Opinion: Page 5
The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders
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Why states should prohibit utility political contributions
The 2005 repeal of the Public Utility Holding Company Act left PUCs in 30 states susceptible to political influence, jeopardizing their responsibility to provide consumers with reliable service at just and reasonable rates.
Mark Van Orden • Dec. 19, 2023 -
How offshore wind wins
The path forward for this sector is to rapidly go to scale with a business model that delivers net positive impacts for nature and people.
Johan Bergenas • Dec. 18, 2023 -
The clean energy transition is here — and so are greenwashing claims
These claims have the potential to cause reputational harm to a company while distracting attention from its environmentally beneficial activities.
Majidah Cochran, Melissa Horne, Mindy McGrath, and Andrea Wortzel • Dec. 15, 2023 -
Michigan’s new clean energy package is historic for the country, not just the Midwest
The state is now a test case for the country on how to take a set of bold clean energy policies and realize its goals to decarbonize the electric grid.
Laura Sherman • Dec. 14, 2023 -
No shining example: Texas-style electric deregulation is bad for consumers
Texas power market designers argue that short-term price spikes will encourage long-run investment, but why would power plant owners build more power plants just to make sure prices stay low?
Ed Hirs • Dec. 8, 2023 -
Why is it becoming harder to cancel utility demand response programs than it is to cancel cable?
As innovative DR solutions continue to emerge and mature, fostering a robust DR marketplace in which customers can easily sign up for these new opportunities will be crucial for advancing the distributed energy economy.
Collin Smith • Dec. 4, 2023 -
The US could still get to net zero
Reducing nearly 90% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 can be done without any Hail Mary innovations.
Michael Jung and Adam Agalloco • Dec. 1, 2023 -
Customer experience and other barriers are delaying utilities’ ability to distribute clean energy
The grid infrastructure is severely outdated in most regions, companies are facing a huge upskilling and reskilling challenge in their workforce, and customers are demanding more reliable and affordable clean electricity options.
Natasha Dowling • Nov. 30, 2023 -
Fire safety outreach is critical to energy storage development
Some states may require stronger outreach around safety in exchange for other entitlements, including power purchase agreements and local permissions like zoning and fire code enforcement.
Kelly Sarber and Scott M. Bryant • Nov. 29, 2023 -
Redeveloping retired coal sites into nuclear plants could benefit the planet and the economy
In most regions, the retirement of coal plants will require replacing the power and grid services in some form to meet grid reliability and end-user needs.
Caleb Tomlin • Nov. 27, 2023 -
The Southeast Energy Exchange Market launched a year ago. It still isn’t delivering on its promises.
Over the past year, SEEM’s poor performance has proven its critics right and demonstrated that the energy trading platform is in dire need of a substantial overhaul if it is to be either lawful or beneficial.
Nick Guidi and Chris Carmody • Nov. 22, 2023 -
Retrieved from GE Hitachi.
Wake up, America: 8 actions to boost advanced nuclear and enhance US energy security
Advanced nuclear reactors are no longer our grandparents’ nuclear technology, but the American nuclear permitting apparatus hasn’t caught up, Rep. Byron Donalds writes.
Byron Donalds • Nov. 21, 2023 -
How to finance the world’s growing cooling needs? Blended public-private funding solutions.
On a massive scale, we need third-party private sector financing solutions and targeted funding from international development and government agencies to spur investment in higher efficiency cooling equipment.
Bob Hinkle • Nov. 20, 2023 -
Wildfire risks in the US are soaring. Here’s what utilities can do.
To address the increasing risk of wildfire, utilities must embrace short- and long-term strategies that emphasize asset protection, real-time risk assessment and infrastructure investments.
Judsen Bruzgul and Neil Weisenfeld • Nov. 17, 2023 -
It’s past time for FERC to assess if the US needs more gas infrastructure
If we build gas infrastructure blindly, one thing is certain: Rates we pay for energy will be neither just nor reasonable.
Burçin Ünel and Jennifer Danis • Nov. 14, 2023 -
We need power market rules to reflect the grid as it is today, not as it was 70 years ago
To allow competitive markets to fulfill their potentials, reforms will be required that prioritize reliability, efficient permitting, the integration of new commercially viable resources, and innovation.
Todd Snitchler • Nov. 10, 2023 -
The rate cases are coming: How will utility customers react?
Strong customer opposition to current rate cases could leave utilities in the lurch when it comes to raising funds they need to make good on their promises to improve the safety and sustainability of their operations.
Mark Spalinger • Nov. 9, 2023 -
Mandatory energy disclosures can aid collaboration and sustainability in the cannabis industry
By embracing such disclosures, we can enhance the controlled environment agricultural industry, promote efficient energy use and bridge the gap between growers and regulators.
Bob Gunn • Nov. 8, 2023 -
How America’s grid modernization stakes echo Eisenhower’s interstate revolution
Enacting sound policies that deliver a 21st century grid and spur interregional transmission development will drive tremendous economic and other benefits like our interstate highway system has done.
Jose Zayas • Nov. 6, 2023 -
Big power’s EV charging strategy: Raise rates, overpromise, underdeliver, repeat
We grant publicly regulated utilities certain privileges in exchange for reliability and affordability. When they try to leverage that privilege to corner a new market, they deserve plenty of pushback.
Jay Smith • Nov. 3, 2023 -
Retrieved from BLM California.
Diversify, domesticate and disrupt: Building a robust US solar supply chain
Until the Inflation Reduction Act passed last year, the United States had no solar panel manufacturing policy. Now it has a flawed one.
David M. Hart • Nov. 2, 2023 -
Is the least populated state in the nation leading the next US energy transition?
Wyoming is on track to become a major exporter of wind energy to neighboring states and major urban markets across the West.
John Karakoulakis • Oct. 31, 2023 -
Key lessons for an economical and reliable path to a 100% clean electricity system
While the near- and mid-term path to reach an 80%-90% clean system is relatively clear, the technological mix of the final leg is still highly uncertain.
Derek Stenclik and Priya Sreedharan • Oct. 27, 2023 -
Princeton’s Zero Lab has it wrong on corporate renewable energy procurement and emissions
The authors disagree with Zero Lab’s core conclusion that any procurement strategy other than hourly matching will have “zero or near-zero long-run impact on system-level CO2 emissions.”
Jake Oster, Rob Threlkeld, Chad Reed and Hannah Hunt • Oct. 25, 2023 -
AI can play a game-changing role in the clean energy transformation
People need to be trained on how and when to use AI. Just because you can use AI to solve a problem doesn’t mean you should.
Jeremy Renshaw • Oct. 24, 2023