GridUnity, a leader in grid modernization solutions, has officially confirmed that its Digital Integration for Grid Interconnection Tools, Analysis, and Logic (DIGITAL) project was selected for the second round of funding through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program.
In case you weren’t aware, the stated $10.5 billion federal initiative, created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, basically aims to strengthen the nation’s power grid and improve resilience to extreme weather events.
As for the grant in question, the DIGITAL project is set to receive $49.5 million in federal funding, with an equal recipient cost share commitment, for a total project investment of $99 million.
More on the DIGITAL project would reveal how it is well-equipped to modernize and streamline the grid interconnection process, thus significantly accelerating the approval and commissioning of new generation projects. You see, through cloud-based technologies and innovative communication and process improvements, GridUnity’s solution will reduce the time that renewable energy projects spend in interconnection queues by more than a year so to unlock faster access of clean energy across the United States.
Taking a more feature-specific view of the same, we begin from the project’s Cloud-Based Centralized Software. This touches upon DIGITAL’s bid to replace fragmented communication and outdated technologies, used by regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and transmission owners, with a centralized platform for improving communication, collaboration, and adaptability.
Next up, we must dig into the presence of DIGITAL Grid Analytics Learning Engine (GALE), which is an AI-powered tool that enhances cost estimation accuracy, providing transparent and timely analyses to support faster project approvals.
“Congratulations to GridUnity on this award,” said Maura Healey, Governor of Massachusetts. “In the face of recent hurricanes and other disasters made worse by our changing climate, Massachusetts’ thriving climatetech business sector is crucial for not only delivering jobs and economic benefits but also helping to accelerate our transition to a future clean power grid. GridUnity’s DIGITAL innovative project promises to speed up the integration of new wind, solar, and battery resources from California to Massachusetts, enabling the delivery of reliable, safe, and clean electricity to our communities.”
Another detail worth a mention is rooted in the project’s expected nationwide impact. You see, by the fifth year, DIGITAL is expected to directly affect 70% of the U.S. population i.e. around 210 million people, and it will do so by optimizing transmission grid efficiency, enhancing energy reliability, and reducing consumer energy costs.
Then, there are project’s job creation prospects. Going by the available details, over the five-year term, DIGITAL will create 62 high-tech jobs and 6-8 community engagement roles, while simultaneously expediting the creation of over 51,000 skilled worker positions in the clean energy sector.
Rounding up highlights would be its pursuit of inclusive development. To put it simply, the project in question focuses on community engagement, ensuring that the benefits of clean energy are accessible and equitable for all. Furthermore, feedback from local communities will be integrated into infrastructure development to support a transparent and inclusive process.
Among other things, we ought to mention how DIGITAL project will be executed in collaboration with multiple stakeholders. The software platform’s data will also inform the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) in their efforts to develop and upgrade transmission and distribution grids across North America.
“Interconnection delays are one of the most significant roadblocks to getting more renewable energy resources onto the grid. Projects take, on average, 30 months to make it through the queue right now. We will compress that timeframe to 18 months initially, with the goal of a 12-month process through further efficiencies over time,” said Brian Fitzsimons, CEO of GridUnity. “Getting renewable resources onto the grid more quickly will vastly improve our ability to provide clean, reliable power to all Americans.”
