The Energy Optimist

著者： The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)
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  • Welcome to The Energy Optimist, a monthly podcast brought to you by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Each episode, we tackle a thorny energy policy challenge in bite-sized interviews with leading experts. We start with the bad news and end with what increasingly feels like a radical idea: that there are reasons for optimism. If you're new to how we regulate the energy system, we'll demystify it for you. If you're a seasoned practitioner, we'll hopefully leave you with renewed optimism to keep doing the work to improve our energy system.
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Welcome to The Energy Optimist, a monthly podcast brought to you by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Each episode, we tackle a thorny energy policy challenge in bite-sized interviews with leading experts. We start with the bad news and end with what increasingly feels like a radical idea: that there are reasons for optimism. If you're new to how we regulate the energy system, we'll demystify it for you. If you're a seasoned practitioner, we'll hopefully leave you with renewed optimism to keep doing the work to improve our energy system.
社会科学 科学
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  • Episode 07: Interconnection Policies—The Electric Grid’s “Rules of the Road”

    Episode 07: Interconnection Policies—The Electric Grid’s “Rules of the Road”
    2024/12/17
    This episode of The Energy Optimist explores a topic that is a central focus of much of IREC’s regulatory work: interconnection. Interconnection policies can be thought of as the “rules of the road” for the electric grid. They govern how systems that produce electricity are permitted to connect to the grid. These policies are a critical factor in how efficiently and affordably clean energy can be developed, though they remain relatively behind the scenes in terms of public awareness of them. We dig into what happens in the interconnection process, some of the common pitfalls, and what defines effective interconnection policies. Key Takeaways: Interconnection rules govern how energy-generating and electrification projects connect to the electric grid. State-level interconnection rules define these processes for local clean energy projects—like community solar, rooftop solar, and home batteries (also known as distributed energy resources or DERs). Interconnection is something of a “hidden issue” in the delivery of climate change solutions. Few Americans are aware of the process, but it determines how efficiently clean energy technologies can access the grid to deliver climate (and other) benefits. The steps in the interconnection process vary depending on the type and size of project. The process always starts with the customer submitting an interconnection application that provides key details to the utility about the project they are seeking to connect to the grid, regardless of the project size and type. The interconnection process exists to ensure that the safety and reliability of the electric grid will not be negatively impacted by projects that are seeking to connect to it; if such impacts may result, the electric utility determines what is needed to prevent them (such as making infrastructure upgrades). Smaller projects, which are less likely to cause adverse impacts to the grid, go through a simpler screening process by the utility. Larger projects on the other hand, typically go through a detailed “study process” in which the utility seeks to identify potential grid impacts. If the utility identifies potential negative impacts, it then identifies needed grid upgrades and how much they will cost. Common challenges in the interconnection process include: Delays: Currently, many states have significant interconnection backlogs, which can add months or years to development timelines. Delays have a variety of causes, including: inefficient processes that are not suited to the current volume of projects, construction timelines, supply chain issues and delays in acquiring needed equipment. Lack of clarity: Interconnection rules that can be interpreted differently by different parties result in uncertainty and disputes. Misalignment with new technologies: Interconnection rules need to be updated as new technologies like energy storage become more prevalent. New technologies may operate differently from technologies the rules were originally written for and thus changes may be needed to ensure the rules enable the full use of those technologies' capabilities and don’t create unnecessary barriers. Grid upgrade costs: When grid upgrades are needed, costs can be another challenge. Currently, most states have policies that require the developer of the project that “triggers” the upgrades to cover the full cost of the infrastructure improvements. Since these costs can be very high (sometimes exceeding the cost of the project itself), they can result in projects being canceled. This in turn can result in sections of the grid remaining inaccessible to new clean energy projects for long periods. Some states are beginning to explore alternative approaches to distribute the costs of grid upgrades. There is also a growing effort to proactively make grid investments to ensure that the grid can accommodate projects that align with policy goals. Effective interconnection rules must include: Transparency: Interconnection rules should provide customers with visibility into timelines, costs, and grid conditions so they can make informed decisions. Visibility into grid conditions enables customers to understand optimal locations to site projects and the constraints on how much energy those projects can send to the grid without upgrades. This benefits all parties by reducing time spent on projects with a low likelihood of success. Hosting capacity analyses, which are essentially a map of grid conditions are one tool for enabling this visibility. Timelines and accountability: Interconnection rules should specify exactly how long each step of the process takes and include deadlines for the relevant party, whether that is the utility or the customer. Systems for holding parties accountable for delays must be built in; this includes mechanisms for tracking key data—such as how long certain steps actually take, as well as consequences when timelines or ...
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    35 分
  • Episode 06: Career Reflections & Reasons for Hope from an Incoming Utility Regulator

