Frontlines & Op-Ed

Reverse Robin Hood

Declaring war on non-utility PV.

Recently I’ve been hearing some utility executives use a new catchphrase: “reverse Robin Hood.” The phrase is shorthand for policies on net metering and green incentives that support rooftop photovoltaics (PV) at the expense of low-income customers. We’re “robbing the poor” to pay for rich people’s fancy solar systems.

Unleash the Genie

Former FERC Commissioner Bill Massey says we shouldn't bottle the genie of competition as Fortnightly author Doug Jones advocated in May 2013. Instead, he says, the genie's shackles should be removed so market forces can produce maximum efficiency and value for customers.

In the Situation Room

Presidential attention raises the priority level for cybersecurity.

Have industry leaders and regulators turned a corner on efforts to make the grid more secure?

Energy Efficiency's False Hope

Only behavioral change will reduce energy consumption.

Standards and technology don't reduce energy consumption, despite the claims of efficiency zealots. Real energy savings only come through behavioral change.

Old School Microgrid

Resilience depends more on determination than technology.

A brutal storm ripped through southwestern Minnesota in April and snapped 2,000 power poles. Worthington Public Utilities kept the lights on with a seat-of-the-pants microgrid.

Elevated Risk

In an open letter to directors, IBM’s energy security lead recommends appointing a senior executive with authority to effect cultural change.

Achieving security requires a new office in the C-suite. An open letter to utility directors.

No Going Back

Free markets are not a fad.

Half-hearted deregulation hobbles the forces of supply and demand before they can get out of the gate.

Learning from the States

Energy strategy outside the Beltway.

National policymakers will find allies in state legislators who are focused on how to improve the environment and maintain service reliability.

'Resilience'

A new watchword for the industry and its regulators.

If the concept of resilience—including cyber and physical security—had been baked into the industry’s culture from the beginning, the energy grid might look a lot different from what it does today.

Responding to Prof. Hogan

APPA questions the benefits attributed to organized power markets.

Unless the regulatory paradigm fairly balances the interests of both load and generation, the utility industry will be condemned to continued upheaval.