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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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April 10, 2023
Opening the Door: How Officials Can Improve Access to Energy Decision-Making
- Chandra Farley ,
- David Farnsworth
In a representative democracy, all citizens have the right to access government services, to meaningfully contribute to government decisions and to share equitably in the benefits of government programs. The many decisions made in Washington, D.C., have important implications for… View Summary +
March 17, 2023
Let’s make clean heating a reality for low-income households
The cost of heating leaves many European households feeling burnt. Three-quarters of our heat is still supplied by expensive fossil fuels, and heating homes is Europe’s biggest gas user, which creates a twin dilemma: How do we clean up heat,… View Summary +
November 29, 2022
Hybrid Heat: the Cool Path to Home Heating
The opportunity: If the over 50 million US homes that have central air conditioning and a separate heating system just replaced their AC with a look-alike and more efficient “two-way” heat pump unit, those households could not only cool over… View Summary +
October 20, 2022
A Win for Building Electrification: EPA Elevates Heat Pumps over One-Way ACs
- David Farnsworth ,
- Max Dupuy ,
- Matt Malinowski
Millions of U.S. homes have central air conditioning for the summer and separate fossil fuel heating systems for the winter. A great way to boost home heating electrification is to replace those central air conditioners with look-alike “two-way” heat pump… View Summary +
August 26, 2022
EV smart charging: A golden opportunity for distribution system operators
Electric vehicles (EVs) offer a cleaner, more energy efficient means of transportation than vehicles with internal combustion engines. Less well known is that they also provide a still largely unused resource to improve grid operation. Although the additional electricity demand… View Summary +
July 20, 2022
‘Game on’ for Germany’s heat pump transformation
Time is of the essence if Germany hopes to meet its ambitious net-zero emissions target by 2045. To achieve this goal, the country will have to rapidly transform how it heats its buildings while ridding itself of Russian gas. Alongside… View Summary +
June 22, 2022
Utilities Want to Provide EV Fleet “Advisory Services.” Should Regulators Approve?
- Jeff Ackermann
As the electrification of vehicle fleets goes mainstream, fleet owners are facing a gauntlet of challenges, starting with engaging their electric service provider. The utility response of providing “advisory services” is both creative and presents new challenges for utility and… View Summary +
June 16, 2022
Navigating towards net-zero power system: it is not the ‘heading’ but the ‘course’
The energy price and supply risks we are facing today are making the decarbonisation of the power sector by 2035 an even more significant challenge. But if we deviate the heading of our ship from the course for longer than… View Summary +
May 18, 2022
Cutting ties, forging alliances: how transport electrification and renewable electricity can reshape Europe’s economic landscape
Along with the existing environmental and economic rationale for ending reliance on fossil fuels, the war in Ukraine has motivated many in the European Union to increase energy sovereignty. One of the larger fossil fuel consuming sectors is transportation, for… View Summary +
April 14, 2022
From laggard to leader: How Poland became Europe’s fastest-growing heat pump market
With the war in Ukraine compelling everyone to rethink their energy strategies and focus on getting rid of Russian fossil fuel imports, while maintaining what is left from the affordability of energy supply, the go-to tactics are achieving several energy… View Summary +