States, identifying the dominant causes and potential solutions. As the U.S. attempts to meet its climate goals through decarbonizing the energy sector, the outdated infrastructure which was designed for predictable electricity generation, struggles to integrate variable solar and wind energy. The technical challenge of preparing legacy infrastructure for renewables has prompted large interconnection waiting times, in turn hampering the feasibility and alacrity of the energy transition. A qualitative analysis in this thesis details how the existing interconnection process is hindered by physical limitations. Additionally, the thesis investigates the geographic restrictions between renewable generation sites and high-demand areas. The analysis highlights that the current, nominal interconnection queue has collectively exceeded the nation’s current generation capacity, emphasizing the scale of the challenge. The two strategies discussed in the thesis are the following: enhancing and expanding transmission infrastructure and utilizing distributed energy resources (DERs). It advocates for significant investment in inter-regional transmission development, highlighting many studies that demonstrate its economic benefits. Moreover, the thesis offers two methods of enhancing existing grid infrastructure: advanced reconductoring and dynamic line rates, two options that can materially accelerate the viability of renewable energy resources. Next, the thesis emphasizes how DERs minimize grid impact and can expedite the adoption of renewables at the local level, particularly with respect to on-site solar or storage. In this section, the thesis also studies how virtual power plants (VPPs) offer substantial benefits to system operators and can minimize economic expenditure otherwise directed towards transmission infrastructure. The thesis’s findings emphasize how a combination of transmission infrastructure updates and DER integration can ameliorate interconnection delays with efficient economics to back it.. The comprehensive strategies discussed in the paper ultimately highlights efficient methods to meet U.S. decarbonization targets.