Yesterday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) unanimously approved a rule that would reduce existing hurdles for small solar generators attempting to connect to the electric grid, an especially helpful move in states in which the solar industry is booming.

Stemming from a petition filed last year by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the new rule allows more solar projects to qualify for an expedited process to connect to the electric grid, thus eliminating for many small solar generators much of what is otherwise a costly and time-consuming process.

The rule resulted in large part from the work of Dan Adamson, now Senior Counsel to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Adamson was thanked by FERC Commissioner Phillip Moeller at the agency’s monthly meeting for bringing attention to the issue while previously serving at SEIA as vice president of regulatory affairs and counsel. Prior to SEIA, Adamson was a partner in Davis Wright Tremaine’s Washington, D.C. office.