EDGE MODEL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Electricity Distribution Grid Evaluator (EDGE) is a MATLAB-based simulation tool developed by RMI to assess the technical and economic implications of integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) into electricity systems. The model evaluates how DERs affect grid operations and stakeholder value across different regulatory environments and utility business models.

• RMI developed the EDGE model to fill a gap in analysis regarding the role of distributed energy resources (DERs) in future electricity portfolios, as existing tools often rely on 'operational rules-of-thumb' and fail to capture the variables driving DER costs and values.
• The EDGE model is a MATLAB-based simulation tool that analyzes the value proposition of DERs by integrating three timescales: sub-hourly distribution system simulation, hourly bulk power dispatch, and annual resource portfolio planning.
• The model evaluates the economic impacts of DER integration from the perspectives of five specific stakeholder groups: utilities, traditional (non-participating) customers, participating customers (such as customer-generators), third-party service providers, and society.
• The Resource Portfolio Module optimizes the planned electricity system by minimizing costs related to new resource construction (generation and T&D capacity), operation costs (fuel and O&M), the retirement of resources leading to 'stranded assets', and requirements for storage and ancillary services.
• The System Operations Module consists of two submodules: a bulk power dispatch submodule that performs hourly least-cost dispatch to test reliability, and a distribution system submodule using EPRI’s OpenDSS platform to simulate localized effects on network conditions and line losses.
• The Rates and Regulation Module calculates utility revenue requirements and retail electricity rates, testing both traditional structures (such as net-energy metered flat rates and time-of-use rates) and alternative incentive regulations like performance-based earnings or shared savings.
• The EDGE model is intended for utility-scale effects and is not designed for national-level analysis—where transmission constraints and regulatory diversity are more prominent—nor is it intended to replace a utility's existing distribution management systems.

APA

RMI (2013). EDGE MODEL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2013-02_EDGEModel.pdf

Chicago

RMI. EDGE MODEL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. 2013. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2013-02_EDGEModel.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=EDGE MODEL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY |date=31 January 2013 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2013-02_EDGEModel.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2013edge, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{EDGE MODEL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2013}, month = jan, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2013-02_EDGEModel.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }