The clean energy transition is at an inflection point, and Midwestern states are leading the way to a clean energy future. Renewable energy sources are cheaper from burning fossil fuels, and federal support under President Biden's Clean Power Act is driving more investment in wind and solar resources than ever before. Minnesota and Illinois recently enacted legislation shifting their energy sectors to 100% carbon-free electricity over the coming decades. Michigan Governor Whitmer issued an executive order to make the state carbon neutral by 2050, and the state legislature is considering increasing the renewable portfolio template. But our grid is years behind the curve, threatening to stall the clean energy transition and limit the benefits — cleaner air to breathe, new jobs and cheaper energy — that Midwesterners rely on.
Midwest grid operators have a long to-do list to align the grid with a clean energy future, and we can't afford to continue at a snail's pace. Delays in transmission planning and interconnection prevent the integration of renewables that could help customers save money and keep the grid reliable.
Grid deficiencies are holding back clean energy progress in the Midwest
The outdated grid is no match for the rapid acceleration of wind, solar and battery storage. This misalignment is a dangerous dam to ensure Midwest states can provide more clean energy and improve air quality, create a safer climate and help keep the lights on in extreme weather.
Us transmission system it desperately needs upgrades and expansion to connect new renewables where electricity is needed. We need a larger grid with higher capacity transmission lines to incorporate all the clean energy coming our way. And our aging, creaking grid infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to severe storms or extreme temperatures when electricity demand is often at its peak. A stronger transmission will also bring reliability benefits reducing the risk of power outages.
For much of the Midwest, clean energy progress depends on the Mid-Continent Independent System Operator (MISO), which manages the electric grid for 45 million people in 15 US states, from Louisiana to Minnesota. Despite utilities and Midwest states is making big strides in renewable energythe MISO region is still over 70 percent fossil fuel production—because the grid is anachronistic.
MISO is making strides — but the strides must come faster
To understand the urgent need to upgrade and expand the grid, look no further than pending connection to bring new power to the internet. In 2022, 956 projects representing 171 GW of generation — a record number more than double the 2021 volume — submitted interconnection requests in the MISO region. More than 96% of these projects are renewable or storage—enough to power over 114 million homes. MISO introduced a faster process to move projects to the queue, but that's not enough. Most of the interconnection delays in MISO are due to insufficient network capacity. In other words, clean energy projects need more transmission lines to connect.
MISO has been recognized for planning future scenarios with renewables as the dominant energy source. Last July, the network administrator approved a historic investment in transportation known as Tranche 1 that will deliver more than $37 billion in benefits across the Midwest in the first part of a four-part investment. But those grid fixes were long overdue and faced longstanding reliability concerns — and took 11 years to design and approve.
Midwest clean energy leaders need more action from MISO
Grid operators like MISO must act quickly on major grid upgrades, improvements to grid management systems, and massive transmission deployment — not only to deliver on the promise of clean energy for consumers but also for grid reliability. Midwest states should ensure that MISO does the following to unlock its clean energy goals:
1. Create more transmission in the MISO and between the MISO and its neighbors.
MISOs and MISO states must approve their planned transmission and approve quickly. It is critical that MISO and Midwest states and their utility regulators ensure that the Class 1 lines are built on time by 2030 while ensuring that the remaining three parts move forward quickly. MISO is currently planning the next segment of transmission additions, Class 2. MISO should approve these by mid-2024 as planned and then prioritize expedited approval of Classes 3 and 4. After approval of MISO, these new lines must be approved by the states where they will be built, and then, ultimately, they must be built. MISO and Midwest states must look for ways to accelerate transmission development so that consumers can sooner benefit from the cheap, clean energy resources and improved reliability that a modern grid enables.
MISO must push for timely approval of all four tranches for grid reliability and connecting clean energy projects already waiting in the interconnection queue, and must also have a plan for what comes after Class 4. MISO must continue a regular and robust regional transmission planning process to keep up with the exponential growth of clean energy. In addition to grid upgrades and increased regional transmission, MISO must also prioritize connecting with our neighbors so we can improve our ability to share power across regions, especially during emergency events. necessity.
2. Address the grid threat posed by more extreme weather—and unreliable fossil fuels.
The burning of fossil fuels contributes to the increased frequency of extreme weather conditions. Extreme weather stresses the grid and exposes the myth of fossil fuel reliability.
MISO should prioritize integrating more clean energy into the grid, creating cross-regional transmission between MISO and neighboring grid systems, and allowing new technologies such as energy storage to enhance the grid. It's not business as usual at MISO. And this is certainly not the time to support unreliable fossil fuels.
