Electricity
eLab Accelerator Explores Resilience Options in Sun Valley
The eLab Team is analyzing the solar and other renewable energy potential of the area to determine how much energy the area can produce locally, and the Institute is focused on how to finance the project through a mix of public and private money.
When the Mercury Rises, So Do Electricity Prices. How Demand Flexibility Can Help
The basic law of supply and demand says that as demand surges and/or as supply lags, prices go up. Nowhere have we seen that effect more acutely than with wholesale electricity prices through this exceptionally hot summer in the United States. From the Pacific Northwest to the Southwest to the…
The 10 Questions to Ask When You Hear the Word “Microgrid”
The word “microgrid” can mean many things to different people. The next time you hear about a microgrid, consider asking about the ownership, how it interacts with the larger grid, its size, its purpose and timeline, its infrastructure, and its “smartness.”
Tesla Hitting the Battery Accelerator
No one knows for certain what lower-priced batteries means for the grid. Readily available, cheap storage is certainly capable of changing the grid as we know it, but other factors will all play an important role in the relevance of batteries moving forward.
Are Residential Demand Charges The Next Big Thing in Electricity Rate Design?
Guest author Matt Lehrman is an RMI alum. Demand charges for commercial and industrial customers have long been a part of the electric industry. Since utilities need to build infrastructure to meet both instantaneous and long-term requirements, the utility bill contains both an energy charge, which measures the amount of…