Both Poland and Germany are actively debating resource adequacy and system security. While both countries have different resource mixes and different immediate challenges, both are considering power market reform to meet system needs, including the role that a capacity mechanism might play. The Capacity Market–a Solution for the Future? conference, organized by the Center for…

As more variable renewable generation comes online, grid operators are facing new challenges posed by the change in daily load shape. A duck-shaped curve illustrates the load shape some grid operators expect to contend with as increasing levels of wind and solar resources create ramping challenges for conventional generation. While some entrenched interests use this…

An unlikely animal is the new face of renewable energy in the US. The “duck” curve illustrates the load shape some grid operators expect to contend with as increasing levels of wind and solar resources create ramping challenges for conventional generation. In a webinar held by The Clean Energy States Alliance RPS Collaborative on Friday,…

Demand-side management (DSM) measures can be used to support electricity grids by relieving network constraints and/or providing services for electricity network system operators. The International Energy Agency Demand Side Management Programme hosted David Crossley for a webinar on May 7, 2014, exploring the results from detailed case studies of 64 DSM grid support projects from 13 different…

In 2014, the Mid-Atlantic Distributed Resources Initiative (MADRI) will focus on partial service requirements for distributed generators (DG), emphasizing but not limiting the discussion to combined heat and power and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems installed by utility customers. At the direction of the MADRI Commissioners Steering Committee and the Staff Steering Committee, this meeting will continue recent…

Combined heat and power (CHP) systems offer industrial and commercial owners stable energy prices, lower overall energy costs, and reliable power during grid outages. Although CHP and other distributed resources have proven to be reliable and to pose little risk to utility operations, many standby rates are designed with overly conservative assumptions on system reliability,…

Jim Lazar provided the Burbank City Council with a condensed overview of recommended practices for addressing the challenges faced by Burbank Water and Power in integrating higher levels of variable renewable energy sources. In just over ten minutes, Mr. Lazar guided the Council through ten strategies for utilizing existing technologies to meet steep ramping requirements…

On March 5, 2014, RAP joined the Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB) for a webinar on forthcoming United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations on carbon emissions from existing power plants under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act. Listen in as David Farnsworth and John Shenot present an overview of policy options states may…

Installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity more than tripled in the past three years, while installed costs for residential and commercial systems have fallen by about 30 percent. Industry analysts forecast that PV capacity will double from current levels by the end of 2015. Increased adoption of distributed generation, particularly distributed solar PV, will change utility-customer…

During this panel at the NARUC Winter Committee Meetings, Carl Linvill (RAP) will discuss how regulators can evolve distributed generation tariffs to ensure fair compensation of customer resources and grid resources as the role of distributed generation grows. Drawing on RAP’s recent paper, Designing Distributed Generation Tariffs Well, Mr. Linvill will provide 12 principles to guide regulators as they…