May 24, 2021

Beyond Wires: Using Advanced Transmission Technologies to Accelerate the Transition to Clean Energy

By enhancing the performance of our existing transmission system with smart technology, we can maximize clean energy investments, save money, and reduce carbon pollution.

Advanced transmission technologies, such as battery storage, dynamic line rating, and power flow control add digital intelligence to analog wires, to unlock gigawatts of new transfer capacity in the existing transmission wires. Paired with local distributed energy solutions, these grid investments can relieve congestion to get renewables on the grid faster and cheaper than relying on new transmission lines alone.

The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) is collaborating with the Center for Renewables Integration (CRI) in a three-pronged approach to grid transformation. Building on the work done by others at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), our Beyond Wires campaign works to ensure that transmission- and distribution-connected technologies are fully considered and optimally deployed to maximize cost-effective electricity delivery and renewables interconnection. With a combination of legal and expert intervention, we can achieve the electricity delivery system we need.

“This is not an “either/or” choice between traditional large wires projects and new transmission technologies. Both are critical.” – Beyond Wires Report