Social Intelligence
Harnessing the true power of social media.
Customers expect their utilities to communicate as well as other service providers. This shouldn’t be considered a burden, but an opportunity.
AMI (Smart Meters)
Toward a 21st Century Grid
Producing value with advanced distribution management systems.
Changing demands from regulators, customers, and shareholders are driving utilities toward better operational technologies to manage an increasingly complex grid. Advanced distribution management systems (ADMS) promise nearly real-time operational insight for maintaining reliability, safety, and security.
Customer First
Is the current regulatory compact in anyone’s best interests?
Serving customers’ needs should be a top priority for power companies, irrespective of the regulatory construct and business model. Transformation doesn’t change this basic fact, but how do we break the model without breaking the system?
Results-Based Regulation
A more dynamic approach to grid modernization.
The utility’s role is changing, and regulation must change along with it – to spur innovation and respond to evolving customer needs. Modernizing the industry will require a dynamic approach.
AMI Logjam
Market forces and fickle policies have delayed the smart meter revolution.
Low energy prices have weakened the business case for advanced metering. Regaining momentum might depend on innovation to strengthen the benefits.
Impact on Market Behavior of Integrated Demand Side Resources
Significant penetrations of price elastic load and dispatchable demand response can introduce complex dynamics in the day ahead, hour ahead, and real time markets.
This sponsored, downloadable white paper presents an analysis of conditions for market stability and illustrates them with realistic simulations of energy markets.
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.
Smart Grid at a Crossroads
Refining the business case for advanced distribution investments.
As utilities plan their capital budgets for the next few years, investments in advanced distribution systems face an uncertain future. Customers question the value—and propriety—of some programs, while long-term strategic goals depend on seamless integration. What will be the path forward for smart grid technology?
Demand Growth and the New Normal
Five forces are putting the squeeze on electricity consumption.
It’s tempting to attribute the recent slowdown in electricity demand growth entirely to the Great Recession, but consumption growth rates have been declining for at least 50 years. The new normal rate of demand growth likely will be about half of its historic value, with demand rising by less than 1 percent per year. This market plateau calls for a new utility strategy.
Directly Controlling the Winter Peak
Learning lessons from PSE’s residential demand response pilot.
Utilities and regulators increasingly are considering direct control of residential load to help manage the grid. Evaluating the recent experience of one winter-peaking utility—Puget Sound Energy—provides insights into best practices for ramping up direct load control.