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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 5, 2017
Retooling Regulation: Breaking the Trail Forward
- Christopher James ,
- Ken Colburn
In our prior Retooling Regulation posts, we illuminated the need to integrate energy and environmental regulatory planning processes, spotlighted recommended steps to do so via a process we’ve dubbed “E-Merge,” and considered the legality of such an… View Summary +
March 13, 2018
Energy Efficiency 2.0: New Questions, Same Answer
- Ken Colburn
One of RAP’s longtime mantras is: “Efficiency is the answer. What’s the question?” We’ve demonstrated that energy efficiency provides a “layer cake” of multiple benefits, that it could help us meet almost a third of power system demand… 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 +
October 3, 2019
Value Added: Measuring the Health Benefits of the “Layer Cake”
- Jim Lazar ,
- Nancy Seidman
In 2013, RAP released a pathbreaking publication, Recognizing the Full Value of Energy Efficiency. We refer to the main concept of this paper as “the layer cake,” after its centerpiece concept analogizing the multiple benefits of energy efficiency as… View Summary +
August 30, 2021
The Unsung Hero of the Climate Fight: Energy Efficiency
- Elaine Prause
It’s official: There is absolutely no time to waste, and our mission is clear. Whether or not you were surprised by the key findings from the recently released Working Group 1 contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of… View Summary +
August 9, 2016
The Duck is Learning to Fly in California and Hawaii
- Jim Lazar
I took a look at electricity data recently from California and Hawaii and I saw a duck that was learning to fly. Well, what I saw was that the so-called Duck Curve–the load shape some grid operators… View Summary +
February 9, 2017
Utilities Can Get a “LEG” Up with Beneficial Electrification—But Regulators Also Have to be Ready
- Ken Colburn ,
- Richard Sedano
In a series of blog posts over the last several weeks, RAP has spotlighted the opportunities associated with beneficial electrification—the practice of electrifying appliances and machines that are currently powered by fossil fuels. Embracing beneficial electrification provides a significant opportunity… View Summary +
October 17, 2017
Excess Rooftop Solar Generation, A Source of Help for Neighbors
- Janine Migden-Ostrander ,
- Dara Torre
It seems that almost overnight, huge numbers of American electricity consumers have become electricity producers, mostly via their rooftop solar systems. Today, these Americans aren’t just pulling electrons from the grid, they are adding to the supply of… View Summary +
November 21, 2017
How Do You Know If “The Price Is Right” for Community Solar Programs?
- John Shenot
In television’s longest running game show, contestants are challenged to guess the prices of a wide variety of consumer goods. The contestant who comes closest to the actual price, without going over, is the winner. I found myself thinking about… 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 +