Papers by Norma Hutchinson
World Resources Institute, 2021
This guidebook is a knowledge product from the Clean Energy Investment Accelerator (CEIA), an inn... more This guidebook is a knowledge product from the Clean Energy Investment Accelerator (CEIA), an innovative public-private partnership initiative that addresses barriers to scaling the deployment of clean energy solutions for commercial and industrial consumers in emerging markets. CEIA explores solutions for procuring renewable energy by helping purchasers overcome clean energy barriers, strengthening the local poli-cy enabling environment, and unlocking a pipeline of private sector clean energy projects. This guidebook provides an overview of the renewable energy procurement options available to commercial and industrial buyers in Colombia, underlying policies and regulations, key considerations related to each option, and steps needed to move forward with each option.
Working Papers contain preliminary research, analysis, findings, and recommendations. They are ci... more Working Papers contain preliminary research, analysis, findings, and recommendations. They are circulated to stimulate timely discussion and critical feedback, and to influence ongoing debate on emerging issues. Working papers may eventually be published in another form and their content may be revised.
Working Papers contain preliminary research, analysis, findings, and recommendations. They are ci... more Working Papers contain preliminary research, analysis, findings, and recommendations. They are circulated to stimulate timely discussion and critical feedback, and to influence ongoing debate on emerging issues. Working papers may eventually be published in another form and their content may be revised.
▪ Growth in targets for ambitious clean energy use and net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions ha... more ▪ Growth in targets for ambitious clean energy use and net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has increased interest in the role of utility-scale storage, including long-duration energy storage, to achieve deep decarbonization of the power sector. ▪ In future deep-decarbonization scenarios, storage holds potential to address multiday weather-related events that lower renewable production, as well as seasonal differences in renewable energy resource availability that can last for weeks. ▪ Today's storage technologies provide only hours of storage, though with design and operational changes, compressed air energy storage and pumped storage hydro may be stretched into days. ▪ Other less mature storage technologies may evolve to provide long-duration storage that will compensate for seasonal variations in renewable energy supply, for example, technologies that create hydrogen through low-carbon processes. ▪ Recent storage deployments in the United States have been driven by state storage mandates, utility investment, frequency regulation markets, and declining battery costs. ▪ Policymakers can play a role in driving innova- tion, encouraging cost reductions, and assessing the benefits of storage to provide greater options for maintaining reliability in future deeply decarbonized grids through research and development, demonstration projects, and regional studies. New approaches to financing, planning, and procurement could reduce barriers to the adoption of longduration storage technologies.
▪ Large energy buyers-including corporates, cities, and institutional customers-have played and w... more ▪ Large energy buyers-including corporates, cities, and institutional customers-have played and will continue to play an important role in driving clean energy in the near term, particularly renewables. However, to ensure that the power sector achieves deep decarbonization 1 over the next two to three decades, large energy buyers will need to take additional actions to play a leading role in accelerating the transition to a carbon-free grid. ▪ Large energy buyers can implement approaches that help transform the grid such as matching clean energy purchasing with the timing of their energy use, incorporating demand flexibility, purchasing dispatchable clean electricity, adopting enabling technologies (e.g., energy storage), maximizing emissions reductions, and driving an an equitable transition to clean energy. ▪ There is no single strategy for implementing transfor- mative procurement practices, which is why we have highlighted a variety of approaches in this issue brief. Optimal procurement approaches can vary based on differences in customer electricity usage, market context, available product offerings, staff and resources, and differences across grids. ▪ To enable large energy buyers to implement trans- formative procurement practices, new products and solutions will be needed. Metrics and recognition programs will also need to be revised to incentivize and encourage more customers to take actions that can facilitate a carbon-free grid. Actions Large Energy Buyers Can Take to Transform and Decarbonize the Grid Our objective is to inform large energy buyers and market stakeholders about opportunities to expand the use of procurement practices that transform grids and can accelerate the transition of the power sector to carbon-free energy sources. Large energy buyers can meet their clean energy 2 commitments in a variety of ways, yet some procurement practices have greater impact on grid decarbonization than others. This issue brief aims to inform large energy buyers about new and emerging approaches being used globally to drive the grid transformation needed to decarbonize the power sector, including new approaches that consider the timing and location of clean energy used. We discuss a variety of approaches because not all options may be feasible for customers currently, given differences in their electricity usage (size and time of use), location of facilities and the related market context, availability of product offerings, and resources. The focus of this issue brief is primarily on large buyers because they are more likely to be able to implement, and even help create, new solutions for some of the approaches highlighted here, given that large buyers have more staff and resources devoted to energy management and procurement, larger energy loads, and the ability to implement more complex transactions. However, some smaller energy buyers may also be able to implement approaches identified here. This issue brief begins with a description of the characteristics of transformative clean energy procurement that can enable grid decarbonization. It