Renewable Energy Zones: Delivering Clean Power to Meet Demand

The Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) is a concept that has emerged as a transmission planning tool to help scale up the penetration of solar, wind, and other resources on the power system. This document gives an overview to the critical steps necessary to implement a REZ process. These steps include: reviewing the regulatory environment on transmission planning; performing a resource assessment; screening the resources for potential for development; formalizing an input process for developers; performing an economic analysis for potential REZ areas; designating the REZs; and finally planning and commissioning transmission to the REZs.