Opinion: Page 5

The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders


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  • cybersecurity
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    Patterson, Richard. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    Security by design’s shining moment: Cybersecurity for the energy transformation

    Strategic imperatives for today’s DER ecosystem — vendors, operators, integrators and utilities — could introduce a more secure and resilient grid tomorrow.

    Danielle Jablanski • Sept. 11, 2023
  • Solar panels and wind turbines in the desert producing renewable energy.
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    narvikk via Getty Images
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    Price over performance: Why green energy is different from previous technology revolutions

    The green energy revolution won't provide the massive performance advantages seen in previous technology revolutions. Instead, it must be driven by price.

    Robin Gaster • Sept. 8, 2023
  • Pike Electric service trucks line up after a snow storm on February 16, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas.
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    Ron Jenkins via Getty Images
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    The elusive ‘value of resilience’: Why every utility is asking for it and why it’s so hard to pin down

    A cost-benefit analysis is crucial to most utility investment filings.Without the “value of resilience” metric, such analysis falls woefully short of giving regulators the insights to make a determination.

    Mishal Thadani • Sept. 7, 2023
  • Exterior of Department of Energy building in Washington, DC.
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    Mingzhe Zhang via Getty Images
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    DOE’s error-ridden analysis on coal CCS project threatens climate and engagement goals

    Evaluating whether technologies like hydrogen and carbon capture provide more benefit than harm is a critical activity for the U.S. on our decarbonization journey.

    Emily Grubert • Sept. 5, 2023
  • A Volvo VNR Electric charges at the high-powered chargers available to fleets at TEC Equipment, Fontana.
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    Courtesy of Volvo Trucks
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    How EPA truck emissions standards can help move EV charging forward

    The agency’s draft Phase 3 rule for heavy-duty vehicle emissions sets ambitious and tangible targets, helping utility regulators get more comfortable with the compelling need for electric vehicle infrastructure.

    David Farnsworth • Sept. 1, 2023
  • Electricity from solar panels, dams, and wind turbines. Environmentally-friendly renewable energy concept.
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    bombermoon via Getty Images
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    Clean energy investment is surging, but success is far from guaranteed

    The newfound ambition to build a clean energy economy by mid-century has exposed foundational flaws in approving and connecting energy projects that, if not addressed soon, will make this goal impossible.

    Jason Grumet • Aug. 31, 2023
  • Large electric power transmission lines and modern wind turbines generating electricity in central California.
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    phleum via Getty Images
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    Amid record heat, CAISO’s day-ahead market is proving the value of a regional grid

    Establishing the Extended Day-Ahead Market is a significant milestone, but we need to get to a true regional grid, a Western Regional Transmission Organization, to achieve maximum benefits. 

    Mona Tierney-Lloyd and Jack Wadleigh • Aug. 30, 2023
  • Solar panels and wind turbines in a field
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    imacoconut via Getty Images
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    Every load an island: Requiring hourly matching of clean electricity purchases would raise emissions

    Mandating it widely would stifle the development of the clean hydrogen industry, smother the voluntary market for clean electricity purchases and needlessly increase costs in compliance markets.

    Arne Olson, Nick Schlag, Greg Gangelhoff, and Anthony Fratto • Aug. 29, 2023
  • Steel pillar with high voltage electric power lines delivering electrical energy through cable wires on long distance.
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    Bilanol via Getty Images
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    4 fixes utilities can make to boost energy equity

    If only throwing money at the problem of energy affordability and equity could solve it, we’d be in much better shape today than we are. Money is important, and required, but insufficient on its own.

    Ben Nathan • Aug. 28, 2023
  • Electrician worker and electricity power lines over sunset sky.
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    imagedepotpro via Getty Images
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    The Airbnb of power: Why the electricity sector is ripe for platformization

    With the rise of rooftop solar, electric vehicles and home storage, more and more consumers now own their own generation assets — a resource potential that platform business models can tap into.

    By Tobias Menzel, Timm Teubner, Eric Gervet and Hanjo Arms • Aug. 22, 2023
  • Power lines cut through woods winter snow.
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    mountinez via Getty Images
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    Buried treasure: Building the business case for undergrounding

    Given the costs associated with storm-related outages, the question isn’t can we afford to underground more power lines but rather, can we afford not to?

    Chris Watts • Aug. 21, 2023
  • Woman using app on Phone to control digital central heating thermostat at home
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    monkeybusinessimages via Getty Images
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    Virtual power plants: Resource adequacy without interconnection delays

    VPPs can be implemented today, but much more needs to happen to accelerate this transition at scale.

