Funding Notice: i2X Innovative Queue Management Solutions (iQMS) for Clean Energy Interconnection and Power Supply

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Offices: Office of Solar Energy Technologies, Office for Wind Energy Technologies, Joint Bureau for Energy and Transport
Financing Amount: $11.2 million
Register for Track 1: Generator interconnection
Register for Track 2: Applications for electric vehicle equipment

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) program and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, through a Partnership Intermediary Agreement with ENERGYWERX, have announced the Innovative Queue Management Solutions (iQMS) for Clean Energy Interconnection and Energization program. This program will award $11.2 million to up to 25 distribution utilities to test innovative solutions for managing renewable energy and electric vehicle (EV) charging interconnection and energization queues.

Many distribution utilities lack the tools and capabilities to manage large interconnection queues for nonresidential, mid-sized clean energy projects (100 kilowatts to 5 megawatts) and EV charging equipment seeking to connect to the grid, leading to delays and high costs. Due to federal tax incentives and state and local decarbonization goals, demand for these types of projects is expected to increase. Distribution utilities must implement tools and procedures to efficiently process these requests to avoid backlogs in the interconnection queue and long delays in connecting new clean energy projects.

The iQMS program will fund pilot projects to demonstrate new interconnection queue management solutions on actual interconnection, service load request, and energization queues. These tests will help utilities and state utility commissions understand the real capabilities of new software and workflow automation solutions and accelerate their adoption to enable rapid deployment of more solar, wind, energy storage, EV charging infrastructure, and other clean energy assets to the grid. Participating utilities will document and share lessons learned and best practices from their pilot projects to help other utilities manage similar interconnection and energization requests.

Applications for track 1 And track 2 are due on October 16, 2024, 3:00 PM ET. For more information, Register for the informative webinar on August 29 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM ET or attend office hours on September 19 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET for more information.

Traces

The iQMS program offers funding in two tracks. Applicants can apply to one or both tracks. Each track will operate in two phases, with the best performing utilities from Phase 1 selected to advance to Phase 2. An accelerated option is available for utilities that meet Phase 1 goals early. Participants will also receive technical assistance.

TRACK 1: GENERATOR INTERCONNECTION

This track will provide $9.2 million to utilities to test distribution-level queue management solutions for interconnecting mid-sized solar, wind, storage, small hydro and other clean energy projects.

• Phase 1 – Preparation (8 months): To 20 utilities will receive everyone $200,000 to determine the feasibility and value proposition of implementing queue management optimization solutions, along with plans to demonstrate these solutions under realistic conditions.
• Phase 2 – Demonstrate (16 months): To 8 utilities From Phase 1 everyone receives $650,000 to finalize their proposed implementation plans and demonstrate how the solutions perform under real-world conditions.

TRACK 2: APPLICATIONS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE AUTHORISATION EQUIPMENT

This track will provide $2 million to utilities to test distribution-level queue management solutions for electric vehicle charging requests and power line queuing.

• Phase 1 — Preparation (8 months): To 10 utilities will receive everyone $100,000 to test and validate the value propositions of at least one new queue management optimization solution, coupled with plans to demonstrate such solutions under real-world conditions.
• Stage 2 — Demonstrate (16 months): To 4 utilities From Phase 1 everyone receives $250,000 to complete the proposed implementation plans and demonstrate how the new solutions deliver the expected results under realistic conditions.

This program is managed by ENERGYWERX in partnership with the DOE Office of Solar Energy Technologies (SETO) and Office Wind Energy Technologies (WETO) in the Office for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), and the Joint Bureau for Energy and Transport (JOET). This collaboration is made possible by the innovative Partnership Mediation Agreementset up by DOE's Office for Technological TransitionsThis agreement enables ENERGYWERX to expand DOE's engagement with innovative organizations and nontraditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scale-up and deployment of clean energy solutions.

Important dates

Date of issue:	August 14, 2024
Informative webinar:	August 29, 2024, 3:00-4:00 PM ET
Office hours:	September 19, 2024, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET
Deadline for submission:	October 16, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET
Expected date for selection notifications:	January 2025
Expected timeline for project negotiations:	January – May 2025

Additional information

Thanks toOffice of Solar Energy Technologies, Ministry of Energy.