According to a new study released on February 24, 2021 by the Working for Advanced Transmission Technologies (WATT) Coalition, a group of six transmission technology providers, moderate investments in technologies that boost power grid efficiency could be key to solving electric grid congestion.[1] The study, titled “Unlocking the Queue,” was done by the Brattle Group at the request of the WATT Coalition and funded by GridLab, EDF Renewables North America, NextEra Energy Resources, and Duke Energy Renewables. The study quantified the benefits of three grid-enhancing technologies (GETs): dynamic line ratings, advanced power flow control, and topology optimization. These technologies could enable Kansas and Oklahoma to integrate 5,200 MW of renewables currently in interconnection queues by 2025, which is more than double what is possible without those technologies.

At a national scale, the WATT Coalition argues that GETs would have benefits such as reduce carbon emissions by 90 million tons per year, provide $5 billion in yearly energy cost savings, create 350,000 total jobs, and double the amount of renewable energy that can integrated. To unlock the benefits the study found, the Watt Coalition recommends four legislative and regulatory actions: 1) federal infrastructure stimulus should invest in deployment of GETs, 2) the federal regulators should require GETs be considered in transmission planning, 3) federal regulators should establish incentives for GETs deployment, and 4) GETs should be offered to renewable developers as a least-cost solution to connect to the grid.

[1] https://watt-transmission.org/2021/02/22/unlocking-the-queue/