GridTECH Connect Forum brings together interconnection experts
At the California ISO, electric system reliability has always been our core mission. But in recent years - with the state at the vanguard of the transition to a carbon-free power grid, climate change effects intensifying, and the massive electricity demand projected in the next few decades - it’s become evident that our organization has to continue to broaden its reach and collaboration to be part of important visionary conversations.
That’s why I’m particularly excited to talk about the ISO’s participation in the upcoming GridTECH Connect Forum. The event, planned for June 24-26 in Newport Beach, CA, brings together a diverse group of energy thought leaders representing utilities, grid operators, policymakers, regulators, and developers.
Hosted in partnership with the US Department of Energy (DOE), the event is meant to drive debates around accelerating and streamlining the build out of transmission, so that new, clean energy resources can be delivered to fill growing consumer demand. I joined the event’s advisory board earlier this year to brainstorm and develop a set of relevant topics, and to elevate critical concepts of interconnection process enhancements being pursued today across the state and nation.
The forum will feature more than 70 speakers in over 20 conference sessions, and draws up to 800 attendees.
With California having set the ambitious goal of incorporating 100-percent clean energy into its electricity grid, the state often finds itself the first to encounter hurdles. The panel discussions will touch on some of the industry’s most cumbersome roadblocks and brightest opportunities: increased electrification of transportation and buildings, energy storage, evolving markets in the West, microgrids, community solar, and interconnection of clean energy projects.
"California is on the front lines of the renewable energy transition, and the rest of the country is looking to the West to learn how to do things the right way, said Paul Gerke, content director of the forum. “GridTECH Connect Forum is uniquely positioned to advance interconnection in the region and arm myriad clean energy stakeholders with the knowledge they need to compete in an ever-shifting marketplace."
The panel discussions will touch on some of the industry’s most cumbersome roadblocks and brightest opportunities: increased electrification of transportation and buildings, energy storage, evolving markets in the West, microgrids, community solar, and interconnection of clean energy projects.
The panels are comprised of people who work on a day-to-day basis with getting energy resources plugged into the system, and have the passion and the expertise to identify pressure points and craft solutions. For instance, Robert Emmert and Jason Foster, from the ISO’s interconnection and queue management teams, will participate in a working session with the DOE on the revisions underway to our interconnection policies.
I will participate in a session on developing and running virtual power plants, and our Vice President of Market Design and Analysis, Anna McKenna, will discuss the evolving collaborative energy market in the West.
Other panels include:
- Navigating the new California ISO interconnection process
- California interconnection 101: What to do when you’re stuck in the queue
- Using battery energy storage to provide transmission benefits
- EV fleet charging: Managing massive load
The ISO staff, management and senior leadership values participation in these types of external conferences and workshops, to share information and have hard conversations.
As California navigates the biggest transformation of its power grid in a century, the ISO is actively engaged in the thoughtful conversation, information exchange and collaboration key to bringing about real change in the way we produce and delivery electricity.
