This online forum allows stakeholders to exchange ideas on improving processes for interconnecting clean energy to the electric grid.
Solar Energy Technologies Office
January 16, 2025
minute read time
i2X Connect platform homepage.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) program announced the launch of i2X Connect, an online forum designed for stakeholders to exchange ideas on improving processes for interconnecting clean energy to the electric grid. Utilities, grid operators, state and local governments, clean energy industry, energy justice groups, non-profits, and other stakeholders can join the collaboration platform.
Current interconnection procedures are not designed to accommodate the deployment of the hundreds of gigawatts of clean energy resources like solar energy, wind energy, and energy storage needed to meet climate goals. This can lead to higher costs and delays—sometimes for years—before new clean energy projects can provide electricity. Solving these delays and streamlining processes requires an open, inclusive, and collaborative approach with the stakeholder community. i2X stakeholders have repeatedly expressed the need for an online community centered on interconnection-related issues and facilitated by an objective, neutral, and trusted organization such as DOE.
i2X Connect allows professionals representing their organizations to engage each other on key interconnection topics, including data transparency, grid engineering practices and standards, vehicle grid integration, equity and energy justice, and interconnection workforce and training. Creating more efficient, transparent, and equitable interconnection processes is critical to deploying enough clean energy to achieve climate goals.
This DOE-moderated platform is part of the i2X initiative, a multi-year, multi-office program with the mission to enable simpler, faster, and fairer clean energy interconnection processes and tackle complex, multidisciplinary topics at the state, regional, and national level.
Interested interconnection stakeholders can sign up for an i2X Connect account with their company or organization email address. Once signed up, users can join topic specific groups, share resources and articles, post questions or ideas, and interact with posted content.
Learn more about the i2X program and upcoming i2X events.