Policymakers Can't Keep Up With Battery and Solar Costs

Policymakers Can't Keep Up With Battery and Solar Costs

It's difficult to keep up with cost and performance trends for technologies like batteries and solar PV. It's particularly hard for regulators and policymakers, who often rely on outdated analysis. The latest example comes from California, where the California Independent System Operator is using three-year-old data on battery and solar costs as it evaluates alternatives to a natural gas peaker plant. The cost of lithium-ion batteries and solar PV have come down precipitously since then. So why are regulators using such ancient data to make this crucial decision? This is not an isolated incident. In this episode, we talk about the questionable analysis behind the Puente natural gas plant in Southern California. We'll also discuss some other examples of faulty data being used for energy planning decisions. Finally, we'll speculate on some possible solutions to the chronic problem. Read Julian Spector's story on the faulty analysis: https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/energy-storage-nrg-puente-gas-peaker-plant-cost See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(343)

Sunrun CEO Lynn Jurich Imagines the Future of Solar

Sunrun CEO Lynn Jurich Imagines the Future of Solar

Sunrun is now the largest standalone solar company in the U.S. And as a public company, it faces increased scrutiny of its solar services model from investors who are skeptical about residential solar...

25 Mai 201743min

Mary Powell Is Not Your Typical Utility Executive

Mary Powell Is Not Your Typical Utility Executive

Mary Powell has a simple mantra: "Culture eats strategy." Since taking over as CEO of Green Mountain Power, she's implemented a startup culture that represents a dramatic departure from a traditional ...

10 Mai 201753min

Tesla's Grid Storage Architect

Tesla's Grid Storage Architect

Since the day Tesla was founded, executives saw stationary storage as a compliment to the electric car business. That was Martin Eberhard's plan when he co-founded the company and envisioned the Tesla...

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New York's Historic Utility Reform, Three Years On

New York's Historic Utility Reform, Three Years On

In April of 2014, three of New York's most influential figures in energy -- Governor Andrew Cuomo, state "energy czar" Richard Kauffman and then-chief regulator Audrey Zibelman -- launched one of the ...

27 Apr 201748min

How Wealthy Are Residential Solar Customers?

How Wealthy Are Residential Solar Customers?

How wealthy are the households that install rooftop solar? This question has surfaced repeatedly, most often when policymakers or regulators are considering solar incentives and/or changes to electric...

19 Apr 201733min

The Complexity of a Zero-Carbon Grid

The Complexity of a Zero-Carbon Grid

What will it take to slash carbon emissions in the electric sector by 100 percent? We're already making immense progress in the electric grid. And we could use wind, solar and storage to cost-effectiv...

14 Apr 201749min

Offshore Wind Is Finally Coming to America

Offshore Wind Is Finally Coming to America

It’s been 15 years since Cape Wind -- the project meant to be America’s first offshore wind farm -- was first proposed. For years, the 130-turbine, 450-megawatt project was held up as the start of an ...

17 Mar 201736min

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