1 FREE NABCEP CEU – How We Got Here: A (Riveting!) History of DER Interconnection in the U.S.

If you’ve ever hit a wall on a solar or storage project because of interconnection delays, confusing utility procedures, or regulations that seem to make no sense – this new course is for you.

HeatSpring just launched a new, free course taught by Vaughan Woodruff, “How We Got Here: A (Riveting!) History of DER Interconnection in the U.S.” Once you understand how much interconnection policy shapes your work, the history is impossible to ignore.

Why Learn the History of Interconnection?

Interconnection policy is one of the most consequential – and most misunderstood – forces shaping the clean energy transition. As more customers look to add solar and energy storage to a grid with finite hosting capacity, the patchwork of state and utility interconnection regulations has become increasingly difficult to navigate. The professionals who understand how that patchwork came to be will be the ones best positioned to work through it, challenge it, and change it.

This course is Vaughan’s answer to that gap. It’s the only publicly accessible collection of over two decades of interconnection resources. It was built for solar professionals, utility regulators, policymakers, public interest organizations, and utility staff alike.

What You’ll Learn

The course walks through the full arc of DER interconnection regulation in the U.S. – from its origins through today’s state-by-state landscape. You’ll explore how model interconnection procedures have evolved, compare current state practices across all 50 states, and dig into the regulatory and legislative tools that have been used to advance reform. The course also looks forward, connecting historical lessons to emerging priorities outlined in the i2X Distributed Energy Resource Interconnection Roadmap.

By the end, you’ll be able to explain the regulatory, technical, and market forces that shaped today’s interconnection framework, identify what’s working and what isn’t in your state, and understand where national leaders see the most urgent need for change.

About Your Instructor

Few people have touched interconnection policy from as many angles as Vaughan Woodruff. He founded a Best for the World solar company, represented Maine’s solar industry at the state house and public utilities commission, led interconnection strategy for a multi-state clean energy company, and led the nation’s leading interconnection reform team. He now serves as principal of EquinoxDG, a consulting firm specializing in national interconnection strategy. He brings all of those experiences – and the stories that come with them – into this course. His goal is to make a topic that’s often seen as dry and technical feel exactly as consequential as it is.

Course Details

This is a free, self-paced, instructor-led course that takes 2 to 6 hours to complete (depending on your reading pace) and includes over 1 hour of video lectures across 6 modules. Vaughan is active on the discussion board and available to answer your questions throughout. 

This course is approved for 1 NABCEP CEU, so you can earn continuing education credit while building a stronger foundation in one of the most important and underemphasized areas of the clean energy industry.

Want to go deeper?

Vaughan has two more courses launching April 1, 2026.

If you’re an executive, VP, or senior manager at a solar or storage company, DER Interconnection Strategy for Solar and Energy Storage Executives translates the big lessons from interconnection history into real business decisions. Think risk management, workflow design, and how to keep interconnection from quietly undermining your pipeline and your reputation.

If you’re on the frontlines – in sales, project management, or customer success – Guiding the Customer Interconnection Journey is built for you. It walks through the full arc from customer acquisition to permission-to-operate, with a focus on communication, spotting trouble early, and keeping customers confident when the process gets bumpy.

Both courses are $595 (pre-order now and save 10%). If your role touches interconnection from both angles, the Solar & Storage Interconnection Survival Guide bundle packages all three courses together.