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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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May 22, 2019
Three smart ways to integrate electric vehicles
- Julia Hildermeier ,
- Christos Kolokathis
Promising practices are emerging in Europe and the United States to integrate electric vehicles into the grid and advance the clean mobility and energy transitions. We know that electric vehicles (EVs) can deliver extensive economic, power system, environmental and… View Summary +
March 21, 2019
Gilets Jaunes, RGGI, and Recommendations for China’s Carbon Reduction Policies
- Christopher James
The gilets jaunes (“yellow vests”) protests in France have highlighted the critical role that consumers must play in defining how we decarbonize our economies. In light of this and similar setbacks for action on climate change, such as the… View Summary +
March 18, 2019
Five Suggestions to Promote China Power Sector Transition
- Frederick Weston ,
- Max Dupuy
Even the casual observer of China during the last thirty years can’t help but be awestruck by the country’s transformation—across all sectors, but especially the power sector, the central infrastructural industry on which economic development depends. What had been a… View Summary +
February 19, 2019
Voluntary Renewable Energy Certificates: Win-Win for India Inc. and Government
- Rasika Athawale ,
- Ranjit Bharvirkar
Government actions to facilitate the use of renewable energy certificates (RECs) can improve Indian companies’ ability to compete globally—a major policy objective of the current government. Driven partly by consumer demand, firms are being serious about the “source” of… View Summary +
February 15, 2019
India Kick-Starts Wholesale Market Reforms
- Dheer Patel
Over the last couple of decades, Indian policymakers have been implementing a wide range of reforms in the electricity sector with the goal of providing reliable, affordable, and clean power to all citizens. During the last few months, the… View Summary +
September 28, 2018
Karnataka’s power sector: History, politics of development have consequences
- Meera Sudhakar
When Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy announced crop loan waivers in his first budget after he came to power in May this year, there was widespread concern about how the state would finance these. Many who thought the loan waiver was… View Summary +
September 25, 2018
Purple Haze, or Purple Mountain Majesties? How Energy Efficiency Can Reduce Regional Haze
Tourists visit our national parks to see the majestic vistas, not haze-obscured views. The two images of the Grand Canyon below illustrate this point: In the view on the left, one can see for more than 200 miles, while on… View Summary +
September 19, 2018
A Tale of Two Reforms: The Power Sector in Andhra Pradesh
- Ashwini K. Swain
Andhra Pradesh’s power sector is going through a second phase of reforms. The first (1999-2004) was widely seen as focused on privatization of electricity distribution; this time the goal is to ensure affordable and reliable power supply for all. To… View Summary +
September 7, 2018
Replacing copper with negawatts—how RIIO-2 could revolutionise network regulation
Ofgem’s recent framework decision on improving its performance-based regulation scheme, RIIO, indicates that it may be ready to take a much-needed step toward levelling the playing field between supply-side and customer-side resources. However, it is not yet clear what the… View Summary +
July 12, 2018
California’s Mandatory PV Code Amendment: Is It Really Time for This?
- Jim Lazar
The press has been abuzz this summer about the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) new building code amendment that will require most single-family residential and low-rise multi-family dwellings to incorporate PV systems at construction. The amendment takes effect in 2020. Buildings… View Summary +