October 20
Evolutions in Demand Response
Top consumer smart grid news hand-selected and brought to you by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.
Member News
Gulf Power’s residential demand response program may be 20+ years old, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t kept up with the times. In fact, last summer it was tapped twice to do something it wasn’t even designed for -- to help the utility’s distribution grid operators avoid blackouts or equipment overloads on a specific feeder.
The Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) will comply with carbon emission reduction targets set under the Clean Power Plan despite the Trump administration dismantling the policy. According to a local publication, the energy distribution company says it will continue with plans to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through 2031.
In Illinois, electricity providers ComEd and Ameren are the first in the country to adopt a new tool that calculates clean air benefits from investments such as advanced meters. ComEd began using the tool last year, and now Ameren will follow suit. Beyond bringing tangible rewards to the utilities, this little-noticed milestone can have major implications for the entire power industry.
I was surprised recently when an email landed in my inbox with a link to an article on the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s (SMUD) adoption of a default time-of-use rate for residential customers. I was even more surprised when I realized that, in fact, SMUD’s Board of Directors had approved the new rate earlier this summer.
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Industry News
Utility-led community solar has not yet seen the skyrocketing growth its advocates promised a few years ago, but a new generation of projects is emerging that could show the way to new possibilities. “The community solar model is still evolving,” energy consultant Jill Cliburn told Utility Dive. Cliburn is project manager for the Department of Energy-backed Community Solar Value Project.
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria have increased the urgency of acting to make our electricity grids more resilient. While America’s utilities have significantly improved grid reliability overall, extreme weather events, including storm surges, floods, heat storms and droughts continue to increase in intensity and frequency.
The California Public Utilities Commission on Oct. 13 unveiled a program that directs 25 percent of funds for distributed energy storage “to low-income households and environmentally burdened communities throughout the state,” the PUC said. Eligible customers also include state and local government agencies, educational institutions, non-profits and small businesses.
Electric vehicle use is expected to grow rapidly, increasing the need for charging options. But while several models are available to develop and fund charging sites, it won't happen automatically, and questions remain about how it will all be paid for. Nevertheless, electric companies are poised to help accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and the expansion of charging infrastructure.
