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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, 2015
Complying with the Clean Power Plan While Delivering Affordable, Reliable Power
- Ken Colburn ,
- John Shenot
Yesterday, the National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA) released an important new resource: Implementing EPA’s Clean Power Plan: A Menu of Options (disclosure: RAP provided technical assistance and helped write the Menu). We believe the… View Summary +
March 23, 2015
A New Framework for China’s Power Sector
- Max Dupuy ,
- Frederick Weston
The Chinese government has just finalized Deepening Reform of the Power Sector, a policy document co-signed by the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the State Council. The Chinese media have anticipated this document for months,… View Summary +
February 9, 2015
Energy Efficiency as an Air Quality Strategy: Connecting the Dots Using a Mobile Source Analogy
- Ken Colburn
Every year states invest more than $6 billion in energy efficiency programs, which also improve air quality. Yet, states rarely receive any credit for the resulting emissions reductions! The benefits don’t stop with air quality. Energy efficiency not only reduces… View Summary +
February 5, 2015
Tackling 111(d) Compliance Planning: It’s Not a SIP!
- Christopher James
States asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for flexibility in crafting plans to meet the requirements of the proposed Clean Power Plan (also known as 111(d), after the pertinent section of the Clean Air Act), and EPA listened. EPA’s… View Summary +
December 1, 2014
Minimum Bills: An Effective Alternative to High Customer Charges
- Jim Lazar
One wouldn’t necessarily expect the components of an electric bill to make headlines, but recent decisions in some states have caused controversy. The controversy involves the size of the monthly customer charge applied to residential consumers. Until recently, U.S. regulators… View Summary +
October 16, 2014
Securing the Social License to Transform Power Sector Regulation
I recently participated in a conversation with North American regulation experts organized by University of Calgary professor and former California Energy Commissioner Michal Moore. The topic was the “social license” in energy regulation. What is the social… View Summary +
July 9, 2014
Tackling 111(d): The Proposed Rule is Out, Now What?
- Ken Colburn
June 18th— the date EPA published its proposed rule to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from existing power plants under section 111(d) of the federal Clean Air Act in the Federal Register—marked the beginning of a new… View Summary +
February 15, 2013
Resource Planning
The resources below are offered as part of our Complying with Environmental Regulations Knowledge Management Series. These papers provide perspectives on utility resource planning and ongoing portfolio management. Addressing the Effects of Environmental Regulations:… View Summary +
February 8, 2012
Beyond Capacity Markets: Delivering Capability Resources to Europe’s Decarbonising Power System
Delivering a reliable power supply to consumers has always been a central objective of power market design and various solutions to this challenge have been adopted in Europe and elsewhere. In the context of wholesale power markets, these solutions have… View Summary +
May 23, 2011
Modeling a More Efficient Power Plant
In 2003, RAP first developed the concept of the efficiency power plant (EPP), a set of integrated energy efficiency programs whose savings mirror the output of a conventional power plant. Since then, we’ve worked with our Chinese partners to further… View Summary +