Abstract

Suitability Modeling of Energy Zones for the Eastern Interconnection
Track: Renewable Energy
Authors: Andrew Orr, Katherine Rollins

The Eastern Interconnection States' Planning Council is partnering with three U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories to develop a Web-based tool to help define energy zones suitable for clean energy development in the eastern United States. Using suitability modeling, the raster component of the tool uses resource layers and multiple screening layers (environmental, land use, infrastructure, etc.) to arrive at an image showing a suitability gradient. Energy planners using this tool have the flexibility of choosing layers to include in the model and assigning their importance. Considerable effort was put into developing environmental screening layers. Development of composite protected lands, habitat, and imperiled species occurrence layers was guided by a diverse team of subject matter experts from federal and state agencies, environmental non-governmental organizations, and industry. This presentation will provide background about the project, describe the data and modeling process, and present hypothetical results for various clean energy technologies.