Artificial intelligence could speed interconnection, says Amazon executive

Artificial intelligence, or machine learning, can increase the speed and accuracy of modeling for interconnection studies for large-scale renewables projects, said Xing Wang, global leader for grid modernization for Amazon Web Services (AWS) Energy and Utilities, in a panel discussion convened by the trade group ACORE. One type of interconnection study uses a model to evaluate how a new solar generating system will affect power flow on the grid. The model predicts power flow "but it doesn't solve," Wang said, meaning it doesn't provide a solution. "You need to find out where the issues are, and that requires years of engineering experience. We have a limited number of people who know how to do that."