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Published April 29, 2026

Ethan Howland Senior Reporter

At 106 GW, gas-fired generation leads PJM’s newly reopened interconnection queue

After being effectively closed since 2022, the PJM Interconnection has launched the first cycle of its revamped interconnection queue process with more than 800 projects totaling 220 GW.

Calpine’s 828-MW York 2 Energy Center, a dual-fuel combined cycle power plant in Delta, Pa. Projects entering the PJM Interconnection’s revamped interconnection study process include 106 GW of gas-fired generation, the grid operator said April 29, 2026. Courtesy of McDermott International

More than 800 generating projects totaling 220 GW have entered the PJM Interconnection’s reformed interconnection process, the grid operator said Wednesday.

Projects entering the interconnection queue include 106 GW of gas-fired generation, 67 GW of storage, 18 GW of nuclear, 15 GW of solar, 9 GW solar-storage hybrid and 5 GW of wind, according to PJM.

Under its new interconnection study process, PJM expects to complete its reviews of the projects in one to two years, depending on the project. PJM will use an AI-enabled tool developed by Google’s Tapestry to help review the applications more quickly and efficiently, the grid operator said.

Increasing grid reliability in the U.S.

PJM effectively closed its interconnection queue in 2022 so it could study backlogged projects. In the meantime, it shifted to a cluster-study process that imposes tougher financial and other standards on applicants in an effort to reduce speculative projects that have little chance of being built.

“PJM’s reopened queue promises to be smaller, stricter, and more actionable — and that is by design,” Maria Scheller, vice president at ICF International, said in a LinkedIn post. “From a system perspective, that may finally allow the interconnection process to do what it was always meant to do — send a credible signal about what can be built, where, and at what cost.”

A clean energy trade group heralded PJM’s announcement.

“Reopening the queue is a welcome sign of progress, and our industry is eager to see whether PJM is able to study and connect new energy projects more quickly going forward,” Jon Gordon, a senior director at Advanced Energy United, said in a press release.

But PJM warned in the same announcement that signing an interconnection agreement doesn’t mean a project will get built.

Since 2020, PJM and project developers have signed interconnection agreements totaling 103 GW, but many of these projects “are either not being built at all or are being slowed by hurdles such as state permitting and supply chain backlogs,” PJM said.

“PJM is working with stakeholders in the public and private sectors to help projects get built once they clear PJM’s process and to manage the reliable integration of data centers while new generation resources are being developed,” the grid operator added.

Smart Energy Initiative of Southeastern Pennsylvania  •  April 2026

Emergent Energy Solutions, LLC  |  West Chester, PA

From Energy Data to Energy Revenue: How a West Chester Company Is Helping Pennsylvania Businesses Monetize Efficiency

Emergent Energy Solutions has been a part of Chester County’s energy community since 2011. What started as a small metering company has grown into a multi-service energy practice—one that helps commercial and industrial facilities across Pennsylvania measure their energy use, reduce waste, and now, earn revenue from the efficiency investments they’ve already made.

The company is a certified Minority Business Enterprise headquartered West Chester, and a member of the Smart Energy Initiative of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Today, EES operates three distinct service lines, each built on the same principle: that good energy data creates real financial value.

What Emergent Energy Does

Emergent Metering, the company’s longest-running division, installs wireless circuit-level energy monitoring systems in commercial and industrial buildings. EES gives facility managers visibility into exactly where electricity, gas and water is being consumed—down to individual circuits, in ten-second intervals—without any interruption to operations. This kind of granularity reveals hidden inefficiencies that utility bills alone can’t show: an aging compressed air system drawing far more power than expected, a cooling loop running during unoccupied hours, or lighting circuits that never fully power down. Clients have included Wawa, Walmart, Kraft Heinz, and Constellation Brands.

PA S-RECs, the company’s energy credit division, aggregates and monetizes Pennsylvania Tier II Alternative Energy Credits on behalf of building owners. Under the state’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards, electricity suppliers are required to purchase credits from qualifying energy sources—and energy efficiency is one of them. EES helps facility owners register their completed efficiency projects, manage the documentation, and sell the resulting credits into the compliance market through its dedicated platform.

Packgine, the company’s newest division, is an AI-powered compliance platform that helps consumer brands navigate LCA and packaging regulations like Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws in the U.S. and the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Learn more by visiting this blog: https://packgine.ai/blog/packaging-data-chaos-to-confident-epr-decisions

Why This Matters Now

Electricity costs across Pennsylvania and the broader Mid-Atlantic region have been climbing sharply. Wholesale power prices rose 56 percent in 2025, driven by surging demand from data centers, the retirement of aging power plants, and a regional grid where new supply hasn’t kept pace. Most businesses in the area saw rate increases of 10 to 20 percent, with more expected. For any facility watching its operating budget, energy efficiency has moved from a nice-to-have to a financial imperative.

