Creating a Smarter U.S. Electricity Grid

The U.S. electric power system consists of a well defined set of basic components. Electricity is “manufactured” in generating plants. These generating plants are now typically located relatively far from where the electricity is consumed. The high voltage transmission network both “transports” electricity from where it is produced to locations closer to where it is consumed and allows for the economical and reliable integration of dispersed generating facilities connected to the same synchronized. Alternating Current (AC) transmission network. Electricity is then delivered to lower voltage sub-transmission transmission lines, and ultimately to even lower voltage local distribution networks where it is …

Climate Tech Book: Smart Grid

The smart grid is a concept referring to the application of digital technology to the electric power sector. It is not one specific technology. Rather, the smart grid consists of a suite of technologies expected to improve the performance, reliability, and controllability of the electrical grid. Many of these technologies have been employed in other sectors of the economy, such as the telecommunications and manufacturing sectors.…

Environmental Regulation and Electric System Reliability

The electric power sector in the United States faces a changing market environment, one that features reduced or flattened demand, low natural gas prices, new environmental regulations, and continued uncertainty about the future regulation of carbon. Among the regulations recently proposed or currently under development by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are rules to address air pollution transport, air toxics, coal ash, and cooling water intake structures at existing plants. These regulations are expected to result in significant public health and environmental benefits that, when monetized, are well in excess of compliance costs.…

Quantifying the Value of Hydropower in the Electric Grid: Role of Hydropower in Existing Markets

How to Estimate the Value of Service Reliability Improvements

A robust methodology for estimating the value of service reliability improvements is presented. Although econometric models for estimating value of service (interruption costs) have been established and widely accepted, analysts often resort to applying relatively crude interruption cost estimation techniques in assessing the economic impacts of transmission and distribution investments. This paper first shows how the use of these techniques can substantially impact the estimated value of service improvements. A simple yet robust methodology that does not rely heavily on simplifying assumptions is presented. When a smart grid investment is proposed, reliability improvement is one of the most frequently cited …

US National Power Demand Study

New data reveals the U.S. is facing a historic opportunity: electricity demand is projected to surge 35-50% by 2040, driven by domestic manufacturing growth, data centers, and mass electrification.

A landmark study coming later this month—conducted by S&P Global Commodity Insights and commissioned by the American Clean Power Association with the support of additional partners (below)—will reveal how America’s domestic energy resources must be mobilized to meet this challenge:

– Record-Breaking Growth: The next decade will require more new electricity than any period in our nation’s history
– All-of-the-Above Solutions: Wind power, solar energy, energy storage, natural gas, and nuclear …

Rethinking Load Growth: Assessing the Potential for Integration of Large Flexible Loads in US Power Systems

A key solution to the United States’ soaring electrical demand—driven by unprecedented electricity needs from data centers and their booming artificial intelligence workloads, alongside other consumers—is load flexibility. Flexibility allows large electricity users to temporarily reduce consumption during periods of grid stress by shifting workloads, utilizing on-site generation, or adjusting operations. By leveraging flexibility, new large loads can be interconnected more quickly while reducing the need for premature investment in additional power plants and transmission lines—offering a hedge against uncertainty in future electricity demand in light of the release of DeepSeek.

This first-of-its-kind, national-scale analysis provides a first-order estimate of …

Robust Fault Detection and Classification in Power Transmission Lines via Ensemble Machine Learning Models

Transmission lines are vital for delivering electricity over long distances, yet they face reliability challenges due to faults that can disrupt power supply and pose safety risks. This research introduces a novel approach for fault detection and classification by analyzing voltage and current patterns across transmission line phases. Leveraging a comprehensive dataset of diverse fault scenarios, various machine learning algorithms—including Random Forest (RF), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks—are evaluated. An ensemble methodology, RF-LSTM Tuned KNN, is proposed to enhance detection accuracy and robustness. Results indicate that RF-LSTM Tuned KNN achieves a remarkable accuracy of 99.96% on …

Equitable Resilience: Opportunities to Advance Solar Paired with Battery Storage in Historically Marginalized Communities

The number of solar and battery storage installations nationwide is increasing year-over-year. Yet, these technologies remain largely inaccessible to historically marginalized communities, including low-income communities, communities of color, and environmental justice communities. As power outages continue to increase in occurrence and severity – due, primarily, to more extreme weather events and the failure of outdated fossil-fuel polluting energy infrastructure – the economic, reliability, and resilience benefits of battery storage will be more important than ever.  

This report by Clean Energy Group (CEG) presents findings resulting from the Resilience, Storage and Grid Benefits Community of Practice, an effort through the Equitable …

Harnessing the Potential of Flexible Demand Response in Emerging Markets – Lessons Learned and International Best Practices

Demand response (DR) programs incentivize electricity consumers to adjust their consumption in response to supply conditions or price signals. Increasingly, electricity demand is being utilized as a resource to support reliable and efficient grid operations. Controlling electricity demand, along with battery energy storage systems, provides essential grid flexibility, enabling the integration of larger share of renewable energy, such as solar and wind, into a country’s energy mix. As the transition to clean energy accelerates, the role of DR is expected to expand significantly, yet it remains underutilized in many developing countries.

This ESMAP report explores the concept of DR and …