Renewables dominate 95% of US interconnection queues amid backlog increase

17 Apr 2024 CW Team

Utilities and regional grid operators require projects seeking grid connection to undergo a series of assessments before construction begins. These assessments determine if new grid system enhancements are necessary for a project to integrate into the system, estimating and allocating the associated equipment costs. The lists of projects applying for grid connection and undergoing evaluation are referred to as "interconnection queues."

Despite ongoing interest from developers in solar, storage, and wind energy, completion rates for these projects remain low, leading to longer wait times. Only around 19% of projects (equivalent to 14% of total capacity) that requested interconnection between 2000 and 2018 were operational by the end of 2023.

Completion rates are particularly low for solar (14%) and battery (11%) projects. The average time projects spend in the queue before becoming operational has significantly increased. In 2023, an average project took nearly five years from the interconnection request to commercial operations, compared to three years in 2015 and less than two years in 2008.

The proposed capacity is spread across the US, with solar capacity proposed in most regions, totalling over 1 TW in active queues. Additionally, there is over 1 TW of storage capacity in the queues, mainly concentrated in the Western region and California Independent System Operator (CAISO), but also present in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISOM), and Pennsylvania-Jersey-Maryland Interconnection (PJM). Wind capacity accounts for over 360 GW in the queues, with the majority located in the non-ISO West, New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) (offshore), PJM, and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) regions.

Collectively, solar (1,086 GW), storage (1,028 GW), and wind (366 GW) represent 95% of the total active capacity in the queues. Most of the solar and storage capacity is part of hybrid power projects.

There are nearly 12,000 power projects in the US seeking grid connection, with an overwhelming majority of them based on renewable sources. The combined capacity of these projects is 1,570 GW, with an additional 1,030 GW for storage. It was reported that renewable sources make up 95% of the total capacity in the active queue, and approximately 94% (about 1,480 GW) of the proposed generation capacity is zero-carbon, as per a recent Berkeley Lab report. Utilities and regional grid operators require projects seeking grid connection to undergo a series of assessments before construction begins. These assessments determine if new grid system enhancements are necessary for a project to integrate into the system, estimating and allocating the associated equipment costs. The lists of projects applying for grid connection and undergoing evaluation are referred to as interconnection queues. Despite ongoing interest from developers in solar, storage, and wind energy, completion rates for these projects remain low, leading to longer wait times. Only around 19% of projects (equivalent to 14% of total capacity) that requested interconnection between 2000 and 2018 were operational by the end of 2023. Completion rates are particularly low for solar (14%) and battery (11%) projects. The average time projects spend in the queue before becoming operational has significantly increased. In 2023, an average project took nearly five years from the interconnection request to commercial operations, compared to three years in 2015 and less than two years in 2008. The proposed capacity is spread across the US, with solar capacity proposed in most regions, totalling over 1 TW in active queues. Additionally, there is over 1 TW of storage capacity in the queues, mainly concentrated in the Western region and California Independent System Operator (CAISO), but also present in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISOM), and Pennsylvania-Jersey-Maryland Interconnection (PJM). Wind capacity accounts for over 360 GW in the queues, with the majority located in the non-ISO West, New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) (offshore), PJM, and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) regions. Collectively, solar (1,086 GW), storage (1,028 GW), and wind (366 GW) represent 95% of the total active capacity in the queues. Most of the solar and storage capacity is part of hybrid power projects.

Infrastructure Urban

05 Nov 2025

TBO Tek Q2 Profit Climbs 12%, Revenue Surges 26% YoY

TBO Tek Limited one of the world’s largest travel distribution platforms, reported a solid performance for Q2 FY26 with a 26 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to Rs 5.68 billion, reflecting broad-based growth and improving profitability.The company recorded a Gross Transaction Value (GTV) of Rs 8,901 crore, up 12 per cent YoY, driven by strong performance across Europe, MEA, and APAC regions. Adjusted EBITDA before acquisition-related costs stood at Rs 1.04 billion, up 16 per cent YoY, translating into an 18.32 per cent margin compared to 16.56 per cent in Q1 FY26. Profit after tax r..

Infrastructure Energy

05 Nov 2025

Northern Graphite, Rain Carbon Secure R&D Grant for Greener Battery Materials

Northern Graphite Corporation and Rain Carbon Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc, have jointly received up to C$860,000 (€530,000) in funding under the Canada–Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Programme to develop sustainable battery anode materials.The two-year, C$2.2 million project aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode material (BAM). Supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programme (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs a..

Infrastructure Urban

05 Nov 2025

Antony Waste Q2 Revenue Jumps 16%; Subsidiary Wins Rs 3,200 Cr WtE Projects

Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited (AWHCL), a leading player in India’s municipal solid waste management sector, announced a 16 per cent year-on-year increase in total operating revenue to Rs 2.33 billion for Q2 FY26. The growth was driven by higher waste volumes, escalated contracts, and strong operational execution.EBITDA rose 18 per cent to Rs 570 million, with margins steady at 21.6 per cent, while profit after tax stood at Rs 173 million, up 13 per cent YoY. Revenue from Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Transportation (MSW C&T) reached Rs 1.605 billion, and MSW Processing re..