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The document advocates for a transition from flat electricity rates to time-varying pricing to better align consumer demand with the availability of renewable energy. It details three primary rate structures—Time-of-Use, Critical Peak Pricing, and Real-Time Pricing—and explains how households can respond through discretionary shifts, interruptible loads, and energy storage. Using a pilot program from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District as a case study, the brief demonstrates that default enrollment in time-varying rates is more cost-effective and achieves higher aggregate savings than voluntary opt-in programs. The authors emphasize the need for transparent customer education, 'shadow billing,' and protections for low-income and vulnerable populations to ensure an equitable transition.

The legal marijuana industry in the US creates significant electricity demand due to high-intensity lighting and climate control, with Colorado's industry consuming 300 GWh in 2015. To mitigate the impact on carbon goals and grid stability, the document recommends that utilities support LED adoption through rebates and on-bill financing to overcome capital limitations. It further suggests using time-varying rates to shift lighting schedules to periods of low net load—such as midday in California for solar or nighttime in Colorado for wind—to avoid peak demand and reduce reliance on fossil fuel generation.

The document examines the proposed EU DSO entity, a membership-based body intended to enhance cooperation between DSOs and transmission system operators (TSOs) and coordinate the development of Network Codes. While acknowledging potential benefits for integrating renewables and smart grids, the author warns that the lack of formal independence requirements and regulatory oversight could allow large DSOs to lobby for their own interests, create barriers to competition for renewables and demand response, and marginalize smaller, community-owned DSOs. The briefing recommends that ACER, rather than the DSO entity, should lead the drafting of Network Codes and that the entity be subject to explicit independence and representation criteria.

The report argues that the rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) requires a shift in regulatory paradigms to ensure that new loads benefit rather than impair the electricity grid. It emphasizes the role of state utility regulators in designing smart charging policies, rate structures, and infrastructure ownership models. Through case studies of California and Washington, the document illustrates different approaches to EV deployment and integration, highlighting the need for adaptive regulation, such as scalable pilots and scenario-based distribution planning, to manage the unpredictable nature of EV adoption.

The document serves as a resource for municipal officials to manage the implementation of small scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems under 1MW. It details the technical components of solar PV, the differences between grid-tied and off-grid configurations, and the economic trends driving adoption, such as a 40% price drop for systems under 10kWp between 2013 and 2016. The guide outlines a sustainable tariff framework that includes network costs, service charges, and feed-in rates, while emphasizing the need for cost-of-supply studies and high-resolution load profiles. It provides a comprehensive 9-step application process for grid-tied systems and lists the necessary legal documentation, including Certificates of Compliance and Supplemental Contracts. Finally, it identifies the national standards (such as NRS 097-2) and municipal by-laws required to ensure grid stability, public safety, and the prevention of illegal connections.

China experienced unprecedented wind power growth, with capacity increasing from 1.26 GW in 2005 to 91.4 GW by the end of 2013. However, this rapid deployment led to significant issues with delayed grid connections and curtailment, particularly in resource-rich northern provinces. The report identifies a mismatch between the location of wind resources and power demand, alongside a lack of coordinated planning between generation capacity and transmission infrastructure. Governance failures, such as setting targets based on installed capacity rather than actual generation and a system of guaranteed run hours for coal plants, further exacerbated these problems. The Chinese government has responded with technical upgrades like ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission lines, revised feed-in tariffs, and a shift toward distributed wind power to mitigate these systemic inefficiencies.

The report argues that electric vehicles (EVs) represent a significant demand-side opportunity for the electricity grid. By treating EV charging as a distributed energy resource (DER), utilities can use smart charging—even without vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities—to avoid infrastructure investment, integrate more variable renewables, and reduce system costs. The authors emphasize that charging behavior is most effectively influenced in the first few months of ownership, necessitating early action on rate design and infrastructure planning. Through modeling in five U.S. states and analysis of California pilots, the report demonstrates that optimized charging can substantially flatten load profiles and prevent peak demand increases. It outlines various roles for utilities (facilitator, manager, provider) and recommends the use of time-of-use (TOU) and dynamic pricing to shift loads to off-peak hours.

The report details two readiness requests: one for Vanuatu to develop Climate Information Services (CIS) to support adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and one for Senegal to establish a pipeline of privately funded, grid-connected solar projects to address an acute energy crisis.

The European power sector saw a record increase in renewables generation in 2015, yet CO2 emissions fell by only an estimated 0.5% due to offsetting increases in coal generation in several countries and a rebound in electricity demand. While the UK experienced a collapse in coal generation, this was countered by growth in the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland. The report forecasts a further 21% drop in EU ETS emissions from 2014 to 2020, suggesting the EU is on track to surpass its 20% economy-wide CO2 cut target.

