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Incisive commentary from RAP experts
RAP experts keep their finger on the pulse of the energy sector and provide timely analysis of topics impacting stakeholders TODAY.
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June 3, 2021
Rugby, and the art of regulating energy in times of uncertainty
Here’s an analogy you weren’t expecting: Regulating energy is, surprisingly, much like regulating the sport of rugby. Regulators in both areas contend with challenges from a number of fronts. Rugby “regulators” have had to, over time, adapt the game to… View Summary +
May 8, 2021
Building insulation: Is hydrogen our get out of jail free card?
In the board game Monopoly, an important feature is the ‘get out of jail free’ card, which allows players who end up in jail to avoid paying a fine to get out. In recent months, gas industry representatives have… View Summary +
May 4, 2021
India’s electric grid reliability and its importance in the clean energy transition
- Rasika Athawale
Not too long ago, electricity consumers across states in India used to suffer long and frequent power outages. Daily or weekly load shedding – pre-defined intervals for planned power supply cut-off – was so prevalent that people used to plan… View Summary +
April 27, 2021
Sweetening the deal for heat decarbonisation
Many governments recognise the link between sugar consumption, obesity and diabetes. As a result, sugar taxes are now in place in more than 50 jurisdictions, including nine European countries. The UK and Ireland introduced modest sugary drinks taxes in… View Summary +
April 22, 2021
How to get from a cottage industry to a million heat pumps a year
- Jan Rosenow ,
- Pedro Guertler ,
- Richard Lowes
The UK has made incredible strides in decarbonising its power system beyond what many thought was possible. Carbon emissions were at a record low over the recent Easter weekend. While heat pumps have been seen as a strategically important sustainable… View Summary +
April 21, 2021
Pipe dream: alleviating energy poverty with hydrogen
The debate about how to reduce emissions from home heating is hotting up, but it risks being derailed by vocal proponents for the use of hydrogen in place of fossil gas. Affordable home heating with hydrogen is, quite literally, a… View Summary +
April 13, 2021
Use Less, Save More: Adding a Conservation Incentive to Percentage of Income Payment Programs
- Janine Migden-Ostrander
For low-income households, being able to afford utility service is a constant struggle. The average American household spends 2-3% of its income on its energy bills, but for a low-income family, the energy burden can be more like 15-20% (or… View Summary +
March 10, 2021
A Next-Generation Approach to Energy Resource Procurement
- Megan Anderson ,
- Carl Linvill
Three trends in the power sector are converging to drive rapid and unprecedented change. State and utility climate goals are driving significant investment in clean energy. Fossil-fueled generation is aging and retiring at the same time that renewable energy and… View Summary +
March 4, 2021
Unlocking electrification through rebalancing levies and taxes
I frequently receive requests for advice based on my personal experience as an owner of a heat pump and an electric vehicle. Often I get asked whether I now pay more for my energy than before. People are more keenly… View Summary +
February 26, 2021
Real-life drama: Learning from a Texas tragedy
Othello: “But this denoted a foregone conclusion.” Iago: “Tis a shrewd doubt, though it be but a dream And this may help to thicken other proofs … View Summary +