Getting Ready for Competition in Japan
Lessons from Abroad
A comprehensive analysis of Japanese investments in the U.S., Mexico, the U.K., and Australia. From a team expert in the fast-changing electric industry in Japan.
Frequency Control and ACE
Someone Else’s Problem Field
Thirty to forty percent renewable targets are inadequate to halt our steady descent into climate change and ocean acidification. It will require renewable levels of 80 to 90 percent, and international cooperation.
Rethinking Rationale for Net Metering
Quantifying Subsidy from Non-Solar to Solar Customers
A thought-provoking call for fact- and principle-based policy on the controversial net metering matter. From three respected co-authors from diverse backgrounds.
Energy People: Werner Buehler
We talked with Werner Buehler, General Manager of Oregon Trail Electric Consumers Cooperative
Werner Buehler is the general manager of Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative based in Baker City, Oregon. Oregon Trail serves 23,000 members in four rural counties in eastern Oregon.
Energy People: Adam Sieminski
We talked with Adam Sieminski, Administrator at the Energy Information Administration
Adam Sieminski became the eighth administrator of the EIA in 2012. While awaiting confirmation as EIA administrator, Sieminski served as senior director for energy and environment on the staff of the National Security Council.
Energy People: Bill Hederman
We talked with Bill Hederman, who has just left government service as senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Energy.
Through early July, Bill Hederman was senior advisor to Dr. Ernie Moniz, U.S. Secretary of Energy, and counselor to the director of energy policy and systems analysis. Bill began his career as a systems integration engineer at Bell Labs in the directorate that later developed the cell phone system.
Tom Fanning: Leadership Lyceum Podcast Summary
Conversation with a Prime Mover: Tom Fanning, Chairman and CEO of Southern Company
A summary of Tom Linquist's conversation with Tom Fanning, Southern Company CEO, on strategy and investment. Full podcast available.
Response to Borlick Re: Order 745
A response to the article by Robert Borlick in our July 2016 Issue
Bob Borlick took to task FERC, Charlie Cicchetti and the Supreme Court in the context of FERC Order 745. Bob’s key point is his view that “Order 745 overcompensates demand response.” Bob’s argument starts from an implicit but false premise.
Response to Cicchetti Re: Net Metering
A response to the letter by Charles Cicchetti in our April 2016 issue, which was a response to the letter by Ashley Brown in our February 2016 issue.
As Ashley Brown correctly stated in his letter, large-scale solar projects produce electricity at roughly half the cost of that produced by rooftop solar. Charlie states that customers installing rooftop solar are: “… paying to reduce dependence on greenhouse gases and to expand societal benefits ....” Not exactly.
Response to Two Articles Re: Grid Resilience
A general response to the articles by Michael Deggendorf and by Paul Afonso, Lauren Azar, Dian Grueneich, James Hoecker in our August 2016 issue
Two articles in the August 2016 issue made the irrefutable case that we need to shore up grid resilience. I can’t argue with those measures. But I’m not sure that they are getting to the root of the problem. Perhaps we need to spend more time asking whether small decentralized systems can accomplish the same end as the large systems.