Spinning

Hybrid Storage

Ultracapacitors and batteries work together to solve power quality problems.

Ultracapacitors and batteries work together to solve power quality problems.

Conquering Time

Understanding the value of pumped storage.

Pumped-storage technology allows utilities to defer the time value of energy, but project developers have struggled to make their economics work. Increased demand for ancillary services and standby capacity might make pumped storage more viable.

Optimizing Demand Response

A comprehensive DR business case quantifies a full range of concurrent benefits.

The benefits of DR remain difficult to quantify. Building a comprehensive business case requires a shift in how policy makers think about DR in order to understand its real possibilities.

Energy Tech's Quantum Leap

Tomorrow's utility technology may be revolutionized at the molecular level.

Tomorrow's utility technology may be revolutionized at the molecular level.

Revolutionary changes have swept through the utility industry more than once. Although the industry often receives criticism for being slow to adapt, the fact is that utilities are continually building and rebuilding their systems and strategies around changing conditions. AAAAA AASuccess in utility planning often hinges on big things-like market restructuring or an upheaval on Wall Street. It can also depend on little things-like a piece of software or a metering device.

Water Heaters to teh Rescue: Demand Bidding in Electric Reserve Markets

With just a few changes in reliability rules, regulators could call on consumer loads to boost power reserves for outages and contingencies.

With just a few changes in reliability rules, regulators could call on consumer loads to boost power reserves for outages and contingencies.

 

In proposing a standard market design (SMD), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) makes clear that it wants customers to participate in wholesale power markets, such as by bidding an offer to curtail consumption, increase supply, and reduce upward pressure on prices.

"We believe in the direct approach of letting demand bid in the market," says FERC.

News Digest

Dynegy's David Francis, vice president for western power trading, testified on Dec. 21 on why he thought the ISO was bending the rules:

 

News Digest


 

Surviving and Thriving in the RTO Revolution

How to design tariffs to improve reliability and attract merchant generation.

1 A representation of a generic interconnection, with thermal, hydro, and nuclear generation sharing a grid with a winter peaking load.

2 , 93 FERC 61,294, Dec. 15, 2000.

3 For a survey of methods, see J.W. Marangon Lima "Allocation of Transmission Fixed Charges: An Overview,", Vol. 11, No. 3, 1996.

News Digest

 

News Digest


 

Price Forecasting in Spot Markets: Hidden Risks in Single-Part Bidding

The California Power Exchange doesn't solicit separate bids for plant start-up, spinning reserve or base load operation. That can make spark spreads a bit misleading

IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRICE THAT THE PROSPECT OF electric competition has created a huge demand for price forecasting services. To their credit, the forecasters have obliged, supplying an abundance of tools and techniques. Do the forecasts serve the needs of those who would use them?

Some might wish to use a price forecast to assign a value to assets.