The paper evaluates whether Japan can exceed its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) and voluntary corporate targets for electricity sector CO2 intensity. It estimates that by utilizing nuclear power (108–130 TWh) and renewables, Japan could achieve an intensity of 0.34 to 0.36 kgCO2/kWh. However, the study highlights that significant renewable potential in regions like Hokkaido and Tohoku remains under-utilized due to limited grid interconnection capacity and a lack of storage technology.

The briefing challenges the notion that variable renewables will limit their own growth by depressing wholesale electricity prices. It contends that these concerns rely on static models of the grid and ignore the synergistic effects of complementary supply resources, flexible demand-side responses, and the decreasing cost of storage. By shifting from incremental to whole-system thinking and updating 20th-century market designs, the author asserts that wind and solar can continue to expand without facing practical economic limits.

The report argues that demand flexibility—the use of technology to shift electricity use across hours of the day—can significantly lower both customer bills and grid investment costs. In the U.S. residential sector, it could avoid $13 billion annually in grid and energy costs while reducing customer bills by 10–40%. The analysis highlights that 'flexiwatts' from appliances like air conditioning and water heaters can reduce peak demand and better integrate renewable energy. However, the report warns that demand flexibility may accelerate 'load defection' if utilities reduce compensation for exported rooftop solar PV.

The report analyzes 'demand flexibility' (DF)—the use of technology to shift electricity loads like air conditioning and EV charging to lower-cost times. It finds that widespread residential DF could avoid $13 billion annually in U.S. grid costs and reduce customer bills by 10–40%. Through four case studies (ComEd, SRP, HECO, and Alabama Power), the report demonstrates how DF can mitigate peak demand, integrate rooftop solar PV, and provide a lower-cost alternative to traditional grid infrastructure investments.

The document proposes replacing the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and the Efficiency Savings and Performance Incentive (ESPI) with a system-wide carbon intensity standard and per capita energy sales standards. It argues that these reforms will align utility incentives with state climate goals, encourage low-carbon grid flexibility, and remove the conservative goal-setting and contentious evaluation processes currently hindering energy efficiency in existing buildings.

The document proposes replacing California's current electricity sector policies with a system-wide carbon standard and per capita energy intensity standards for electricity and natural gas. It argues that the existing Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and Efficiency Savings and Performance Incentive (ESPI) are insufficient for long-term goals due to siloed procurement and overly conservative efficiency targets. Key recommendations include a 2030 carbon standard of 393lb. CO2e/MWh, a 50 percent renewable energy procurement "backbone," and a performance-based energy standard targeting a 1.2 percent annual reduction in kWh/capita. The report also suggests expanding the Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) to a West-wide scale and expediting the implementation of AB 758 for existing buildings.

The document outlines various energy storage technologies—including pumped hydro, batteries, thermal, compressed air, flywheels, and hydrogen—detailing how they balance electricity supply and demand. It highlights the transition from a reliance on pumped hydroelectric storage toward rapidly scaling lithium-ion batteries, noting a 72 percent drop in battery capital costs between 2015 and 2019. The guide argues that energy storage enhances grid reliability, enables higher renewable energy integration, and provides community benefits by replacing polluting fossil fuel 'peaker' plants and increasing resilience against extreme weather.

The report argues that the U.S. distributed solar photovoltaics (DPV) market must shift from customer-centric value models to system-wide value models to sustain growth and meet SunShot Initiative targets. It proposes three 'bridge' business model building blocks: increasing access via subscription and community models, treating DPV as a grid resource through optimized siting and production, and bundling DPV with other distributed energy resources (DER) for resilience. The document emphasizes that achieving these goals requires collaboration between utilities and solar companies to reduce soft costs and capture operational benefits post-interconnection.

The report argues that current U.S. distributed solar (DPV) business models are overly customer-centric and fail to capture operational grid benefits, leading to conflict between utilities and solar companies. It proposes three 'bridge' business model building blocks: increasing access via subscription models, optimizing deployment for capacity and grid services, and bundling solar with other distributed energy resources (DERs). The authors emphasize that maximizing DPV value requires collaboration to reduce 'soft costs' and a shift toward standardized valuation methodologies and transparent data sharing between stakeholders.

The author argues that Dr. Charles R. Frank, Jr.'s analysis incorrectly concludes that nuclear and gas combined-cycle plants are more beneficial than wind and solar. By replacing Frank's data with empirical figures from the EIA and DOE, the author asserts that the priority for carbon savings actually shifts to hydro, wind, gas combined-cycle, nuclear, and solar. The critique highlights significant underestimations of renewable productivity and overestimations of gas and nuclear costs and reliability.

The report details the expansion of solar energy in the U.S., focusing on rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems, large-scale PV, and concentrating solar power (CSP). It highlights significant cost reductions, the role of state and federal incentives, and the environmental benefits of transitioning from fossil fuels to solar, while addressing grid integration challenges and land-use impacts.