FORESIGHT Climate & Energy’s Post

As the energy transition speeds up, regulators in the US are tackling big challenges. Three at the top of mind at NARUC's annual meeting? Wildfire mitigation, resource adequacy, and affordability. Facing inflation, supply chain problems, and load growth issues (beyond the growing threat of extreme weather), utilities need to work together with their PUCs to best protect and serve their communities. Strategic, data-driven decision making around operations is key. As Oregon PUC Megan Decker rightly pointed out, "That fundamental responsibility—to be figuring out ways to lessen the impact on ratepayers and to make sure that the value proposition is strong for the investments that are being made—is really our core job." Read more in the Utility Dive recap: https://lnkd.in/eDFDz7SF

You might've seen the recent news that energy costs continue to drive up inflation. Well, at W+P we saw this as an opportunity to secure coverage in City AM for our client tem. Using stats from the recent research report launched by tem., this article advocates for a fairer, more resilient energy system to empower and protect British businesses. Read the full article in City AM, right here 👉 https://lnkd.in/er_yS-zE

ICYMI: There is a lot of talk about federal transmission policy related to planning, permitting, and costs. Rightly so. A robust transmission system is critical to economic, energy, and national security objectives, but getting from here to there ain't easy. A new DOE paper seeks to inform those discussions, and includes an analysis of the potential impacts of various generic federal actions. We find large potential benefits of action. Under an enhanced transmission scenario that addresses a subset of key bottlenecks to both regional and interregional transmission, the report finds: 👉By enabling access to low-cost generation and sharing reliability resources over broader regions, electricity consumers could save $320 billion through 2050 relative to a future with restricted transmission growth (enhanced transmission 2, in figure below). 👉 Added transmission would be beneficial during periods of grid-system stress when the reliability of electricity supply is at risk. 👉 If cost savings from enhanced transmission lines are reinvested in reliability improvements, 5.5 million fewer households are estimated to lose power for an hour each year. 👉 Peaking power plant capacity could be reduced by 68 GW by 2041 relative to a restricted transmission future, reducing pollution that disproportionately impacts disadvantaged communities. 👉 Clean electricity will grow more rapidly, reducing cumulative power sector carbon dioxide emissions by 3,420 million metric tons through 2050. Cumulative emissions are 18% lower in an enhanced transmission scenario than they are in a restricted transmission scenario. 👉 Climate and human health benefits through 2050, when monetized, sum to $730 billion and $50 billion, respectively, relative to a restricted transmission future. New study here: https://lnkd.in/gpbc2ZNW

Explicit ‘Capacity Markets’ in the EU? It means << Explicit booking of network interconnections + Explicit contracts of delivery>> … = Better? = Worse? >> Or ‘’Much Ado About Nothing’’? Our Florence School of Regulation tackles the issue 👇

⚡ The world’s electricity grids are forecast to double in length by 2050. This piece explores four areas of potential that are linked to grids’ expansion and modernisation. Click to learn more >> https://ow.ly/Axfa50RiP5z

Pleased to share some exciting news ! 📢🎉 Elise Viadere, PhD candidate and member of the economic team in the DemandFlex Project, is publishing a research paper : “Promoting energy-sharing communities: Why and how? Lessons from a Belgian pilot project” in Energy Policy. ⚡💡 While officially part of the March 2025 edition, the paper is already accessible online. The paper explains why energy-sharing communities need policy support, especially through changes in network tariffs, and explores how to design that support in a fair and efficient way. The case study shows that even energy-sharing communities with high self-consumption might struggle to cover their costs without the right policies. The research shows that simple capacity-based tariff adjustments do little to curb peak demand. It recommends focusing tariff adjustments on communities equipped to manage energy use actively, leveraging real-time data and flexible technologies.   Link: https://lnkd.in/emsSZmbR

Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show that data centres in Ireland - now account for *more than 20%* of the nation's total electricity use - which equates to more electricity than *all* urban homes in the country combined and *twice* as much as all rural households Ireland currently hosts= - 82 operational data centres, - with 14 more under construction - and planning approval granted for an additional 40, = predicting a 65% growth in the sector in the coming years / 136 centres! This trend cancels out Ireland's energy security, climate commitments, reductions Data centres overconsumption of water and electricity are leading to blackouts and water shortages for communities We need an immediate moratorium combined with new policy and regulatory system to address this #FeministClimateJustice https://lnkd.in/gb-d73tZ

💡 Highlights 💡 from new article ‘How much storage do we need in a fully electrified future?’ by Greg Marsden Elizabeth Shove and me: -Current approaches to estimating future storage needs are challenged. -Greater attention is needed to the temporality and spatiality of demand. -There is a false equivalence between storage and demand side management. -Patterns of demand are changing and matter to what is assumed for storage. -Greater integrations with scenarios of social futures would benefit storage research. https://lnkd.in/e8vfEkpZ Energy Demand Research Centre (EDRC)

#CapacityMechanisms are increasingly part of the European electricity market design. Their introduction has implications for energy markets and inevitably generates spill-over effects in the markets of neighbouring countries. How can the EU minimise those distortions? Is explicit participation in neighbouring capacity markets an improvement or not? We are going to discuss this with our colleague Emma Menegatti and two guest discussants, Derek Bunn from London Business School and Elina (Evangelia) Spyrou from Imperial College London Marzia Sesini, PhD Florence School of Regulation #FSRInsights https://lnkd.in/dXsn5-2u

Hickey Global - Hickey Institute Running Out of Power Report Webinar Date & Time: Nov 6, 2024 01:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada) Description: Join experts to explore the latest report from the Hickey Institute - Running Out of Power. https://lnkd.in/gz9z7Xfd With unprecedented demand, challenged capacity, aging infrastructure, and increasing severe weather events, America is facing a daunting future.  Businesses need to be evaluating a multitude of factors related to their power requirements and grid reliability, while also navigating calls for enhancing their environmental footprint. Experts from across the Hickey Institute will dig into the root challenges facing the nation’s power situation, the current and future demand on the grid, exciting new technologies and creative solutions, and how communities and companies can navigate the uncharted waters ahead. Register now to secure your spot! https://lnkd.in/d3n8mCm8