72 GW Of New Energy Queued In Midwest

From Minnesota to Louisiana, Renewables are Poised for Dramatic Growth, but…

Sam Gomberg, February 27, 2019 (Union of Concerned Scientists)

“…[The January 31 interconnection queue summary of the Mid-Continent Independent System Operator (MISO)] shows how wind and solar resources are dominating interconnection applications and foreshadowing a historic transition to clean energy resources…[T]here is 72,000 megawatts MW of new wind and solar resources in MISO’s interconnection queue, including more than 64,000 MW of new wind and solar projects…[That is essentially half of MISO’s summer peak of] about 130,000 MW…[from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico and from Indiana and western Mississippi to] the Dakotas…

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There’s now almost 500 MW of battery storage projects in MISO’s interconnection queue – nearly all of it applying for interconnection in the past year…Even under ideal circumstances, some of this renewable energy wouldn’t ultimately make it onto the grid as projects withdraw for a variety of financial or technical reasons…[But MISO’s current processes for approving interconnection and allocating costs for new transmission aren’t helping…[If we don’t fix these problems,] it will severely constrain the ability for cost-effective renewable energy to come online. This will ultimately leave consumer benefits on the table – forcing them to pay more for a dirtier, less reliable electricity supply.” click here for more

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