White Papers

How Utilities Can Boost Resiliency With Priority Communications Access

Utilities are emergency responders too.

Properly supporting an emergency or crisis requires two things: good communication and seamless coordination amongst first responders and public safety agencies—including utilities.

In the past, communication efforts between first responders and the utilities that provide emergency services at disaster sites was often fragmented and unreliable.

Now there’s a solution for utilities that streamlines and increases communication capacity with extended broadband priority service for improved coordinated efforts with first responders during times of crisis: FirstNet™.

In this white paper you will learn:

• How utilities can leverage FirstNet
• The importance of extended broadband priority service during disasters
• Getting started with FirstNet-Ready solutions

The Active Grid: A Case for Edge Intelligence on the Lower Voltage Network

In the face of mounting technical and business challenges associated with distributed generation and other disruptive technologies, utilities must rethink their strategies and operational approaches to assure the stability of the grid and the success of their business. A distributed grid requires distributed intelligence to operate it. Technology advancements—such as distributed intelligence, machine-to-machine communication and IoT convergence—are redefining what’s possible in grid operations, customer service and business development.

By strategically implementing edge intelligence into distribution networks, utilities will not only assure the reliability, efficiency and safety of the grid, they will also stake out an enviable competitive position as they march down the path to the transactive energy marketplace of the future. This white paper highlights how the evolution of the distribution model, the rise of prosumers, limited grid visibility and a shifting data paradigm has paved the way for distributed intelligence.

The Year in Renewables Financing Trends and Looking Ahead to 2020

It was a good year for renewable energy. Declining prices and increased demand are expected to continue driving the growth of wind and solar over the next five years.

In 2019, this thirst for renewables saw large institutional investors and commercial/industrial buyers actively seeking new projects for their attractive returns.

However, renewables financing is complex and continuously evolving.  There are many trends that investors must weigh as they seek to take advantage of opportunities, including the pending Investment Tax Credit step-down, increasing corporate procurement, rule changes around carbon capture accounting, and the changing US economy.

In this paper, CohnReznick and CohnReznick Capital review the trends that were top of mind for investors, developers and other industry stakeholders as 2019 comes to a close, and the ones to watch in 2020.

2019 Battery Performance Scorecard

Certainty in energy storage means confidence that a system will perform reliably and have a predictable life expectancy. The economic viability of the entire project is built on this reassurance.

The 2019 Battery Performance Scorecard—based on battery testing in DNV GL’s Product Qualification Programs at its BEST Test & Commercialization Center in Rochester, New York—provides confidence in the quickly growing global battery market and a roadmap for battery buyers to manage and operate specific battery technologies and estimate warranties and replacement costs. The Scorecard helps investors, lenders and developers and engineering companies inform their purchase strategy and provides a roadmap to effectively manage and operate specific battery technologies and estimate warranties and replacement costs.

What’s new in the 2019 report:

• More participants and data
• New chemistries
• Additional discussions on safety

Download the 2019 Battery Performance Scorecard to read the 10 main takeaways for buyers of battery systems.

Outcome-Based Solutions for Distributed Energy Resource Management

Advancements in distributed energy resource technologies are creating new opportunities for utilities. Distributed energy resources (DERs) can help drive an evolution from legacy programs to advanced asset types, rate programs and control possibilities. Utilities won't necessarily have to build new systems from scratch in order to adopt these new technologies - existing utility programs can be augmented and upgraded through DER solutions.

In this GTM mini brief, Honeywell Smart Energy explores how utilities can deploy a modular, surgical and scalable approach to DERs that can offer outcome-based applications in key areas such as peak load management, fast frequency response and customer engagement.

System Level Safety for Energy Storage

The energy storage boom of 2019, which saw record level installations worldwide, has been accompanied by new concerns about storage system safety that could impede the rapid development of the industry.

In this GTM mini brief, storage integrator LS Energy Solutions explores the key elements of a systems approach to safety design, including electrical safety, enclosure design and equipment environment, site readiness in the design phase, and remote monitoring and fire suppression processes for safe operation. Learn how LS Energy is collaborating with members of the industry to develop, codify, and share best practices in battery safety.

Take Charge: A Guidebook to Fleet Electrification and Infrastructure

Spurred by the introduction of new technologies, infrastructure improvements and emission reduction legislation, fleet operators have begun to embrace electrification in earnest. In fact, organizations around the world are evaluating their needs to determine where electrification can fit into their operations.

The backbone of any electric fleet is the charging infrastructure—the physical network that transfers electricity from the grid to the vehicles themselves. In this guidebook you’ll learn the basics of charging: how it works, selecting the right charging option and more. You’ll also get important information on how PG&E can help with charger selection, site planning and design. You’ll also learn about financial incentives from PG&E and others that can cover much of your infrastructure conversion costs.

How Advanced Analytics Can Transform Outage Risk

Due to the rise in extreme weather events and a laser focus on the customer experience, increasing grid infrastructure resiliency has become more important than ever. A leading cause of power outages is tree contact with transmission lines. While advanced analytics are redefining many aspects of the utility business, vegetation management has not seen the same transformation.

But that is changing. Utilities can now leverage advancements in geospatial-temporal data and analytics to improve their approach to vegetation management.

In this GTM mini brief, you will learn how predictive analytics can:

• Strengthen utility vegetation management
• Bolster storm preparation
• Streamline regulatory processes
• Improve the customer experience

Learn how The Weather Company Vegetation Management – Predict, built on IBM PAIRS Geoscope, applies predictive analytics to massive data sets to generate robust insights.

Defining System Flexibility: Supply is Only Half of the Equation

Definitions of flexibility differ depending on the  portion of the grid one focuses on. As generation portfolios evolve and customer-side resources  continue to contribute variability to the grid,  flexibility should be viewed from both the supply and demand side. In this webinar executive summary, Wood Mackenzie  Power & Renewables provides a holistic view of system flexibility and insights into key drivers to optimize such flexibility.

Workplace and Residential EV Charging Snapshot

According to Wood Mackenzie EV analysts, the development of electric vehicle (EV) charging outlets is accelerating around the globe to both alleviate range anxiety and enable greater EV penetration. Wood Mackenzie research released in H2 2019 explores how this market will scale to supply power to light-duty EVs via residential, workplace and public charging outlets globally, as well as the opportunity for workplace charging in the United States and Europe through 2025.

Voice Assistant Platforms: Pursuing an Improved Utility Customer Experience

The explosive growth of voice assistants cannot be ignored by any customer-centric company, and that includes utilities. Google recently announced the release of a Google Assistant developer program that energy companies can use as a platform for fruitful customer interactions. The platform streamlines Google Assistant integration for utilities and helps them improve the customer experience. This white paper offers examples from early adopters, such as Xcel Energy, and insights as to how energy providers can best leverage smart home technologies to offer customers a better experience when it comes to making energy decisions.