Technical assistance to key decision-makers is important so that they can address the high-priority grid modernization challenges and needs identified by electric power industry stakeholders. It gives particular emphasis to working with state policymakers and regional planning organizations, with support for both analysis of issues and creation of information for stakeholders. Analytic, non-prescriptive workshops and facilitator-led dialogues among stakeholders can build agreement around the value of transforming the grid and the best ways to do that using technology, regulatory, and market tools that meets the unique needs of every region. DOE has already built strong relationships with many institutional leaders through two decades of investments in collaborative work on envisioning the future grid, developing regulatory and planning initiatives, coordinating national action plans for energy efficiency and demand response, and extensive efforts to create regional collaboration for region-wide resource modeling and planning.
In addition to technical assistance, this technical area will develop new analytic frameworks for key grid modernization issues. First, this effort will advance a framework for grid modernization metrics with analytic tools and data sets. It will integrate current metrics and data efforts scattered across grid stakeholders (NERC, state regulators, etc.), and will develop new metrics for emerging grid attributes related to resilience, new energy services, and emerging control and market constructs. Second, this area will define a framework for valuation of distributed energy resources in collaboration with grid stakeholders for advancing new rate structures and utility business models that support grid modernization goals.
- Inform and support high priority grid modernization challenges and needs identified by electric power industry stakeholders, with particular emphasis on state policymakers and regional planning organizations.
- Support an over-arching stream of grid-related institutional analysis, workshops, and dialogues to highlight challenges and explore options for transforming the grid, focusing on key policy questions related to new technologies, regulatory practices, and market designs.
- Team Lead: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory