DER

New Regulatory Paradigm Needed Now

The time is now for establishing concrete rules, roles and responsibilities for utilities and other participants.

Driven by policy directives over which utilities have little control, DERs will remain both a threat and opportunity until regulators agree on a new paradigm to support distributed energy resources.

Community Storage: Coming to a Home Near You

A readily available option for storage may be coordinating existing devices that have untapped storage capacity

Despite battery technology’s ability to grab clean tech media headlines, industry still lacks a clear, practical, cost-effective path.

Getting Past Net Metering

A forward-looking solution to rate reform, for when solar costs hit bottom.

Why keep rate design shackled to the ways of the past, especially at the dawn of a solar revolution?

From Grid to Cloud

A network of networks – in search of an orchestrator.

The Energy Cloud will change the way we generate, store, and consume energy by changing from a one-way power flow to a dynamic network of networks supporting two-way energy and information flows.

Getting Smart about the Integrated Grid

In New York it’s where we’re staking our energy future.

Disruptive technologies such as microgrids and battery storage devices are commendable but they are supporting actors and must still work with the centralized grid.

Storage Grows Up

More than just energy, it's becoming part of the grid.

One of the most striking aspects of the state's "Reforming the Energy Vision" initiative is the unique role it assigns to energy storage. Utilities may own distributed storage without concern over competitive implications when it becomes a part of the distribution network.

Understanding New York's 'Vision'

A roadmap to ‘REV’ and its plan for restructuring.

New York's far-reaching reform plan, called the Renewable Energy Vision, or “REV,” seeks to decentralize power supply by encouraging distributed resources, and a new regulatory entity will be created called a “Distributed System Platform,” or DSP.

Becoming Customer-Centric

Two utilities embrace technology and innovation.

Today the rise of customer-centric technology and innovation has created a whole new set of challenges. Advances have occurred in energy efficiency, demand response, distributed solar, energy storage, and electric vehicles, as well as smart grid infrastructure and analytics. Electric utilities have two basic choices: react to the agendas of the special interests or chart a path forward to create the most value for stakeholders and customers.

Distribution Optimization: Ready for Takeoff

Part 2: Key choices on the way forward.

Integrated Distribution Planning (IDP) – much like its bulk power system cousin, Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) – provides a useful starting point for regulators and utilities to begin thinking about how to optimize the distribution system.

New York Takes the Lead

No proposal is as radical – or as well thought out – as REV.

If the New York Rev is fully implemented, utility earnings would depend more on creating value for customers and achieving policy objectives.