A recent report from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) has confirmed that interconnection queues continue to be long – and those delays are significantly hampering completion rates for renewable energy infrastructure projects across the country.

Regional grid operators and utilities require grid-connected energy projects to undergo a series of impact studies prior to the start of construction to determine what, if any, transmission equipment or equipment upgrades are required. The evaluation process, which also determines the cost of the equipment, can take a year or more.

Everything from a solar carport to large-scale solar and wind farms must submit designs for evaluation if the project is to be connected to the grid.

The problem is that the interconnection queues are like the lines for the hottest ride at Disney World or Universal Studios – long and slow moving. The difference is that these lines, unlike those in amusement parks, take months or years to navigate, not minutes or hours.