Energy Dept.'s Evolving Outlook for US Power Sector
Looking Back on Accuracy of Past Forecasts
Coal share with the Clean Power Plan could drop to below 20 percent.
Strategy & Planning
Need for New Regulatory/Business Models
How to Help Them Understand the New Competitive Marketplace
Understand the mindset of legislators and regulators: constituent satisfaction is key for both. State legislators are the folks who can change the regulatory model.
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Rate of Return for Fun and Profit
If you want actionable intelligence up front, here it is: invest in regulated utilities. There is mounting evidence that investment in utility stocks has outperformed the broader market in the past, and will continue to do so.
The Mobiles are FAST
Including mobile substations in Strategic Transformer Reserve Program
Both spare large power transformers, and emergency mobile substations, have critical roles in the U.S. Department of Energy's Strategic Transformer Reserve Program, STRP. An emergency mobile substation can literally roll onto the site on the bed of a truck, run connecting wires to the power lines, and bypass all of the damaged substation equipment, allowing electricity to flow again within hours.
The Middle Way
A Narrative Addressing the Greatest Challenge of Our Time
The electricity sector is currently stuck in a false zero sum mentality between providers, technology companies, and policymakers. In this first article of a series, we explore an alternative narrative based on three core operating principles.
Preparing for the Inevitable
New Approach to Recovery from Catastrophic Losses of Grid Facilities
How to adequately prepare for recovery from catastrophic losses: Doing nothing may minimize cost in the short run, but it leaves electricity customers exposed to the risk of extended outages. At the other extreme, having each utility purchase its own dedicated inventory of critical equipment would be duplicative and prohibitively expensive for utility customers. A shared inventory model offers a sensible middle-ground approach.
No-Regrets Approach to Enhancing Grid Resiliency
Grid Assurance, innovative industry-driven response
Subscribers can reduce their costs by 30 to 70 percent compared with maintaining their own stockpile.
Unsung Role of Fossil Fuels in the Miracle of U.S. Growth
Past, Present, and Future, Part I
Robert Gordon’s seminal book, The Rise and Fall of American Growth, has a pessimistic message with profound economic, social, and political implications. But nowhere in Gordon’s 762-page book does he give credit to fossil fuels for the economic miracle of the past two centuries. In this article, I focus on the critical historical role that fossil fuels played in creating the technological and economic miracles that Gordon articulates so well.
Energy People: John Hargrove
We talked with John Hargrove, CEO of the Association of Energy Services Professionals.
John Hargrove has led the Association of Energy Professionals since March 2015. Previously, Hargrove was director of renewable programs at NV Energy in Nevada for 11 years.
POPS Is Here to Stay
Reports of Plain Old Power Service’s death greatly exaggerated
The vast majority of electric consumers want reliable, clean, reasonably priced electricity, and little else.