    Episode 06: Career Reflections & Reasons for Hope from an Incoming Utility Regulator
    2024/09/25
    When this podcast launched last year, it was led by my former colleague Radina Valova, IREC’s Regulatory Vice President. A couple of months ago, Radina got some very exciting career news which is part of why this podcast has been on a bit of a hiatus. In June, Radina was appointed as a Commissioner on the New York Public Service Commission, the utility regulatory body for New York. In this role, she will work to deliver on the Commission's mandate of ensuring electricity safety, reliability, affordability, and achieving New York's energy and climate goals. Her last day at IREC was June 18.This was of course a bittersweet moment for our team. We were sad to lose Radina as a colleague, but also very heartened to know that the people of New York will get to benefit from her commitment to advancing the public interest through sound energy regulatory policy. And we’re proud to see Radina’s electricity and clean energy regulatory expertise recognized in this way.Although Radina is no longer with IREC, we are excited to continue to host the Energy Optimist podcast and strive to build her vision for this show to demystify energy policy issues, with a focus on reasons for optimism.Before Radina’s last day, she and I took some time to sit down for a transition episode. This episode that you’ll be listening to today is a bit different from our normal policy-based interviews, focusing more on how Radina got to this point in her career, and what makes her optimistic about our energy policy trajectory. I hope you enjoy the discussion! Key Takeaways: Long-time Energy Optimist podcast host and former IREC Regulatory Vice President was appointed as a Commissioner on the New York Public Service Commission, the utility regulatory body for the state, earlier this year. Her last day with IREC was June 18, 2024. As a New York Public Service Commissioner, Valova will have significant authority in shaping New York’s utility and clean energy markets and its ability to meet its ambitious climate change and clean energy targets as one of seven members of the Commission. This interview, recorded prior to her first day as a utility Commissioner, explores Radina’s career to date and her advice for others interested in following a similar path. We also discuss her strategies for maintaining a hopeful and constructive perspective in the face of sometimes challenging energy and climate news, and her personal reasons for optimism. Highlights: “…my first piece of advice… from a career perspective for lawyers in particular is if you have the opportunity to work with a smaller firm, go for it. I know larger firms can come with a bigger paycheck and can come with other advantages, but you're much less likely to get the breadth and depth of experience immediately after being admitted to the bar the way that you would with smaller firms.” “the biggest takeaway for me from [my career so far] has been that very few of us know, the moment we enter college or when we graduate, where we're going to land in our careers and there is very little sense in worrying about it because life has a way of offering opportunities and sending you in different directions that you could never have expected. And as long as you put in the work, and you're open to learning new skills, and then transferring those skills to wherever you go in the future, you can build a really solid career that way.” “my favorite quote to keep me optimistic is ‘Just because you can't do everything, doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything.’ No one can solve every single ill in the world, but we can all do something to make the world a better place, whatever issue you're working on.” “I think what gives me hope the most is knowing how far we've already come…. within the energy space. You have laws like New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, like in Illinois, the Clean Energy Jobs Act. You have these very forward-thinking legislative actions that are shaping the way that we operate the energy system for the benefit of ratepayers, for the benefit of the environment, and energy equity—in a way that I don't think any of us could have imagined, you know, 10, 15, 20 years ago. I think if you had asked advocates back then, do you think you're likely to see many states across the country adopting ambitious laws like the CLCPA or like CEJA, they probably would have said, ‘No, it doesn't, it doesn't seem possible.’ But now here we are, and more and more states are doing that. So I think for me, I have hope because I see what we've already managed to accomplish.” Resources and Further Readings: This 2016 white paper from the New York State government provides an overview of the state’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) process, an effort to transform energy regulation in the state, with stated goals that included achieving the following by 2030: a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels;...
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    27 分
  • Episode 05: A Tale of Two Grids (Distribution vs. Transmission System)

