Opinion
The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders
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Minnesota’s permitting reforms will accelerate its clean energy boom and can serve as a national model
The Energy Infrastructure Permitting Act is expected to cut permitting time for individual projects by nine months to a year, shortening the overall approval timeline by 50% or more.
Mel Mackin • June 5, 2024 -
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Responsible AI in energy: Balancing efficiency, sustainability and trust in a high-stakes industry
Stringent regulations, safety considerations and environmental expectations necessitate robust risk management as AI adoption accelerates in the energy sector.
Alyssa Lefaivre Škopac and Patrick McAndrew • June 4, 2024 -
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Why EPA’s support of school bus electrification is the clear choice to improve America’s future
Focusing on top-line sticker prices obscures the total cost of ownership of electric school buses, as well as their end-of-life value.
Albert Gore • June 3, 2024 -
Nikolay Chekalin via Getty Images
Mitigating nuclear industry whistleblower risk after the Supreme Court’s Murray v. UBS ruling
The court’s decision presents an opportunity for employers in the nuclear industry to review their practices and take practical steps to minimize their potential exposure under the Energy Reorganization Act.
Jane Accomando and Lincoln Bisbee • May 24, 2024 -
imacoconut via Getty Images
Investing in green companies: Why private equity should lead the charge
Investing in green companies not only addresses pressing environmental concerns but offers compelling financial returns as well.
Hajar Jouglaf • May 22, 2024 -
Adeline Kon/Utility Dive
We need long-duration storage for a cleaner and reliable grid. Here’s how policymakers can help.
States could require utilities to procure long-duration energy storage resources to help meet resource adequacy requirements.
Rich Glick • May 21, 2024 -
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Grid modernization plans must consider quantum computing, AI, other innovations
Any policy related to upgrading the grid must include a focus on using new technologies to make the most of these significant investments.
Christina Hayes and Allison Schwartz • May 20, 2024 -
Trong Nguyen via Getty Images
FERC Order 1920 is a big step forward on transmission planning, but it is not the end game
The rule provides the raw ingredients to transmission providers and states, FERC Commissioner Allison Clements writes, but the grid of the future will not be built if these entities do not come together and start cooking.
Allison Clements • May 15, 2024 -
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Requiem for a DRAM: Charting the future of demand response in California
The current situation is anathema to California’s long-running efforts to build a balanced and open market for demand response, one in which utilities and third-party providers compete on a level playing field.
Collin Smith • May 14, 2024 -
Imaginima via Getty Images
With 78% of requested investments approved, US regulators are backing grid modernization
Contrary to the conventional opinion that regulation is an obstacle to grid modernization, regulators have, in fact, largely demonstrated strong support over the past six years.
Kathy (Huishan) Hu • May 13, 2024 -
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Why the EPA shouldn’t favor school bus electrification
The environmental benefits of vehicle electrification are not as obvious as once thought, and the grid is simply not ready to service the load.
Tucker Perkins • May 10, 2024 -
VISION4RY-L4NGU4GE via Getty Images
Competition in transmission ownership does not lower consumer costs
Opponents of right-of-first-refusal laws claim that incumbent transmission providers have no incentive to reduce costs. The exact opposite is true.
Bill Marsan • May 9, 2024 -
Jose Gulias Trigas via Getty Images
There are 3 fundamental problems with Scope 2 GHG accounting. Here’s how to fix them.
Society cannot afford actions and expenditures to support claims of progress while not accomplishing real-world emission reductions.
Neil Fisher, Roger Ballentine and Armond Cohen • May 8, 2024 -
Permission granted by sonnen, Inc.
If you want ‘virtual power plants,’ first define them
Persistent confusion around VPPs may impede successful policymaking, challenging regulatory commissions, stalling deployments and delaying important benefits to our electricity system.
Ted Ko • May 7, 2024 -
martin_33 via Getty Images
If EPA’s latest power plant rules seem familiar, don’t get fooled again!
The power plant rule that EPA announced on April 25 closely resembles Obama’s Clean Power Plan in key respects — and it will almost certainly suffer the same fate.
Sam Thernstrom • May 6, 2024 -
Sergey Sidorov via Getty Images
FERC and NERC review of winter storm gas failures lacks transparency, key details
Faltering energy system performance — which almost caused rolling blackouts — and insufficient scrutiny and transparency after the fact must not be the new normal with winter storms.
Paul Arbaje • May 3, 2024 -
Andrei Ksenzhuk via Getty Images
Long-term transmission planning will power America’s future
It is in the national interest to approach the power grid the same way we have approached the internet, the interstate highway system and telecommunications.
John Szoka and Ted Thomas • May 2, 2024 -
Permission granted by ISO New England
New early warning system will mitigate energy shortfall risks in New England
ISO New England’s new Probabilistic Energy Adequacy Tool, created jointly with EPRI, is part of the grid operator’s comprehensive and proactive approach to planning for a reliable future power system.
Stephen George and Jinye Zhao • May 1, 2024 -
Douglas Rissing via Getty Images
Solar tariffs are in the spotlight again. Our current approach isn’t the answer.
Provisions in the IRA combined with aggressive tariff policy will cause the price of solar to skyrocket when we need to deploy it at a massive scale to solve the climate crisis.
Dan Whitten • April 30, 2024 -
Silas Bubolu via Getty Images
Is your utility’s online marketplace operating at full power? It might be time for a reboot.
Such marketplaces have raised awareness of energy efficiency and sustainability. But as technologies like LED bulbs and smart thermostats have become commonplace, sales have slowed and traffic has dropped.
Mark Wilkinson • April 29, 2024 -
Phil Augustavo via Getty Images
A single, unified Western power market will deliver affordability, reliability and climate benefits
The expansion of the Western Energy Imbalance Market with a day-ahead market and a new independent governing authority can open major opportunities for customer benefits and increased grid reliability.
Lauren McCloy, Ben Otto, Diego Rivas and Fred Heutte • April 24, 2024 -
imaginima via Getty Images
The case for electricity transmission competition has never been clearer with today’s inflation
Both the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission have found that competitive bidding will improve grid sustainability and resiliency while lowering rates and increasing innovation.
Paul Cicio • April 23, 2024 -
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FERC’s final regional transmission rule is coming soon. It has one shot to get it right.
A strong rule will help spur the transmission lines necessary to meet America’s growing energy needs, while also setting the table for a future interregional rule to mitigate the effects of extreme weather.
Ray Long • April 18, 2024 -
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The time is ripe for utilities to play a larger role in the energy transition
Utilities should provide upfront support to low- to moderate-income customers for residential electrification and decarbonization measures to prevent them from being stuck on the existing fossil fuel systems.
Dan Bakal • April 16, 2024 -
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Power grids are facing more demand than ever. Policy needs to catch up.
There is a gap between operational realities and aspirational policies. That gap is growing, and not shrinking as it must.
Todd Snitchler • April 15, 2024
