Distributed Generation and its Implications for the Utility Industry

Dr. Fereidoon Sioshansi is President of Menlo Energy Economics, a consulting firm based in San Francisco with over 35 years of experience in the electric power sector working in analysis of energy markets, specializing in the policy, regulatory, technical and environmental aspects of the electric power sector in the US and internationally. His research and professional interests are concentrated in demand and price forecasting, electricity market design, competitive pricing & bidding, integrated resource planning, energy conservation and energy efficiency, economics of global climate change, sustainability, energy security, renewable energy technologies, and comparative performance of competitive electricity markets. Dr. Sioshansi advises major utility clients and government policy makers domestically and internationally on electricity market reform, restructuring and privatization of the electric power sector. He has published numerous reports, books, book chapters and papers in peer-reviewed journals on a wide range of subjects. His professional background includes working at Southern California Edison Co. (SCE), Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), NERA, and Global Energy Decisions. He is the editor and publisher of EEnergy Informer, a monthly newsletter with international circulation. He is on the Editorial Advisory Board of The Electricity Journal where he is regularly featured in the “Electricity Currents” section. Dr. Sioshansi also serves on the editorial board of Utilities Policy and is a frequent contributor to Energy Policy. Since 2006, He has edited 12 books on related topics with Elsevier.

Foreword

Preface

Introduction

Part I: What is changing?

Chapter 1 Decentralized energy: Is it as imminent or serious as claimed?Chapter 2 New utility business model: A global viewChapter 3 Germany’s decentralized energy revolution Chapter 4 Australia’s million solar roofs: Disruption on the fringes or the beginning of a new order?Chapter 5 As the role of the distributor changes, so will the need for new technologyChapter 6 The impact of distributed generation on European power utilitiesChapter 7 Lessons from other industries facing disruptive technology

Part II: Implications and industry/regulatory response

Chapter 8 Electricity markets and pricing for the distributed generation eraChapter 9 Transactive energy: Linking supply and demand through price signalsChapter 10 Transactive energy: Interoperable transactive retail tariffsChapter 11 The evolution of the electric distribution utility Chapter 12 An expanded distribution utility business model: Win-win, or win-maybe?Chapter 13 From throughput to access fees: The future of network and retail tariffs Chapter 14 Industry response to revenue erosion from solar PVsChapter 15 Making the most of the no growth business environmentChapter 16 Regulatory policies for the transition to new business paradigmChapter 17 Electric vehicles: New problem, or distributed energy asset?

Part III: What future?

Chapter 18 Rethinking the transmission-distribution interface in a distributed generation futureChapter 19 Decentralized generation in Australia’s National Electricity Market? No problemChapter 20 What future for the grid operator? Chapter 21 Utility version 2.0: Maryland’s pilot projectChapter 22 Turning a vision to reality: Boulder's utility of the futureChapter 23 Perfect storm or perfect opportunity? Future scenarios for the electricity sectorChapter 24 Evolution, revolution or back to the future: Lessons from the electricity supply industry’s formative days

Epilogue