Opinion
The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders
If you are interested in having your voice heard on Utility Dive's Opinion page, please read our editorial guidelines and fill out the submission form here.
-
Trong Nguyen via Getty Images
FERC Order 1920 is a big step forward on transmission planning, but it is not the end game
The rule provides the raw ingredients to transmission providers and states, but the grid of the future will not be built if these entities do not come together and start cooking, FERC Commissioner Allison Clements writes.
Allison Clements • May 15, 2024 -
monkeybusinessimages via Getty Images
Requiem for a DRAM: Charting the future of demand response in California
The current situation is anathema to California’s long-running efforts to build a balanced and open market for demand response, one in which utilities and third-party providers compete on a level playing field.
Collin Smith • May 14, 2024 -
Imaginima via Getty Images
With 78% of requested investments approved, US regulators are backing grid modernization
Contrary to the conventional opinion that regulation is an obstacle to grid modernization, regulators have, in fact, largely demonstrated strong support over the past six years.
Kathy (Huishan) Hu • May 13, 2024 -
Stock Photo via Getty Images
Why the EPA shouldn’t favor school bus electrification
The environmental benefits of vehicle electrification are not as obvious as once thought, and the grid is simply not ready to service the load.
Tucker Perkins • May 10, 2024 -
VISION4RY-L4NGU4GE via Getty Images
Competition in transmission ownership does not lower consumer costs
Opponents of right-of-first-refusal laws claim that incumbent transmission providers have no incentive to reduce costs. The exact opposite is true.
Bill Marsan • May 9, 2024 -
Jose Gulias Trigas via Getty Images
There are 3 fundamental problems with Scope 2 GHG accounting. Here’s how to fix them.
Society cannot afford actions and expenditures to support claims of progress while not accomplishing real-world emission reductions.
Neil Fisher, Roger Ballentine and Armond Cohen • May 8, 2024 -
Permission granted by sonnen, Inc.
If you want ‘virtual power plants,’ first define them
Persistent confusion around VPPs may impede successful policymaking, challenging regulatory commissions, stalling deployments and delaying important benefits to our electricity system.
Ted Ko • May 7, 2024 -
martin_33 via Getty Images
If EPA’s latest power plant rules seem familiar, don’t get fooled again!
The power plant rule that EPA announced on April 25 closely resembles Obama’s Clean Power Plan in key respects — and it will almost certainly suffer the same fate.
Sam Thernstrom • May 6, 2024 -
Sergey Sidorov via Getty Images
FERC and NERC review of winter storm gas failures lacks transparency, key details
Faltering energy system performance — which almost caused rolling blackouts — and insufficient scrutiny and transparency after the fact must not be the new normal with winter storms.
Paul Arbaje • May 3, 2024 -
Andrei Ksenzhuk via Getty Images
Long-term transmission planning will power America’s future
It is in the national interest to approach the power grid the same way we have approached the internet, the interstate highway system and telecommunications.
John Szoka and Ted Thomas • May 2, 2024 -
Permission granted by ISO New England
New early warning system will mitigate energy shortfall risks in New England
ISO New England’s new Probabilistic Energy Adequacy Tool, created jointly with EPRI, is part of the grid operator’s comprehensive and proactive approach to planning for a reliable future power system.
Stephen George and Jinye Zhao • May 1, 2024 -
Douglas Rissing via Getty Images
Solar tariffs are in the spotlight again. Our current approach isn’t the answer.
Provisions in the IRA combined with aggressive tariff policy will cause the price of solar to skyrocket when we need to deploy it at a massive scale to solve the climate crisis.
Dan Whitten • April 30, 2024 -
Silas Bubolu via Getty Images
Is your utility’s online marketplace operating at full power? It might be time for a reboot.
Such marketplaces have raised awareness of energy efficiency and sustainability. But as technologies like LED bulbs and smart thermostats have become commonplace, sales have slowed and traffic has dropped.
Mark Wilkinson • April 29, 2024 -
Phil Augustavo via Getty Images
A single, unified Western power market will deliver affordability, reliability and climate benefits
The expansion of the Western Energy Imbalance Market with a day-ahead market and a new independent governing authority can open major opportunities for customer benefits and increased grid reliability.
Lauren McCloy, Ben Otto, Diego Rivas and Fred Heutte • April 24, 2024 -
imaginima via Getty Images
The case for electricity transmission competition has never been clearer with today’s inflation
Both the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission have found that competitive bidding will improve grid sustainability and resiliency while lowering rates and increasing innovation.
Paul Cicio • April 23, 2024 -
Bilanol via Getty Images
FERC’s final regional transmission rule is coming soon. It has one shot to get it right.
A strong rule will help spur the transmission lines necessary to meet America’s growing energy needs, while also setting the table for a future interregional rule to mitigate the effects of extreme weather.
Ray Long • April 18, 2024 -
pidjoe via Getty Images
The time is ripe for utilities to play a larger role in the energy transition
Utilities should provide upfront support to low- to moderate-income customers for residential electrification and decarbonization measures to prevent them from being stuck on the existing fossil fuel systems.
Dan Bakal • April 16, 2024 -
YinYang via Getty Images
Power grids are facing more demand than ever. Policy needs to catch up.
There is a gap between operational realities and aspirational policies. That gap is growing, and not shrinking as it must.
Todd Snitchler • April 15, 2024 -
Aranga87 via Getty Images
The Future of AI will require an energy breakthrough. The answer is a fusion moonshot.
Skeptics contend that fusion has long promised much but failed to deliver. Historically, that has been true. But there is reason to believe this moment is different.
Ylli Bajraktari • April 12, 2024 -
Oliver de la Haye via Getty Images
Regulators: Don’t panic and rush to gas amid cries we’re out of power
Proposing new gas plants to serve growing demand does not occur in isolation. It is a decision that implicitly rejects alternatives as either infeasible, expensive or unconsidered.
Mike O’Boyle and Eric Gimon • April 11, 2024 -
Permission granted by itselectric
How electric vehicles are lowering electricity bills for everyone
Electric vehicle drivers are saving everyone billions of dollars on their monthly electricity bills, a recent study by Synapse Energy Economics found.
Jordan Brinn • April 10, 2024 -
jitendrajadhav via Getty Images
Can Retail Choice 2.0 succeed where Retail Choice 1.0 (maybe) failed?
Retail Choice 2.0 is capable of unlocking more value than ever, through smart meters, telecommunications infrastructure, AI, electrified homes and even social media, enabling both real-time feedback and customer education.
Allison Bates Wannop • April 9, 2024 -
schwartstock via Getty Images
Maximizing the value of IRA tax incentives while minimizing investment compliance risk
The IRA is the single largest investment in clean energy in U.S. history, but industry will only benefit from the estimated $1.2 trillion in incentives if the tax credits can be successfully monetized.
Charles Dauber • April 8, 2024 -
Imaginima via Getty Images
Grid reliability’s core challenge is governance, not a changing resource mix
An outdated and parochial oversight system is the biggest threat to U.S. grid reliability.
Alexandra Klass, Josh Macey, Shelley Welton and Hannah Wiseman • April 4, 2024 -
audioundwerbung via Getty Images
Supporting strategic end uses is key to making hydrogen hubs the building blocks to scale
We must deploy clean hydrogen strategically to decarbonize sectors of the economy that are hard to electrify and unlock its true potential to accelerate the phaseout of fossil fuels.
Cihang Yuan and Daniel Riley • April 3, 2024
