An easy-to-use Screening tool to support planning for Solar Energy Distributed Generation

CBI, in collaboration with Black & Veatch and funded by the California Energy Commission (CEC), created a pilot screening tool for solar distributed generation that integrates engineering, cost, and environmental information for planning & decision making.

Environmental information is often not widely available, including for the solar distributed generation energy sector. Additionally, environmental, engineering, cost, and electrical distribution grid data are typically disparate. This easy-to-use pilot screening tool developed in collaboration with Black & Veatch and funded by the California Energy Commission (CEC) integrates engineering, cost, and environmental information for planning and decision making specifically in Lancaster, California. The key benefits of such a tool include expedited project planning, reduced permitting and interconnection screening, and clearer stakeholder understanding of developable DG potential. The tool is designed to foster proactive system planning opportunities and an improved sense of regulatory impacts. This pilot screening tool can be viewed here.