The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the Innovation Interconnection e-Xchange (i2X) Solar and Wind Transmission for Future Transmission (SWIFTR) funding opportunity, which will provide up to $10 million to develop new analytical tools and approaches to accelerate the reliable interconnection of solar, wind, and battery energy storage systems into the electric grid.
This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) seeks applications to address the challenges in the transmission system interconnection processes by creating software tools that can simulate the effect of new clean energy plants on existing grid infrastructure, and by providing data to project developers. Those interested must apply by April 17, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. ET.
The SWIFTR FOA is part of DOE’s Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) program. In 2023, i2X released a draft roadmap that outlines goals, solutions, and metrics for the transmission system interconnection process. This FOA aims to address two goals in the draft roadmap — maintaining a reliable and resilient grid and increasing interconnection data access and transparency.
Did you know the Department of Energy’s i2X team is partnering with the interconnection event GridTECH Connect Forum? Register now and participate in DOE’s interconnection boot camp and town hall June 24-26 in Newport Beach, CA.
Topic area 1: Improved Efficiency of Electromagnetic Transient (EMT) Simulations for Interconnection Studies of Inverter-based Resources (IBR) – 1-5 projects, $1-2 million each
Projects in this topic area are intended to create or improve software tools for EMT simulations, which produce predictions of how new IBRs, such as solar, wind, and energy storage systems, will affect the operation and reliability of the existing grid. Projects will aim to determine when detailed EMT studies are needed and make these studies faster and more reliable to speed approval of interconnection requests.
Topic Area 2: Dynamic Stability-Enhanced Network Assessment Tools – 1-5 projects, $1-2.5 million each
Projects in this topic area will fund grid operators with the intention develop tools to provide interconnection stakeholders with data on transmission system characteristics such as stability, voltage, and grid strength while securing sensitive energy infrastructure information. Projects will establish the type of information required by stakeholders to effectively operate grids with large amounts of renewable energy, and test and evaluate those tools on a real transmission system