    Ryan Hledik, Kala Viswanathan and Kate Peters • Aug. 17, 2023
  • Windmills in the Coachella Valley of southern California
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    California’s facing climate and electric rates crises. Here’s how to solve them.

    To be successful, in addition to better communications, the transition to clean energy in California will need solutions that are less familiar to customers and policymakers.

    Matt Baker • Aug. 15, 2023
  • Gas pipeline with multiple valves.
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    insagostudio via Getty Images
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    With a unique alignment of interests, now is the time to address methane emissions

    Given the public focus on sustainability as well as corporate commitments, it is in electric utilities’ best interest to ensure that their primary fuel source is as low emission and cost effective as possible.

    Jeffrey Kupfer • Aug. 14, 2023
  • The coal-fired Amos power plant in West Virginia, with smokestacks and cooling towers.
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    Joesboy via Getty Images
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    Affordable energy in West Virginia starts with economic dispatch

    West Virginia’s utilities have been operating their coal plants while incurring large losses and could have saved their ratepayers money by taking advantage of cheaper available power sources in the PJM market.  

    Ashtin Massie, Maria Castillo, Joe Daniel • Aug. 9, 2023
  • Solar Panel Community in Austin Texas
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    RoschetzkyIstockPhoto via Getty Images
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    California must act quickly or risk losing billions in federal community solar incentives

    The clock is ticking because a federal program to support community solar requires that states receiving a portion of the $7 billion start providing subsidies within 18 months of it being awarded.

    Aaron Halimi • Aug. 8, 2023
  • The imperative of free, green and secure wires reform

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must advance transmission planning reforms and bolster interconnection rules to improve grid reliability, lower consumer costs and cut power plant emissions.

    Devin Hartman and Jennie Chen • Aug. 7, 2023
  • Smoke stack of coal power plant
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    martin_33 via Getty Images
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    Industry cries wolf yet again over EPA’s power plant carbon rules

    In case after case, industry has complained that EPA rules would be more costly than predicted. But, in fact, the costs are typically much, much less than the agency anticipated.

    Sophia Ahmed • Aug. 4, 2023
  • Floating offshore wind turbines
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    Charlie Chesvick via Getty Images
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    Despite headwinds, US offshore wind is poised for a breakout

    U.S. offshore wind ambition should be far higher — billions in investment and hundreds of thousands of new jobs, along with a stable and clean grid, are at stake.

    Taylor McNair • Aug. 3, 2023
  • Northeast's Largest Public Electric Vehicle Fast-Charging Station Opens At JFK Airport.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Fast charging, high costs: Eliminating demand charges won’t solve the problem

    Demand charges are essential for a utility to recover the cost of maintaining, upgrading, and building the electric grid, according to the author.

    Chip Silverman • Aug. 2, 2023
  • Electrical Power Transmission Lines at Sunset.
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    Ed Lallo via Getty Images
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    Interregional transmission: The US is the tortoise, China is the hare

    A failure to dramatically scale up interregional transmission capacity ensures the U.S. will fall further behind in the economic race with China.

    James McCalley • Aug. 1, 2023
  • High angle view of solar panels.
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    Huntstock via Getty Images
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    Everything talks to everything: Building resilience into the power grid

    In the face of unprecedented distributed energy growth, building a dynamic and resilient grid will require key elements such as data management and a transmission buildout.

    Don Tappan • July 25, 2023
  • Green hydrogen renewable energy production pipeline.
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    audioundwerbung via Getty Images
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    Hydrogen can fill a critical gap in decarbonizing, but can utilities make the business case?

    As electric and gas utilities seek approval from regulators, they will need to address concerns about hydrogen economics, sustainability and safety.

    Leah Kunkel, Wesley Miller and Jessica Wright • July 24, 2023
  • Electrician worker and electricity power lines over sunset sky.
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    imagedepotpro via Getty Images
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    I claimed energy independence for my co-op last summer — Here’s what happened next

    No community should be dictated what source of power generation they have to consume — and no group should be beholden to another group charging them ever-escalating and opaque pricing.

    Luis A. Reyes, Jr. • July 21, 2023
  • Solar panels, wind turbines and a transmission line.
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    lovelyday12 via Getty Images
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    It’s time to rethink grid reliability

    While the grid shifts from a fossil fuel-heavy system to one that is powered by clean, carbon-free electricity generation, there are three questions we need to answer.

    Michelle Solomon • July 20, 2023