Energy efficiency is recognized as a low-cost, reliable resource, yet investments in efficiency programs lag far behind the level needed to capture all cost-effective efficiency resources. Energy efficiency is often undervalued, in large part because many of the benefits it generates can be difficult to analyze and quantify. The Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) aims to…
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Renewable Electricity Futures Study demonstrates that it is feasible to supply 80 percent of America’s power from renewable resources in 2050. Although the nation’s electricity system is already moving in this direction with increasing levels of wind and solar energy, the transformation is far from guaranteed. America’s Power Plan builds on NREL’s…
RAP’s Dr. Eoin Lees was appointed by the European Commission to the Coordinating Group for the Horizon 2020 programme. With sustainable development the overarching focus of the Horizon 2020 funds, Dr. Lees will play a significant role in directing funding dedicated to climate action and resource efficiency. Energy efficiency will receive approximately €5.7 billion over…
Load forecasting for utilities and ISOs is increasingly difficult with a rise in the frequency of extreme weather events, more variable renewable resources on the system, and increasing use of demand-response capabilities. These factors all contribute to less predictable use patterns, which means utilities and regional grid operators are forced to adapt their approaches to…
With more than 150 million Americans living in areas that do not meet current national ambient air quality standards, and the possibility of even more stringent future standards, state air quality agencies cannot afford to overlook the emissions avoided by energy efficiency programs. RAP’s new paper, Quantifying the Air Quality Impacts of Energy Efficiency Policies…
In an interview with StateImpact, senior advisor Mike Hogan suggests that a capabilities market, which values the ability to rapidly change output or flex demand around the energy available from rising shares of variable renewable resources (e.g, wind and solar), is more appropriate for Texas than the capacity market in place now. “It’s way too…
As the International Code Council considers updates to its 2015 model building energy code, senior advisor Jim Lazar calls for greater attention to the role of building energy codes in meeting efficiency standards. He recognizes states such as California, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington as leaders in supporting code compliance as part of state energy efficiency…
As highlighted in Challenge for Wind Power Can be Reaching Customers, wind generators can be forced to curtail their output in the name of maintaining grid reliability. Director of US programs Rich Sedano, describes the challenges faced by ISO New England and renewables developers as the “growing pains of an adolescent industry.” ISO-New England, tasked…
Daniel Holstein, policy officer to German Parliamentarian Bärbel Höhn, renewed interest in demand response when he called it an “underrated resource” that is key to the Energiewende (Energy Transition) in Germany. Despite significant progress towards meeting its Energiewende goals, parliamentarians are still considering the structure and role of German power markets, particularly the role that…
In the intervening decade since the 2003 outage that left 50 million people without electricity, utility investments in electrical grid infrastructure have led to a better managed and more flexible system. In a recent AP article, 10 Years After Blackout, U.S. Grid Faces New Threats, RAP principal Rich Sedano diffuses concerns over the grid’s ability…
