Flexible Interconnection: DERMS Solutions for IOUs and Enterprise Utilities
Solve capacity constraints, and maximize value with MEPPI's industry leading use case
As utilities are challenged to meet new clean energy goals, grid reinforcement becomes crucial to maintain safe limits.
Static Interconnection (Fixed Hosting Capacity) vs. Flexible Interconnection (Flexible Hosting Capacity) in generated power output. Source: Avangrid
The rapid growth of distributed energy resources (DERs)—including solar, wind, energy storage, and large new loads—is placing unprecedented pressure on distribution networks. These trends are straining grid capacity, often resulting in excessive curtailment and delays in project deployment.
Traditionally, utilities have relied on costly infrastructure upgrades to address these limitations, but such upgrades can take months or even years to complete and often require millions of dollars in investment. This creates long interconnection queues for developers and extended timelines for large load customers, leading to project delays, cancellations, and missed revenue opportunities for both utilities and DER owners.
With equipment lead times stretching into the next year and interconnection bottlenecks growing, utilities need smarter, faster solutions. This is where our Strata Grid DERMS (Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems) software can provide critical relief.
Download Whitepaper "Flexible Interconnections: A tool to reduce grid connection timelines and increase renewable penetration"
Our Flexible Interconnection Solutions Are Proven.
Our industry-leading Flexible Interconnection solution, powered by Strata Grid, offers a transformative approach to grid modernization and DER integration. Strata Grid provides a comprehensive, scalable solution that unlocks hosting capacity, reduces curtailment, and accelerates clean energy deployment, all without waiting for conventional grid reinforcements. By leveraging robust, fast-acting, and autonomous control techniques, Strata Grid continuously monitors both the distribution network and DER states in real time. It applies threshold-based corrective control to dynamically adjust DER export or import set-points, ensuring local grid assets operate safely within their limits.
Unlike other operational technology (OT) solutions, Strata Grid does not rely on a network model, significantly reducing deployment time and cost while enabling faster value realization for utilities and their customers. This model-free architecture also supports targeted deployments, allowing utilities to address specific network constraints and scale the solution as their needs evolve.
The impact is measurable and substantial. Utilities using our Flexible Interconnection solution have seen hosting capacity and grid access increase by 50–100%, while operational curtailment is minimized. Strata Grid has helped distribution utilities defer over $300 million in grid upgrade investments, enabling more renewable DERs to come online faster, more affordably, and with greater reliability.
Increases hosting capacity 50-100%
Saves $millions in upgrades
Reduces Interconnections timelines by months/years
Case Study: Avangrid (FICS)
Problem
Avangrid was receiving customer feedback related to the high cost and timescale of DER interconnection being driven by the need for grid upgrades.
Solution
Using Strata Grid, Avangrid introduced flexible interconnection methods. Customer interconnection agreements were amended to incorporate the fast-acting, autonomous control methods used by Strata Grid to minimize curtailment actions.
Result
The project demonstrated the capability of Strata Grid to double grid hosting capacity and reduce customer need for capital expenditure.
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