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DG

A Blueprint for DG

Presenting a fair and simple distributed generation plan for utilities and policy-makers.

Presenting a fair and simple distributed generation plan for utilities and policy-makers.

Distributed generation (DG) continues to face many institutional barriers erected before the technology emerged as an economic alternative. Chief among these barriers are existing rate and regulatory regimes, which fail to offer appropriate incentives to utilities and customers who might otherwise substitute DG facilities for distribution and generation.

Byline: 
Richard S. Brent
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Distributed Generation: Hype vs. Hope

Separating myth from reality in identifying DG applications.

Technological breakthroughs in distributed generation have not materialized as quickly as expected. Furthermore, manufacturers have continued to improve traditional generation technologies. So what role can DG play?
Byline: 

Jonathan A. Lesser, Ph.D. and Charles D. Feinstein, Ph.D.

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Politically Inelastic?

Electric pricing issues are hard to overcome.

Do politicians really mean what they say when they call for competitive markets in electricity at the wholesale and retail levels? Rivals of California Gov. Gray Davis champion competitive electric markets. But what if, after elections, California markets are then fixed (with unanimous consent), and prices continue to be high? Will that politician still stand behind competitive markets?
Byline: 

Richard Stavros

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The Perils of Greenfield Gas Development

Sempra promised regulators they’d build a new utility, but Nova Scotia is still waiting.

A major gas discovery offshore Nova Scotia-3.5 trillion cf, based on conservative estimates-is generating healthy financial earnings for participating producers and pipelines. But residents and small businesses in Nova Scotia aren't seeing a molecule of gas flowing their way.
Byline: 

Mark Hand

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Who’s Minding The Grid?

Some argue that gas pipelines might substitute … but … nothing will do away with the need for more transmission.

Our nation’s transmission infrastructure is increasingly unable to meet new demands for power created by rapidly changing electricity markets. Although reliability protocols ensure against catastrophic failure, there is ample evidence today that the grid is too congested.
Byline: 

Thomas R. Kuhn

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Special Report

Industry hopes its centralized assets aren't in the crosshairs.


 

Industry hopes its centralized assets aren't in the crosshairs.

When the topic of U.S. energy security comes up, OPEC typically springs to mind. Sure enough, following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, politicians and energy executives quickly rallied before the public for less reliance on oil supply from OPEC member nations, and for bolstering domestic energy production.

Byline: 
Richard Stavros
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