The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), has announced up to $30 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to step up the interconnection process for new energy generation through the introduction of artificial intelligence techniques.
The new Artificial Intelligence for Interconnection (AI4IX) program will develop partnerships between software developers, grid operators (including Regional Transmission Operators (RTOs) and Power Marketing Administrations), and energy project developers to modernize the interconnection application process and reduce the time required to review, approve, and commission new generation interconnections across the country.
Under AI4IX, projects will work to apply existing AI algorithms to the interconnection application process to quickly identify deficient applications and notify applicants for a solution. For instance, AI software trained on a library of accurate documentation and application materials has the potential to review interconnection applications for the required site control documentation and post errors within submitted supporting documents.
Documenting site control for interconnection is an issue for project developers due to the different stakeholders, property laws, and grid facility access requirements for each generator project.
The software will inform the applicant about their documentation being incomplete and help them respond to the specific issues. The precision and speed in identifying documentation issues and providing specific reasons to enable timely resolutions or correction will improve by deploying AI.
Applying AI technology and existing algorithms will enable acceleration of each phase of the interconnection application process.
Under the Department’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) Program, DOE is supporting a multi-state project led by GridUnity to deploy AI-enabled software to improve the efficiency of the interconnection process with multiple RTOs covering approximately 60% of the U.S. population, around 210 million people, to enhance energy reliability, security, and lower costs.
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is leading the Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) Transmission initiative, which organizes diverse groups involved in the interconnection of energy resources to adopt best practices and inspire new interconnection ideas and capabilities.
Additionally, the AI4IX program aligns with DOE’s continued support for improving interconnection queues across the U.S. and supports its 2024 AI for Energy report prepared pursuant to President
Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, issued October 30, 2023.
ConnectWerx as the Intermediary will manage the technical assistance partnerships under the AI4IX program through an innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) set up by the DOE's Office of Technology Transitions (OTT). The agreement will not only help ConnectWerx expand DOE’s engagement with organizations and non-traditional partners but also facilitate the development, scaling, and deployment of clean energy solutions.
