Interconnection may not be the flashiest corner of the clean energy transition, but it is one of the most important. And thanks to a new collaboration between EquinoxDG and HeatSpring, it’s about to become more engaging, accessible, and actionable than ever.
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of a new training series designed to give solar professionals, regulators, utility personnel, policymakers, and clean energy advocates the historical context, tools, and confidence they need to navigate the rapidly (and sometimes not so rapidly) evolving world of distributed energy resource (DER) interconnection.
The first course in the series, How We Got Here: A (Riveting!) History of DER Interconnection in the U.S., is now available for free pre‑order.
👉 Reserve your spot: https://www.heatspring.com/courses/how-we-got-here-a-riveting-history-of-der-interconnection-in-the-u-s
Why This Partnership Matters
Interconnection policy is the invisible architecture behind solar and storage deployment. As customers seek to add more clean energy to a grid with finite hosting capacity, understanding interconnection is no longer optional; it’s essential. Yet for many professionals, the topic feels dry, technical, and inaccessible.
The collaboration between EquinoxDG and HeatSpring aims to change that.
Together, we’re building a training pathway that brings clarity, structure, and storytelling to a subject that historically has been presented as dense and esoteric. The courses blend deep technical insight with real-world examples, regulatory context, and the lived experience of professionals who have been in the trenches of interconnection and regulatory reform.
First of Its Kind
Let’s be honest: the title—A (Riveting!) History of DER Interconnection—sounds like the kind of niche reference book someone might display on a shelf in the background of a video recorded from the corner of a rural Maine garage. (If you know, you know.)
But the course itself? It’s something entirely different.
This first training being launched through this collaboration is the only publicly accessible collection of more than 20 years of interconnection resources, offering:
- A comprehensive look at the evolution of model DER interconnection procedures across the U.S.
- A state-by-state historical assessment showing where policies have progressed—and where they haven’t.
- Access to a tool that compiles current interconnection procedures (or lack thereof) for all 50 states.
Whether you’re designing systems, reviewing applications, shaping policy, or working to expand renewable energy adoption, the course equips you with the foundational knowledge needed to navigate today’s patchwork regulatory landscape and prepare for what’s coming next.
Why Now?
DER adoption is accelerating faster than the regulatory structures governing grid access.
Utility approval processes, technical screens, jurisdictional differences, and capacity limitations all shape the real-world experience of deploying solar and storage. Without a grounded understanding of how interconnection frameworks developed and why inequities and inefficiencies still exist, it’s impossible to drive meaningful change.
This course gives practitioners the tools and context they need to:
- Understand the origins of current interconnection challenges,
- Identify leverage points for improving regulatory frameworks,
- Engage more effectively with solar and energy storage companies, utilities, and regulators, and
- Influence the future of DER deployment.
About the Instructor
The training is led by Vaughan Woodruff, Principal at EquinoxDG, whose career spans into the dark corners of the interconnection ecosystem.
Vaughan has:
- Founded a Best for the World solar company,
- Represented Maine’s solar industry at the state legislature and public utilities commission,
- Led interconnection strategy for a multi-state clean energy developer,
- Directed the nation’s leading interconnection reform team, and
- Spent decades untangling the complexities of technical reviews, utility processes, and state regulatory reform.
He brings those experiences, and the stories that come with them, directly into the course, transforming interconnection from a technical checkbox into (hopefully!) an engaging narrative about policy evolution, clean energy growth, and the future of the U.S. grid.
A New Path for Interconnection Training
To date, opportunities to learn about DER interconnection have typically come from reviewing technical documents, having the good fortune to have a relationship with one of the few professionals in the country to have a comprehensive understanding of the topic, or trial by fire.
The partnership between EquinoxDG and HeatSpring is committed to building accessible training resources that strengthen and grow DER interconnection expertise nationwide. Additional courses are being developed for business decision makers who are looking to build or refine their business practices to reduce their interconnection risk and for solar professionals who are front-facing with customers and utility staff. These courses are slated for release in 2026.
The free introductory course lays the foundation for the training series, which will dive deep into the nuance of interconnection strategy.
🎓 Pre‑order the free course today:
https://www.heatspring.com/courses/how-we-got-here-a-riveting-history-of-der-interconnection-in-the-u-s
