GridUnity's DIGITAL Project Awarded $49.5 Million in Federal Funding to Accelerate Grid Interconnection

U.S. Department of Energy's Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program Supports GridUnity's Efforts to Modernize the U.S. Transmission System

BOSTON, Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GridUnity, a leader in grid modernization solutions, is proud to announce that its Digital Integration for Grid Interconnection Tools, Analysis, and Logic (DIGITAL) project has been selected for the second round of funding through the U.S. Department of Energy's Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program. This $10.5 billion federal initiative, created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to strengthen the nation's power grid and improve resilience to extreme weather events. The DIGITAL project has been awarded $49.5 million in federal funding, with an equal recipient cost share commitment, for a total project investment of $99 million.

The DIGITAL project will modernize and streamline the grid interconnection process, significantly accelerating the approval and commissioning of new generation projects. By leveraging cloud-based technologies and innovative communication and process improvements, GridUnity's solution will reduce the time that renewable energy projects spend in interconnection queues by more than a year, unlocking faster access to clean energy across the United States.

"As extreme weather events continue to stress electric systems across the country, the Biden-Harris Administration is using every tool in the toolbox to make sure America's power grid can provide reliable, affordable power," said Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of Energy. "GridUnity's project will notably accelerate the interconnection process, while also lowering costs and increasing energy reliability for customers."  

"Congratulations to GridUnity on this award," said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, "In the face of recent hurricanes and other disasters made worse by our changing climate, Massachusetts' thriving climatetech business sector is crucial for not only delivering jobs and economic benefits but also helping to accelerate our transition to a future clean power grid. GridUnity's DIGITAL innovative project promises to speed up the integration of new wind, solar, and battery resources from California to Massachusetts, enabling the delivery of reliable, safe, and clean electricity to our communities."

"Interconnection delays are one of the most significant roadblocks to getting more renewable energy resources onto the grid. Projects take, on average, 30 months to make it through the queue right now. We will compress that timeframe to 18 months initially, with the goal of a 12-month process through further efficiencies over time," said GridUnity CEO Brian Fitzsimons. "Getting renewable resources onto the grid more quickly will vastly improve our ability to provide clean, reliable power to all Americans."

 **Key Features of the DIGITAL Project:**

• **Cloud-Based Centralized Software**: DIGITAL will replace fragmented communication and outdated technologies used by regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and transmission owners with a centralized platform, improving communication, collaboration, and adaptability.
• **DIGITAL Grid Analytics Learning Engine (GALE)**: The project introduces GALE, an AI-powered tool that enhances cost estimation accuracy, providing transparent and timely analyses to support faster project approvals.
• **Nationwide Impact**: By the fifth year, DIGITAL is expected to directly affect 70% of the U.S. population—around 210 million people—by optimizing transmission grid efficiency, enhancing energy reliability, and reducing consumer energy costs.
• **Job Creation**: Over the five-year term, DIGITAL will create 62 high-tech jobs and 6-8 community engagement roles, while expediting the creation of over 51,000 skilled worker positions in the clean energy sector.
• **Inclusive Development**: The project emphasizes community engagement, ensuring that the benefits of clean energy are accessible and equitable for all. Feedback from local communities will be integrated into infrastructure development to support a transparent and inclusive process.

**A Collaborative Effort**

The DIGITAL project will be executed in collaboration with multiple stakeholders and the software platform's data will help inform the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) in their efforts to develop and upgrade our transmission and distribution grids across North America.

As part of the GRIP Program's Smart Grid Grants, this initiative will help modernize the transmission grid, improve resilience against climate threats, and ensure affordable and reliable electricity is available for American communities when and where they need it.

The mission of the Grid Deployment Office (GDO) is to catalyze the development of new and upgraded electric infrastructure across the country by maintaining and investing in critical generation facilities; developing and upgrading high-capacity electric transmission lines nationwide; and deploying transmission and distribution technologies. Learn more at energy.gov/gdo.

About GridUnity
GridUnity® is a pioneer in interconnection life cycle management and advanced energy analytics solutions for transmission and distribution. The company is leading the global shift toward highly reliable and responsive renewable and distributed energy resources. GridUnity is the only solution that fulfills FERC Order 2023 with a complete end-to-end digital interconnection process enabling Independent system operators, transmission providers, transmission owners and generation developers to collaborate in real-time throughout the projects' application review, study and construction processes which fundamentally changes how the parties can address the country's energy growth needs. Clients include North American investor-owned utilities and independent system operators serving 37 U.S. states and 50% of the U.S. population. For more information, please visit gridunity.com and for the latest news, follow GridUnity on LinkedIn.

**Press Contact:**
Helen Fairman
VP of Marketing, GridUnity
Phone: 617-910-6585
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE GridUnity