Leaders from more than 100 organizations in Pennsylvania were addressed a letter to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission demanding interconnection reforms for a greener and affordable grid. The supporting organizations, which represent Pennsylvania businesses, civic leaders and environmental groups, have a presence in communities affected by fossil fuels and rising energy prices.
“They share the belief that the key to securing a resilient and affordable energy system in a time of economic unpredictability lies in adding more reliable and low-cost local distributed energy resources (DERs). This includes solar, wind and battery storage, as well as energy efficiency. However, this vision is hampered by inconsistent and complicated interconnection procedures through which projects receive approval from their utility to connect to the electric grid,” the group said in a press release.
The submitted letter states: “In the absence of meaningful interconnection reforms, significant damage has already been done. With federal investment tax credits soon to expire, viable solar projects across Pennsylvania are at risk of being canceled. As regional interconnection delays continue, our state’s ability to facilitate distributed energy resources becomes increasingly important.” Additionally, Pennsylvania’s utilities are “slow on local interconnection requests. Local solar projects face opaque approval processes without clear timelines or consistent standards. These delays are the result of inadequate utility-managed interconnection procedures that the PUC has the authority to resolve.”
Signatories of the letter include Vote Solar, the PA Solar Center, Mid-Atlantic Solar and Storage Industries Association, Reclaim Philadelphia and POWER Interfaith.
“Pennsylvania’s solar industry, which employs approximately 7,000 people, has already been hit hard this year by the looming expiration of the solar tax credit,” said Sharon Pillar, founder and executive director of the PA Solar Center. “If the PUC were to resolve these interconnection issues, they would provide solar companies with a lifeline when they need it most – while helping to reduce energy bills for all energy consumers in Pennsylvania, regardless of whether they use solar energy or not.”
News story from the Pennsylvania Solar Center
