The Building a Better Grid initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is intended to speed the modernization of the national energy transmission infrastructure. The venture will support the upgrading of existing and development of new long-distance and high voltage transmission lines that are critical to reaching President Biden’s goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035 and a zero emissions economy by 2050.

Estimates indicate a need to expand electricity transmission systems by 60% by 2030, and upgrades areSource: DOE essential as more than 70% of the nation’s grid transmission lines and power transformers are over 25 years old, creating vulnerability. The interconnection queue waiting times for the number of clean energy generation and storage projects slated to be added on to the grid is growing, as use of renewable electricity accelerates faster than ever. With the clean energy investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, even more clean energy sources will join the queue for grid integration.

The initiative will enable more than $20 billion in federal funding to be directed to the modernization of the network, with up to $2.5 billion sourced from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, $3 billion allocated for expansion of the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program and more than $10 billion in grants issued to states, utilities and tribes for grid resilience initiatives.