The OurEnergyLibrary aggregates and indexes publicly available fact sheets, journal articles, reports, studies, and other publications on U.S. energy topics. It is updated every week to include the most recent energy resources from academia, government, industry, non-profits, think tanks, and trade associations. Suggest a resource by emailing us at info@ourenergypolicy.org.
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The Power System Engineering Research Center (PSERC) engages in technological, market, and policy research for an efficient, secure, resilient, adaptable, and economic U.S. electric power system. PSERC, as a founding partner of the Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions (CERTS), conducted a multi-year program of research for U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) to develop new methods, tools, and technologies to protect and enhance the reliability and efficiency of the U.S. electric power system as competitive electricity market structures evolve, and as the grid moves toward wide-scale use of decentralized generation (such as …
View Full ResourceIn grid-integrated wholesale power markets operated by independent system operators and regional transmission organizations (simply referred to here as ISOs), the reliability of the bulk power system is a necessary foundation for the market’s efficient operation. However, at times, reliability practices can inadvertently work to undermine market efficiency. One such practice is the use of reliability-must-run (RMR) agreements to keep a retiring generator in service to meet reliability standards. The effect of such rules is often to bias investment toward the cost-of-service regulated transmission grid and away from the market-driven generator and competitive retail sectors. The result is a less …
View Full ResourceBrattle Principals Metin Celebi, Judy Chang, Marc Chupka, Sam Newell, and Ira Shavel authored a report that supported comments a diverse coalition of energy companies submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in response to Secretary of Energy Rick Perry’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (DOE NOPR). The NOPR would place eligible coal and nuclear units under cost-of-service tariffs within regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs) with energy and capacity markets.
The report which was filed with the comment on October 23, 2017, noted that:
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There is no evidence demonstrating that RTOs/ISOs need to subsidize resources with
Pursuant to section 403 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (DOE Act), the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) is proposing a rule for final action by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC). The Secretary is proposing the Commission exercise its authority under sections 205 and 206 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), to establish just and reasonable rates on Commission-approved independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs) to ensure that certain reliability and resilience attributes of electric generation resources are fully valued. The Secretary is directing the Commission to take final action on this proposal within …
View Full ResourceOn April 14, 2017, Energy Secretary Rick Perry issued a memorandum requesting a study to examine electricity markets and reliability. With this document, Department of Energy (DOE) staff are delivering a study that seeks not only to evaluate the present status of the electricity system, but more importantly to exercise foresight to help ensure a system that is reliable, resilient, and affordable long into the future. Therefore, while carefully acknowledging history, this study focuses on the present trajectory of trends that are of particular concern in meeting those long-term goals.…
View Full ResourceThe U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) new report on the U.S. electric grid makes valuable recommendations for expanding access to reliable, low-cost electricity by streamlining approval of electric transmission infrastructure and using markets to procure essential reliability services. As a low-cost source of energy that can provide reliability services as well as or better than conventional power plants, wind energy will flourish with the expansion of markets and infrastructure…
View Full ResourceNASA has predicted that the path of a total solar eclipse will directly affect North American bulk power system (BPS) operations on August 21, 2017. 1, 2 The United States power generation resource mix has become more diverse. The diversity in generation is driven in part by national and state renewable portfolio standards as well as increased environmental regulations. Total solar capacity (distribution and transmission connected) in the United States has increased from 5 MW in 2000 to 42,619 MW in 2016. A total solar eclipse occurred across Continental Europe, Nordic Countries, and Great Britain in 2015. This solar eclipse …
View Full ResourceIn today’s electricity system with low natural gas prices, negligible demand growth, and the proliferation of efficient natural gas-fired generation and renewable generation, “baseload” power plants like coal and nuclear are earning less market revenue than before. This report sheds light on why coal and nuclear plants have become less economical, why their ability to produce power continuously throughout most of the year is less essential in today’s supply mix, and why operational flexibility is an increasingly important ingredient for a cost-effective supply of electricity. Overall, this report explains that the use of the term “baseload” generation is no longer …
View Full ResourceA number of analyses, meta-analyses, and assessments, including those performed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the International Energy Agency, have concluded that deployment of a diverse portfolio of clean energy technologies makes a transition to a low-carbon-emission energy system both more feasible and less costly than other pathways. In contrast, Jacobson et al. [Jacobson MZ, Delucchi MA, Cameron MA, Frew BA (2015) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 112(49):15060–15065] argue that it is feasible to provide “low-cost solutions to the grid reliability problem with 100% penetration of …
View Full ResourceWhen Hurricane Sandy cut off power to millions of homes and businesses in the Northeast, a few areas, mostly parts of universities, kept the lights on using their own power generation systems. This ability to sustain electricity service during widespread natural disasters is one reason for the growing interest in microgrids. But they offer other important benefits as well. By increasing efficiency, integrating renewables, and helping manage energy supply and demand, microgrids can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save energy. For utilities, microgrids can ensure power reliability in remote areas. Microgrids also appeal to those who want to disconnect from …
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