[PHOENIX, ARIZONA] – Western Resource Advocates (WRA), the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) today praised the Arizona Attorney General’s final approval this week of Arizona’s rule for interconnection of distributed renewable energy and energy generation facilities.

The Arizona Attorney General, in a letter this week to the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), approved the ACC’s adoption of the rule, which will make the interconnection of distributed renewable generation, distributed storage, and combined heat and power generation more streamlined and less costly.

The new rule will speed up interconnection of new, distributed battery storage devices that customers are interested in connecting to the grid. The rule will also assure that these devices will support the safety and reliability of the grid and allow energy to be stored when the sun is shining, for use during evening hours when air conditioning is still needed but the sun is not shining.

“Western Resource Advocates is pleased that the final rule is now in place and available for customers to utilize, making the interconnection of distributed generation and distributed storage more streamlined and less costly,” said Ken Wilson, engineering fellow with Western Resource Advocates.  “The rules should be a model for other states in the Intermountain West, where the abundance of solar energy makes distributed solar generation an important customer choice.”

“The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) applauds Arizona’s adoption of these new statewide standards for interconnection which align with IREC’s objective of simple and fair interconnection for distributed energy resources,” said IREC President and CEO Larry Sherwood. “By streamlining the interconnection of renewable energy and energy storage projects while ensuring reliability and safety, this rule will help advance the growth of clean energy in Arizona.”

“These rules should reduce the cost of distributed energy projects across the state, including for combined heat and power, because project developers will know exactly what requirements and processes to expect,” said Ellen Zuckerman, Arizona representative with the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project. “This rulemaking began more than 15 years ago, and we congratulate the Arizona Corporation Commission and the Arizona Attorney General for getting this across the finish line.”

On November 1, 2019, the ACC approved this interconnection rule that will standardize how distributed generation technologies connect to the grid. Those technologies include solar panels, batteries, and combined heat and power systems. The Attorney General’s letter this week makes the rule final.

WRA and SWEEP appreciate the technical consultation and assistances provided by IREC during the course of the proceeding. IREC is actively working in many states, advocating for progressive interconnection rules.

###

Western Resource Advocates works to protect the West’s land, air, and water so that our communities thrive in balance with nature. WRA’s team of scientists, lawyers, and economists craft and implement innovative solutions to the most complex natural resource challenges in the region. For more information, visit: www.westernresourceadvocates.org  and follow us on Twitter @wradv and #ProtectTheWest.

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) provides independent leadership and trusted clean energy expertise. Working toward a 100% clean energy future that is reliable, resilient, and equitable, IREC’s mission is to build the foundation for rapid adoption of clean energy and energy efficiency to benefit people, the economy, and our planet. For more information, visit  https://irecusa.org/ and follow us on Twitter @IRECUSA.

The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) is a public interest organization advancing more efficient energy use and clean transportation options in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. For more information, visit www.swenergy.org