    Episode 05: A Tale of Two Grids (Distribution vs. Transmission System)
    2023/11/21
    Today’s guest, Lorraine Akiba, is President/CEO of LHA Ventures. Lorraine is a recognized thought leader with technical expertise and knowledge in the development of Hawaii’s renewable and clean energy policy and regulatory framework. Previously, she was Commissioner at the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, which presides over all regulated public utility matters in the state. Prior to this appointment, she was a partner at McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP and at Cades Schutte LLP, and led the environmental practice teams at both firms. Lorraine co-chairs the Low Income Consumer Solar Working Group of the Low Income Energy Issues Forum, a diverse national consortium focused on innovations that make utility service more affordable. Specifically, the solar working group is addressing actions and recommendations for successful integration of community solar. She is also a member of the Resiliency Strategy Steering Committee for the City and County of Honolulu and is a member of the U.S.-Japan Council. Lorraine holds a JD from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and graduated with honors from the University of California at Berkeley with a BA in political science. For a more in-depth background on how the traditional U.S. electric grid works, see the Energy Information Administration’s Electricity Explained: How Electricity is Delivered to Consumers. For more on how the system is changing with grid modernization and the integration of distributed energy resources, see the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s A Playbook for Modernizing the Distribution Grid. For an in-depth primer on how the energy system is regulated in the U.S., read the Regulatory Assistance Project’s Electricity Regulation in the United States. The episode touches on microgrids, which are “a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources that acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the grid. It can connect and disconnect from the grid to operate in grid-connected or island mode” (from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory). Put simply, a microgrid connects one or more customers to a local energy resource (which could be renewable, like solar or storage, or fossil-fired) and can be operated independently from the grid. The episode walks broadly through:  what the electric distribution system is;what the electric transmission system is; and how they intersect and why it's important to operate them in coordination with one another. Key Takeaways: We need closer coordination between the transmission and distribution systems “Both the transmission and the distribution system have to work in concert with each other in order to ensure a safe and reliable energy system. That synergy is becoming increasingly complex as distributed energy resources, like local solar and storage, grow. But this is also one of the most exciting areas of policy and technical innovation…” Climate change and extreme weather events make it even more imperative to have better coordination between the distribution and transmission systems: “As we can see, just this month across our country, extreme weather climate change impacts are wreaking havoc on the energy system. From a management perspective, to be able to deal with outages or to be able to bring power back up again, there needs to be that integration. There needs to be some redundancy and to be able to have resilience to address these challenges.That's why I'm a firm believer that it is important to really be able to utilize the distributed energy resources, the distribution system, which is closer to where the demand is, so the supply actually can meet the demand. But with more climate impacts—whether it's wildfires, or hurricanes, or typhoons, or what have you, floods—it is more important to be able to keep communities and smaller areas energized. We have the technology to do it, if we can make sure to coordinate between the two systems of delivery of energy.” DERs and microgrids can serve as resilience and reliability resources: “There has to be enough reliability, resilience, should something like a hurricane occur, an earthquake occur that disrupts that system. You can make better usage of the distributed energy resources. And in fact, they can actually be the means to have resilience. If something's happening climate-wise or a storm comes in, you could maybe power stuff locally through a microgrid and isolate off pockets of a larger transmission system so that the whole system doesn't go down. That's kind of the concept in Hawaii.”  
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    28 分

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