The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) and Joint Office of Energy and Transportation announced their intent to fund the Innovative Queue Management Solutions (iQMS) for Clean Energy Interconnection and Energization program. This program will award $6.5 million to distribution utilities to pilot innovative software solutions for managing renewable energy and electric vehicle interconnection and energization queues.

Many distribution utilities lack the tools and internal capabilities to manage large interconnection request queues for non-residential, mid-scale clean energy projects and electric vehicle charging equipment seeking to connect to the grid, leading to delays and high costs. Distribution utilities need to implement tools and procedures to efficiently process these applications to rapidly connect new clean energy projects.

The pilot tests funded through the iQMS program will help utilities and public utility commissions understand the real-world capabilities of new software solutions and speed their adoption to enable rapid deployment of more solar energy, wind energy, energy storage, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and other clean energy assets to the grid.

DOE and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation are seeking feedback on the proposed program structure through a set of market research questions by May 2 at 5 p.m. ET. A request for proposals for the program is expected to open in the coming weeks.

This funding program is managed by ENERGYWERX and made possible through the innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement set up by the DOE Office of Technology Transitions. 

Learn more about the iQMS program, the i2X initiative, and open funding opportunities within DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.