New Interconnection Standards Clear the Way for Clean Energy in Iowa
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Iowa Utilities Board has issued final standards for interconnection of wind, solar and other forms of clean energy to the Iowa electric grid. These rules are the culmination of years of advocacy by the Environmental Law & Policy Center and a coalition of clean energy business, agricultural and environmental groups.
Interconnection is the process of linking clean distributed wind power and solar energy sources of electric generation to the grid. The new standards create a clear process for Iowa citizens and utilities to bring their clean energy sources online with standard forms, affordable fees and reasonable insurance requirements. Iowa previously had loose interconnection guidelines that resulted in a complicated patchwork of rules.
The new Iowa standards are built on a model by ELPC in Illinois and South Dakota. The goal is to “facilitate the addition of distributed generation” to the electric distribution system. The rules minimize burdensome insurance requirements and application fees for small systems, and they include standard forms and contracts to streamline and provide transparency to the process.
The Iowa Utilities Board’s Final Order which includes the final interconnection rules, forms and standard agreements is available here: https://efs.iowa.gov/efiling/groups/external/documents/docket/041781.pdf
The Iowa Utilities Board Staff Memo describes the process: https://efs.iowa.gov/efiling/groups/external/documents/docket/041952.pdf
Tags: Interconnection Standards, Iowa, Media Center Press Releases, Repowering the Midwest
