Description of venture idea
Like credit card pre-approval for distribution interconnection: software that can quickly ballpark the network upgrades required for a proposed new distribution-level project (e.g. a new EV fast charger). Incorporates granular data on the current distribution grid, the current state of the distribution interconnection queue, and ongoing plans from the network planning group. Provides potential applicants with a fast quick & dirty estimates of the likelihood of getting an affordable and quick interconnection for a given tentative project (before submitting a full application).
Market needs this venture would address
- For distribution utilities: helps them move faster through the interconnection queue by quickly rejecting the least promising applications (or dissuading them from applying), flagging projects that will likely require a transmission-level study
- For project applicants: helps them decide whether to invest resources in a potential project that will require interconnection (e.g. a bidirectional EV charger, a distribution-level solar project, an EV fleet charging station).
Differentiation
- To conduct a rapid ‘informational’ interconnection study, the Reference Network Model from IIT Comillas (combined with distribution-level network data provided by utilities) would let us rapidly generate the network upgrades required for the proposed project.
- An ML model then estimates the cost of those upgrades and the estimated time required.
- The software could generate conditions such as: “This project would cost 1M.”
Business model
TBD. Maybe the utility deploys & runs the software, but they charge prospective applicants for each informational study (and pass on the revenue to the software vendor).
Team
TBD
Outstanding risks & critical hypotheses
- Distribution utilities have the up-to-date network data required for this kind of study
- Utilities would be willing to share their network data with us so we can power these informational studies
- There is a desire among utilities for this kind of informational study