Law & Lawyers

Community Solar: States Are Testing Designs While Driving Forward

Minnesota, Oregon, New York case studies

Minnesota, Oregon and New York are certainly not alone in testing shared solar models. But the developments in each state in spring 2016 should shed light on the ability to deliver on the promise of community solar.

Byline:

Andrew Moratzka and Sara Bergan

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High Performance Transmission Conductors Are Improving Grid Efficiency

And why it matters.

Leveraging high performance conductors has become particularly important today. They not only serve to improve efficiency and reliability, they also allow us to increase the capacity of existing transmission lines so we can access cleaner sources of generation.

Byline:

Dave Bryant

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EPRI Explores Augmented Reality to Improve Grid Reliability

Innovating Like Edison: Utility workers with superpowers?

Smart meters are a reality but are smart poles and smart helmets right behind them? Often in the form of wearable computers or “wearables,” devices are potentially able to communicate from an endless variety of devices in the form of visual cues and data, sound, and even information based on touch.

Byline:

John Simmins

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Getting Berned

What’s the price tag of banning fracking?

Ironically, a ban on fracking would increase coal generation, which emits carbon dioxide at twice the rate of gas generation.

Byline:

Steve Huntoon

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It's a Five-Minute World

New rule would align price settlements with real-time dispatch.

A misalignment of scheduling and price settlement opens the door to mischief.

Byline:

Bruce Radford

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Line Dividing Regulation and Management

Utility performance, investment versus dividends, rate of return incentives

Generally speaking, regulatory commissions and courts are not anxious to substitute their judgement for that of utility management. A recent example where state regulators found it prudent to gingerly cross the line can be seen in a recent case involving Indianapolis Power and Light Company.

Byline:

Phil Cross

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States Want to Know About Utility Biz Models

Issue brief being released this summer.

While details of electricity business models are the purview of commissions, governors can play a key role in shaping the conversation.

Byline:

Aliza Wasserman and Sam Cramer

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Beware of Vertical Arrangements for Gas Procurement

Owning gas reserves benefits consumers?

Regulators should start with the premise that long-term contracting with an independent gas producer or middleman is preferable (e.g., with a marketer). Vertical arrangements pose a number of tough questions for state public utility regulators.

Byline:

Kenneth Costello

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Who Are You Guys?

I asked ACS.

ACS, Advanced Control Systems, a high-tech company based in Atlanta, is a go-to, real-time energy management solution provider of the highest quality innovative products.

Byline:

Steve Mitnick

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First Look at 2015 CO2 Emission Trends for the U.S.

Part 2 – Electric Power Sector

Shifts in the generation mix in recent years have had an enormous impact on carbon dioxide emissions. For 2015, the carbon intensity of total generation was more than 20 percent lower than in 2005, accounting for 476 million metric tons in reductions. The dramatic decline is our focus here in Part 2.

Byline:

Daniel Klein

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