OTHER-2024-036-Draft CPIRP letter

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i r Additionally , a more efficient and predictable interconnection process is critical for North Carolina to unlock the potential of renewables and meet decarbonization goals . Currently , the substantial delays in interconnection requests and unpredictable interconnection study processes result in stalled projects and create challenges for local governments to meet our renewable energy and decarbonization goals . We urge Duke to reduce interconnection timelines , accelerate interconnection studies , and improve the transparency of the queue . 5. 4. Value and encourage the development of distributed energy resources (DERs) and build community resilience through the use of DERs. Distributed energy resources ( DERs )—such as on -site solar , battery energy storage , and microgrids—are of significant interest to local governments as methods for supporting energy resilience , improving grid reliability in the face of natural disasters , and reducing probabilities of outages . Microgrids powered by distributed renewables and storage that can island during grid c disruption and provide emergency backup power are critical for local responses to outages , and can replace fossil fuel generators , which have historically been the default solution for backup power . Local governments provide essential services and act as the first responders when climate disasters strike , and increased DER deployment would aid our efforts to bolster local 1 resilience and enable us to respond better during emergency situations . k Although the undersigned local governments commend Duke for its pursuit of customer-sited resources and efforts to create rates that support customer-sited clean resources , the 2024 CPIRP should fully value and capture the benefits of renewables plus storage and microgrids in the plan ' s modeling . Nationwide , utilities are increasingly deploying microgrids to improve community resilience . For F example , Pacific Gas and Electric ( PG & E ) commissioned its first hybrid renewable microgrid to protect high fire-threat areas . 19 Green Mountain Power ( GMP ) plans to create new microgrids and community resilience zones as outlined in its latest Integrated Resource Plan ( IRP ) . 20 t ComEd and the U . S . Department of Energy completed the final tests on ComEd ' s Bronzeville Community Microgrid , a neighborhood -scale microgrid . The undersigned local governments recommend Duke incorporate the resilience and GHG reduction benefits of renewably powered microgrids and other cost-effective DERs into the 4 CPIRP and create energy resiliency programs that help local governments and communities better prepare for unexpected events . One example of such a partnership is the Pepco Resiliency Center in Washington ; D . C . The project deployed community solar paired with storage , microgrid , and generator capabilities , and can provide up to three days of backup power to critical loads . 21 The undersigned local governments would like to support the deployment of renewable energy plus storage , microgrids and other DER projects within our 19 Pacific Gas and Electric Company ( PG &E ) , More Communities Now Eligible to Pursue Microgrids as a Part of PG&E's Efforts to Build a Stronger, More Resilient Electric Grid, November 2021 , available at: https : //www , pge .com/en_US/about-pge/media- newsroom/news-details . page? page ID = bf70f039-7f80-4e31 -957d -03a4d8e 1283c&ts = 1638294656832 , 20 Green Mountain Power (GMP ) , Green Mountain Power (GMP) 2021 Integrated Resource Plan , available at https :flgreenmountainpower. com/wpwcontent/uploads/2021 / 1 2/2021 - lntegrated -Resource -Plan . pdf 21 Matthew Popkin , Madeline Tyson , Introducing Community Solar+: the Next Generation of Community Solar, available at https :/Irmi . org/introducing -community-solar-the-next-generation-of-community-solar/ L 13