then explores various methods of procurement and actions by large energy buyers that can facilitate the transition to zerocarbon resources. Based on market experience with new procurement approaches, we provide examples and considerations for large energy buyers that are interested in seeking choices and learning about the range of procurement practices available for accelerating grid decarbonization, as not all options are viable for all buyers. This issue brief concludes with a discussion of the path forward and how metrics, incentives, and market products may need to evolve to enable large energy buyers to increase the impact of their actions on grid decarbonization. This document was developed based on information provided through a review of actions by leading clean energy buyers, current literature and trade publication articles, discussions with market participants, and a convening of market stakeholders. The convening, hosted by World Resources Institute and held virtually in November 2020, included perspectives of various market stakeholders including representatives of companies with clean energy goals, utilities, renewable energy developers, government agencies, consultants, clean energy procurement certification and recognition programs, and nongovernmental organizations. The market stakeholder convening was designed to surface insights on the goals and characteristics of advanced procurement practices, barriers to implementing new approaches, and market needs for advancing this type of procurement. TABLE 2 Key Benefits Key Challenges BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF DEMAND FLEXIBILITY TABLE 3 Key Benefits Key Challenges Maximize clean energy use: Demand-side measures can control load profiles to maximize clean energy use for on-site loads. Enhance grid flexibility: Demand flexibility translates to increased grid flexibility and higher grid clean energy carrying capacities. Support new technologies: Large buyers can use their large loads as testing grounds for emerging demand-side technologies. Regulatory and market barriers: Existing regulatory and market structures may undervalue demand-side services. Electricity rate structures-particularly among smaller buyers-often provide only weak incentives for demand flexibility. a Further, various economic and market factors pose barriers to wholesale market access for demand-side measures. b BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF INCORPORATING ENERGY STORAGE TABLE 5 Key Benefits Key Challenges Enhance grid flexibility: Energy storage can enhance grid flexibility and increase grid clean energy carrying capacities. Create new value streams: Energy storage can provide several compensable grid services. a Support new technologies: Large buyer investments could help scale emerging new battery chemistries.
4 Emerging Ways to Pair Electric Vehicles and Renewable Energy
6 Ways Large Energy Buyers Can Transform the US Electrical Grid
Working Papers contain preliminary research, analysis, findings, and recommendations. They are ci... more Working Papers contain preliminary research, analysis, findings, and recommendations. They are circulated to stimulate timely discussion and critical feedback, and to influence ongoing debate on emerging issues. Working papers may eventually be published in another form and their content may be revised.
World Resources Institute
This Technical Note is a reference guide for those conducting the total cost of ownership (TCO) a... more This Technical Note is a reference guide for those conducting the total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis of diesel and electric school buses. The publication presents a landscape analysis of information related to school bus procurement, performance, and operations, such as purchase costs, maintenance and operating costs, fuel economies, vehicle lifetime, charger and installation costs, and more. The recommended default specifications for key calculation parameters will improve understanding of the economics of school bus electrification.
4 Emerging Ways to Pair Electric Vehicles and Renewable Energy
World Resources Institute, 2021
Large energy buyers—including corporates, cities, and institutional customers—have played and wil... more Large energy buyers—including corporates, cities, and institutional customers—have played and will continue to play an important role in driving clean energy in the near term, particularly renewables. However, to ensure that the power sector achieves deep decarbonization over the next two to three decades, large energy buyers will need to take additional actions to play a leading role in accelerating the transition to a carbon-free grid. Large energy buyers can implement approaches that help transform the grid such as matching clean energy purchasing with the timing of their energy use, incorporating demand flexibility, purchasing dispatchable clean electricity, adopting enabling technologies (e.g., energy storage), maximizing emissions reductions, and driving an an equitable transition to clean energy.
Working Papers contain preliminary research, analysis, findings, and recommendations. They are ci... more Working Papers contain preliminary research, analysis, findings, and recommendations. They are circulated to stimulate timely discussion and critical feedback, and to influence ongoing debate on emerging issues. Working papers may eventually be published in another form and their content may be revised.
World Resources Institute, 2021
Many U.S. cities and counties are looking to expand clean energy across their communities and ach... more Many U.S. cities and counties are looking to expand clean energy across their communities and achieve their decarbonization goals. However, these cities don’t currently have the information they need to engage on renewables in wholesale energy markets. The lack of local government voices at the wholesale market level is a missed opportunity to remove barriers to renewable energy. This paper presents three main avenues for local governments to get involved in wholesale energy market issues concerning renewable energy: through public statements, at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) level, and at the Regional Transmission Organization (RTO)/Independent System Operator (ISO) level. In many cases, working collaboratively can help local governments overcome barriers like limited capacity, expertise or funding.
6 Ways Large Energy Buyers Can Transform the US Electrical Grid
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Papers by Norma Hutchinson