Electric Light & Power Articles, July 2010

Table of Contents

Columns

Distributed Generation--The Promise and the Problem

The CEO of a major competitive power company, also a former colleague, said to me a few years ago, “The entire legal and regulatory framework that we’ve toiled under throughout our careers will be blown up one day by some technological breakthrough that sneaks in our back door.

Shifting From Economies of Scale to Network Externalities

The structure of the power industry was founded on the premise that the production and delivery of electricity is a natural monopoly and therefore best served by a regulated franchise.

Taking Open Access Beyond 'Tyranny of Small Decisions'

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on June 17 proposed a rulemaking that if implemented promises to complete the quest the agency began ...

Energy Efficiency Program Types

With the rapid funding growth for energy efficiency programs, many utilities are developing programs or expanding existing ones.

Features

Industry News

Electric Utility Industry Investment

Electrifying one of the world’s largest economies isn’t cheap, and raising money to keep the lights on challenges utilities.

100 Countries Montreal 2010

Montreal will host the 21st Congress of the World Energy Council from Sept. 12-16. More than 3,500 delegates representing all energy sectors from more than 100 countries will discuss the energy challenges of the next 25 years.

Sections

Mergers, Acquisitions for Smart Grid Red Hot

The movement to transform the nation’s more than 100-year-old, inefficient electrical grid into a smart grid has gathered momentum during the past few months, and there has been notable merger and acquisition activity.

Distributed Generation--When Customers are Generators

Historically, electric utility customers have been unaware of local energy source options mostly because practical alternatives have been nonexistent. That is changing.

California Moves Ahead With Cap-and-Trade Rules

While conventional wisdom suggests the U.S. Senate will find it hard to join the House of Representatives in passing comprehensive federal climate change legislation, California is moving ahead  ...

Federal Renewable Electric Standard Presents Challenges

Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia have renewable portfolio standards (RPSs), and six other states have set elective renewable energy generation goals.

The American Power Act--Implications, Opportunities for Power Sector

As the international community works toward a climate change pact to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, there is increasing pressure to enact legislation domestically.

Green Collars--Where are the Jobs?

Where are the 5 million green-collar jobs 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama pledged to create within 10 years?

Why Offshore Wind is Viable for Northeastern, East Central Coastal States

In Europe, North Sea-bordering countries have installed numerous offshore wind farms to transform strong, constant sea winds into energy.

Managing Load Shed Performance, Customer Comfort in Peak-demand Programs

Today’s power system is plagued by demand-side and supply-side problems. While these problems have been well-documented, solutions are often oversimplified and in some cases not understood.

Communications Update--Data Standards for Home Energy Management, Renewables Integration

During April’s GreenNet conference in San Francisco, a keynote session panelist made a statement that echoed as a conference theme: The world’s not waiting for the next best technology in smart grid.

CS Week 2010 Pulsed With Energy

Thanks to all the utility people who attended CS Week in Nashville, Tenn., unfazed by the flooding because they deal with emergencies every day.

Power to the People and Utilities

As of May, 83 smart grid projects funded through the stimulus bill are underway in U.S. communities.

ZigBee, IP Integration for Smart Energy, Demand Management

Big money is flowing into smart grid and smart energy development. The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded more than $3.4 billion  ...

Metcalfe's Law--Interoperability and the Smart Grid

The other day while I was participating in a panel at a smart grid conference, someone in the audience asked a question regarding standards and interoperability.

Smart Grid Investment Management

Those of us who have opened a new investment account with a brokerage firm are familiar with a process we are put through to determine our personal risk ...

PEV Filling Stations

Later this year, manufacturers will begin delivering plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs).

Commentary

Commentary

My commentary in last year’s July-August issue discussed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, also called the Waxman-Markey bill.

Current Magazine

July/August 2010
Issue 4
July 2010