Opinion
The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders
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Renewable energy ownership: A game plan for utilities
Utilities are pursuing models to compete with independent power producers for renewable ownership versus simply buying from them via power purchase agreements.
Brian R. Murphy • May 22, 2019 -
When cooperative federalism becomes compulsory: FERC overreaches for storage
If FERC is empowered to do anything as broad as Order No. 841, so long as it’s a practice "affecting wholesale rates," then there are no bumpers on federal jurisdiction, because everything affects wholesale rates in some way.
Tony Clark and Ray Gifford • May 20, 2019 -
BVLOS drones improve power line inspections amid increasing fire and storm risks for utilities
We saw the devastating effect of vegetation encroachment in the recent California fires, which in part have been blamed on failure to maintain properly cleared transmission lines.
Geoff Zeiss • May 17, 2019 -
How arcane accounting rules could help save coal-heavy utilities
How fast utilities can refinance or securitize their coal assets (already underway in multiple states), and how much customers pay, depends heavily on depreciation.
Ron Lehr • May 15, 2019 -
Allowing DERs to participate in wholesale markets does not trample state and local authority
What's needed is a framework of shared authority that puts the electricity industry on a path to ensuring that all resources can fairly compete to provide service on the basis of price and performance.
Ted Thomas and Jeff Dennis • May 14, 2019 -
How to protect California ratepayers, expand clean local energy and avoid bailing out PG&E
Divesting the utilities of their transmission assets to make them Distribution System Operators will benefit ratepayers and utilities.
Craig Lewis • May 13, 2019 -
Averting disasters with innovation: Utilities' pressing need for predictive technology
Predictive technologies are available to identify growing risks and dramatically reduce the rate and consequence of incidents, yet the uptake by the utility industry has been sluggish. State regulators bear some responsibility.
Brien J. Sheahan, Jimmie Zhang and Corey Capasso • May 10, 2019 -
Time to open 'time-sensitive' transmission projects to Order 1000 competition
While competition is intended to encourage transmission developers to drive down consumer costs, shift risks to private investors and achieve greater efficiencies, New England consumers are not realizing those benefits.
Jason Marshall • May 09, 2019 -
The looming threat to state renewable goals in wholesale electricity markets
States are on a dangerous collision course with organized wholesale markets as they encounter obstacles to their clean energy goals that undermine their efforts and put more costs onto ratepayers.
Jessica Bell • May 08, 2019 -
The end of investment-grade utilities in California?
As California wildfires become increasingly frequent and severe, other electric utilities could follow PG&E into bankruptcy without regulatory reform, according to S&P Global Ratings' director.
Gabe Grosberg • May 06, 2019 -
Valuing the energy resilience contributions of distributed energy
Grid hardening initiatives and innovations take the spotlight in the wake of blackouts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Wilson Rickerson • May 03, 2019 -
Rejecting the 'new normal,' California eyes technology solutions to wildfire risks
The threat of deadly wildfires needs to be addressed through technology and innovation, according to the deputy executive director for safety and enforcement at the California Public Utilities Commission.
Elizaveta Malashenko • May 02, 2019 -
It's the 'largest brake' on greenhouse gases, but we're not pushing hard enough
The numbers show that in the United States, and across much of the world, we’ve made big progress on energy efficiency in the past few decades, proving that we can do more with less.
Jason Hartke • May 01, 2019 -
Moving beyond 'rules of thumb' for smart, cost effective storage deployment
Identifying the storage investments that provide the greatest value to the system, especially at higher penetration levels, will require significantly more sophistication than decision-makers currently employ.
Nick Schlag, Dan Mullen and Kush Patel • April 30, 2019 -
Use it or lose it: The once-in-a-generation opportunity to change the US electric grid
Who should be responsible for developing, owning and operating the energy resources that replace uneconomic coal and nuclear generation: rate-regulated utilities or independent, competitive developers?
Todd Glass and Heather Curlee • April 29, 2019 -
What you need to know about energy pricing as market complexities grow
Despite the relative stability of pricing last year, manufacturers and data center operators should continue to be prepared for additional periods of volatility and price spikes — both in the natural gas and electricity markets.
Tim Comerford and Joe Santo • April 26, 2019 -
Cyber-securing the grid: Best practices for state utility commissions
To ensure cybersecurity investments are working properly, regulators must employ resilience metrics that measure and improve utility management, and identify system vulnerabilities.
Mark James and Richard Mroz • April 25, 2019 -
Utilities' communications needs are diverse and growing, UTC survey finds
Unbeknownst to many industry watchers, electric utilities deploy sophisticated telecommunications networks that support the reliable and resilient delivery of electricity and are essential for the transition to Utility 2.0.
Joy Ditto • April 23, 2019 -
Committing to climate: Transformation is underway in the US power sector
The electric power sector is taking climate action, and investors are taking notice. Here's how far it has come and where it needs to go next.
Dan Bakal • April 22, 2019 -
States' rights, states' wrongs: Where should we draw the line on intervention in power markets?
While states are facing pushback from market proponents and competitive market administrators, the Supreme Court recently denied petitions to review state policies targeted at forestalling closure of zero-emission nuclear plants.
Michael Hogan • April 18, 2019 -
A brighter future: Why energy storage belongs in the investment tax credit
A proposed bill to include energy storage in the federal investment tax credit is imperative to the future of U.S. clean energy, writes Kelly Speakes-Backman and Heather Reams.
Heather Reams and Kelly Speakes-Backman • April 16, 2019 -
Making cloud computing and other services pay for utilities and customers
Although the traditional regulatory paradigm discourages utilities from taking advantage of such services, financial accounting rules give regulators flexibility in how they allow utilities to capitalize costs as so-called regulatory assets.
Coley Girouard • April 11, 2019 -
100% clean electricity in Washington state: Achievable, affordable and reliable
The policy gained strong support in 2018, with strong stakeholder engagement setting up multiple checks and balances that will help decarbonize Washington’s electricity sector while maintaining low electricity prices.
Adam Maxwell • April 10, 2019 -
Grid modernization is the best new deal
A Grid Modernization Act could accomplish many of the Green New Deal's goals by improving public health, creating jobs, spurring innovation, strengthening national security and making our communities more resilient.
Hon. Dennis McGinn and Roger Sorkin • April 09, 2019 -
Will FERC trample state and local authorities in DER rulemaking?
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may soon upset a long-standing balance among local, state and federal decision-making as it considers aggregating distributed energy resources in a way that eliminates local jurisdiction.
Jim Matheson • April 05, 2019
