Open the June 2024 issue of the Grid Deployment Office Newsletter from the U.S. Department of Energy.
June 17, 2024
minute read time
Recent Announcements
News and Updates
New Report Takes a Fresh Look at How Market and Operating Practices Impact the Benefits of Coordinated Transmission Planning and Operations
Interregional transmission—power lines that connect multiple planning regions—can provide many benefits to electric customers, but market and operating practices weren’t necessarily designed for this type of coordinated system.
A new National Renewable Energy Lab report supported by GDO, Barriers and Opportunities to Realize the System Value of Interregional Transmission, examines issues that prevent existing transmission facilities from delivering maximum potential value and a suite of options that power system stakeholders can pursue to overcome those challenges. The report groups barriers and opportunities for interregional transmission among all regions, between non-market or a mix of market and non-market areas, and between market areas.
On May 28, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration, with commitments from 21 leading states, launched a Federal-State Modern Grid Deployment Initiative that builds on legislative accomplishments and executive actions in tackling the grid modernization challenge. The initiative aims to bring together states, federal entities, and power sector stakeholders to help drive grid adaptation quickly and cost-effectively to meet the challenges and opportunities that the power sector faces in the twenty-first century.
View the Federal-State Modern Grid Deployment Initiative fact sheet.
The Biden-Harris Administration embarked on an unprecedented journey two years ago with the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), marking a historic investment in the clean energy economy. As a result, DOE assessed established operations to grow and change alongside a new demonstration and deployment mandate.
Watch the webinar DOE’s Under Secretary for Infrastructure David Crane hosted on Friday, May 24, 2024, to provide clarity on key issues that arise in the negotiations of awards for large capital projects administered by the Office of Infrastructure. The Under Secretary for Infrastructure also recently released a memo to address the imperative to mobilize private sector investment and stresses the importance of community benefits commitments in DOE-funded projects and includes topics like tangible property interest, non-federal cost share, community benefits commitments, and more.
Tune in to the latest episode of the Shift Key podcast to hear GDO Director Maria Robinson dig into National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETCs)!
DOE recently released a preliminary list of 10 potential NIETCs to accelerate the development of transmission projects in areas that urgently need expanded transmission. In this episode, Director Robinson chats with hosts Jesse Jenkins and Robinson Meyer about how NIETCs are designated and how they will expand transmission where it is needed most.
Submit your comments and recommendations on the preliminary list by 5 p.m. ET on June 24, 2024.
How does wind energy flow from offshore turbines to homes and businesses? The answer is offshore wind transmission!
To better harness renewable, flexible offshore wind energy, we need to build out offshore transmission infrastructure that can connect multiple wind farms and deliver power to coastal communities. Learn more about how GDO and our partners are working to connect the grid of the future through offshore wind transmission.
View our Offshore Wind Transmission Development in the U.S. Atlantic Region fact sheet.
In 2017, Puerto Rico faced consecutive hurricanes that decimated around 80 percent of its electrical grid, resulting in the longest blackout in U.S. history. Puerto Rico passed Act 17 in 2019, aiming to rebuild a resilient, and fully renewable energy system by 2050. This sparked the groundbreaking PR100 study—a collaborative effort between DOE and six national laboratories—to chart the territory's energy future through extensive community engagement and innovative scenarios.
Listen to the latest episode of Transforming Energy: The NREL Podcast to learn about how DOE's PR100 Study is helping Puerto Rico reach its goal of 100% renewable energy system by 2050.
Open Opportunities
| OPPORTUNITY | TYPE | RESPONSE DUE |
| National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors - Phase 2 | Request for comment | COMMENTS: 6/24/2024 |
| Transmission Facility Financing (TFF) Program | Request for comment | COMMENTS: 7/31/2024 |
Upcoming Events
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Recent Meeting Materials
For more video content from GDO, including messages from GDO leadership, recordings from past webinars, explainer videos, and more, check out GDO’s YouTube playlist on the DOE YouTube channel.