At the same time, the value of Pennsylvania’s energy efficiency credits has been rising steadily. Credits traded at a weighted average of $26.92 each in the most recent compliance year. The state’s regulators project a supply shortfall by 2028 as older generation sources retire. Yet energy efficiency accounts for less than one percent of the current credit supply—meaning thousands of qualifying projects across the state have never been registered.

PA SRECS: Turning Past Projects into Revenue

Emergent Energy Solutions launched pasrecs.com to make the credit opportunity accessible to any Pennsylvania facility owner with qualifying efficiency work. LED lighting upgrades, HVAC replacements, variable frequency drives, building automation improvements, compressed air upgrades, geothermal systems, and combined heat and power (CHP) installations can all qualify—many for a deemed useful life of up to fifteen years.

The process is designed to be straightforward. A building owner shares project details and any existing utility rebate documentation from PPL, PECO, or FirstEnergy. EES handles everything from there: eligibility review, state registration, credit issuance through the PJM tracking system, and sale to qualified buyers through competitive processes. There are no upfront fees—the company earns a share of the credit revenue it generates on the owner’s behalf.

The company’s metering background gives it a particular advantage here. Years of working with circuit-level energy data means EES can evaluate savings claims with a level of detail that makes verification faster and credit approval more reliable. For clients who also use Emergent Metering’s monitoring systems, the before-and-after energy data is already in hand.

An Invitation to Pennsylvania Businesses

Many building owners assume that if an efficiency project was completed years ago, the window to earn credits has closed. It hasn’t. Emergent’s process can support projects completed within the past ten years—meaning work done as far back as 2016 may still be eligible for meaningful, recurring annual revenue.

Emergent Energy Solutions recently published a detailed guide on this topic: “The 10-Year Lookback: How to Claim PA Tier II RECs on Energy Efficiency Projects You’ve Already Completed”, available at pasrecs.com/blog/10-year-lookback-claim-recs-past-projects.

If your business or facility has invested in energy efficiency in Pennsylvania, there may be credit revenue waiting to be claimed.

Emergentenergy.us | pasrecs.com  |  emergentmetering.com  |  packgine.ai

831 Lincoln Ave, Suite D-10, West Chester, PA 19380

215-645-7141  |  sales@emergentenergy.us

See the energy efficiency projects in the SEI area above that received funding.

Josh Howes, Chief Executive Officer – Walker Blue, LLC

Josh Howes is a Professional Engineer licensed in all 50 states and has been an advocate and leader in all things related to the energy tax code since 2011. He is the CEO of Walker Blue, LLC, a national leader in energy tax incentives and energy engineering, specializing in 179D and 45L tax certifications, ITC, domestic content, and prevailing wage compliance.

Josh was born and raised in Kentucky. After graduating from the University of Kentucky, he and his wife Becky moved back to Louisville, where they raised their five children. They now go by Bibi and Poppy to three wonderful grandchildren. Josh and Becky also own Watch Hill Proper, the largest American Whiskey bar in the world which earned a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2026. In their free time, they enjoy traveling and CrossFit together.

Lisa Shulock, Director of Commercial Programs – Philadelphia Energy Authority

Lisa Shulock is a champion of the Philadelphia region’s local businesses, large and small. As Director of Commercial Programs, Lisa provides the region’s commercial, institutional and industrial building owners with technical and financial guidance on projects that lower their energy costs and transition their facilities to renewable energy. She oversees PEA’s Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing program and Solarize Greater Philadelphia’s non-residential initiatives. Prior to joining PEA, Lisa consulted with the Indigenized Energy Initiative, working with Montana’s Northern Cheyenne Tribe to develop a solar energy program, and she led sustainable energy workforce development initiatives at Penn State University’s Navy Yard campus. Lisa is a recent Green Building United board member and actively involved with GBU and the Clean Energy Co-Op.

In her free time, Lisa enjoys cross-country skiing as well as walks in the Wissahickon Valley Park with her friends and dog.

Steven Mathews, Director of Project Development – E-finity Distributed Generation, LLC

Steven Mathews is the Director of Project Development at E-Finity Distributed Generation, where he leads the strategic planning and execution of distributed energy and microgrid solutions that enhance resilience and sustainability for commercial and industrial clients.

Steven has worked across industries like DataCenters, the Caribbean, Chemical Processing, food and beverage, and even major universities and hospitals. Whether it’s working with developers, contractors, or engineers, his goal is simple: to offer solutions that give their customers the best bang for their buck.

Steven earned his Electrical and Electronics Engineering degree from Penn State (Go Lions!), where he picked up some serious skills in HVAC, energy efficiency, and biofuels. Along the way, Steven also got solid experience in CRM, sales, and business development, which helps him build strong relationships and spot new opportunities. He is passionate about helping customers save money, boost energy efficiency, and increase resiliency—while pushing E-Finity and the distributed energy sector forward.

When he’s not busy with work, Steven focuses on his family and enjoys precious moments with his one-year-old. During his personal time, he stays active by skiing, golfing, and heading to the beach.