What Hawaii Tells Us
Status Quo to Status Whoa
In the event of a catastrophic typhoon, so much of Hawaii's critical infrastructure is situated at sea level. The status quo is therefore risky to stick with.
At NARUC, Tom Edison's Birthday!
Speaking of upcoming conferences, NARUC’s Winter Meeting is right around the corner. Where would you possibly want to be in mid-February instead of Washington, D.C.? Where the conversations about consumers, cost of service, climate change and decarbonization, coal retirements, commissions, interconnections, community solar, capital rates, court reviews, etc. will all be as cool as the D.C. air and the atmosphere at the U.S. Capitol.
Gratis, Gratuit, Free
If you can get there, to Charlotte, by plane, or by car, or by bus, or by boat (which could be a real challenge), then you can get by the gate for zip, zero, zilch. Because if you’re with a state utility commission, state consumer advocate office, state legislature, state governor’s office, state energy office, or a state whatever, the fee to attend Electrification 2020 giga-conference is gratis, gratuit, free.
Nominate Public Power's Leaders!
My absolute favorite part of each year’s National Conference of the American Public Power Association is the general session when they give out the individual and utility excellence awards. This year, the awards session will fall on June 9, during the 2020 National Conference in Long Beach, California.
June 9 is a great day for APPA to do this. It’s actually when solar power got its start. On June 9, 1905, Albert Einstein’s Nobel Prize-winning breakthrough on the photoelectric effect was published in Annalen der Physik.
Picture Energy: Moody's Breakfast Briefing at EEI Financial Conference
November 11
Sessions featured Moody’s take on the cybersecurity risks utilities face, the California wildfires challenge for California utilities, and utility rates of return in an era of low and possibly negative interest rates.
Broader Innovation Insights
Engaging Market Collaborators
Third-party collaboration relationships should be designed to provide benefits to customers, such as tangible advantages that enhance business choices about energy resources or fit the needs for energy awareness at the premise.
Curing the Analytical Bias
Replacing Discount Rate Driven NPV with IRR Analysis
NPV analysis relies on the selected discount rate. The selected discount rate can affect the outcome of the analysis. Thus, the introduction of a new metric; the differential internal rate of return (DIRR), and its expected value are discussed.
Grid Modernization
State Policies
The Energy Supply Task Force is most relevant to utilities and Commissions given that legislators establish the parameters within which PUCs and utilities operate.
Electrify Everything?
Heat and Light in Deep Decarbonization Policies
This article attempts to highlight some of the logical disconnects and omissions in the current electrification debate. The author has no conflict of interest in this analysis and is strongly supportive of deep decarbonization policies.