Cheaper, Cleaner, Faster

The briefing argues that insufficient transmission capacity is a major bottleneck for US decarbonization, with new capacity seeking interconnection consisting of 95 percent zero-carbon resources in 2022. It identifies grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) as cost-effective, rapid-deployment solutions that optimize existing transmission, but notes that utility adoption is hindered by risk aversion and regulatory incentives that reward capital expenditures over operational efficiencies. To overcome this, the document outlines four strategies for Public Utility Commissions (PUCs): building knowledge through investigative proceedings, mandating the consideration of GETs in planning processes, implementing performance incentive mechanisms or totex ratemaking, and engaging in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proceedings.

• Transmission capacity is a critical bottleneck for the US energy transition; in 2022, zero-carbon resources like renewables and batteries made up 95 percent of the 2,000 GW of new capacity seeking grid interconnection, yet many of these projects may never come online due to interconnection queues that are nearly twice as long as they were in 2015.
• Grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) offer a fast and cost-effective alternative to building new transmission lines, with some having payback periods of less than one year. They function as energy efficiency for the grid by optimizing power flows, re-routing power around congestion, and adjusting line ratings based on real-time conditions.
• The adoption of GETs by US utilities is limited by a lack of experience and regulatory structures that create perverse incentives. Specifically, 'gold plating' occurs when utilities increase profits by building more expensive systems, and 'capex bias' leads them to prioritize capital expenditures over the operational efficiencies provided by GETs.
• Public Utility Commissions (PUCs) can accelerate GETs deployment through four primary strategies: conducting investigative proceedings and cost-benefit analyses to build knowledge; mandating that GETs be included in transmission planning and interconnection studies; creating performance incentive mechanisms (PIMs), shared savings mechanisms (SSMs), or adopting totex ratemaking; and advocating for rules in FERC proceedings, such as the creation of an independent transmission monitor.

APA

RMI (2023). Cheaper, Cleaner, Faster. https://rmi.org/resources/cheaper-cleaner-faster/

Chicago

RMI. Cheaper, Cleaner, Faster. 2023. https://rmi.org/resources/cheaper-cleaner-faster/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Cheaper, Cleaner, Faster |date=13 July 2023 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/cheaper-cleaner-faster/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2023cheaper, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Cheaper, Cleaner, Faster}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2023}, month = jul, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/cheaper-cleaner-faster/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }