An Ignoble Experiment

2. Residential market giving solar industry a boost

A nuclear feasibility study, launched three years ago by MidAmerican Energy Company, has been completed and the results made public.

Since 2010, MidAmerican Energy has worked with key stakeholders to enact a law that authorized an assessment of nuclear generation potential in Iowa and has since identified various sites throughout the state that meet rigorous nuclear regulatory requirements. Eventually, the locations were narrowed down to two sites for additional testing, including soil and environmental assessments.

The nuclear feasibility study resulted in several conclusions. First, the study found that there are viable sites in Iowa with the potential for a nuclear generation facility. Second, the study concluded that new small modular reactors can be a cost-effective alternative to other forms of generation when carbon emissions are constrained or taxed. Third, new nuclear technologies can offer significantly enhanced safety capabilities. Finally, the study concluded that it is premature, given the uncertainty of carbon regulation and the extensive regulatory review for new nuclear reactor designs, to immediately pursue any additional site work on a future generation option, including a nuclear facility.

Based on the results of the assessment and feasibility study, MidAmerican determined that it will not purchase land in Iowa for the development of a nuclear generation facility.

MidAmerican Energy has requested that the Iowa Utilities Board approve a plan that allows MidAmerican Energy to give back $8.8 million of the funds collected from its Iowa customers for the nuclear assessment. In addition, the filing requests a stop to the collection of a half-percent charge for the assessment three months earlier than planned. If approved, this would result in a slight decrease in Iowa customers' bills beginning this summer.

For more:
- see the study

Read more about: MidAmerican Energy Company, nuclear
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By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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3. SmartHours saves money for 90 percent of OGE customers

Solar installations in Q1 2013 represent the best quarter of any given year for the solar industry in the United States, according to GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), with an installation of 723 MW, which accounted for more than 48 percent of all new electric capacity in the U.S. last quarter.

Unlike non-residential and utility markets, residential solar has not exhibited seasonality and market volatility on a national basis; quarterly growth in the U.S. residential market has ranged from 4 percent to 21 percent in 12 of the past 13 quarters, according to the research. The residential solar market grew 53 percent year-over-year in Q1 2013, marking a first quarter high at 164 MW.

In key states of California and Arizona, third-party owned systems accounted for 67 percent and 86 percent, respectively, of all residential PV in Q1 2013. In fact, the California residential market had a record quarter, which was greater than the non-residential market for the first time. This is largely driven by increased "retail rate" parity in major utility territories, where a residential PV system can provide a discount at retail electricity rates with few or no incentives other than the 30 percent federal investment tax credit.

For more:
- see this fact sheet

By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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4. Innovation sustains NJ water infrastructure

This week at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) annual convention, Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E) was recognized with an Edison Award for its consumer demand response SmartHours program.

"Smart meters have changed the way we interact with our customers, and how our customers view and use electricity. Last year, over 90 percent of our customers on SmartHours, a peak sensitive time-of-use plan, saved money," said Peter Delaney, Oklahoma Gas & Electric's CEO.

Now in its second year, the program continues to sustain and grow peak power reduction results. OG&E residential consumers with SmartHours program-issued programmable communicating thermostats have achieved an average of peak reduction of 2.02 kW per home. The program is targeting an additional 70 MW across 40,000 homes in 2013 with a goal of 120,000 homes by the summer of 2014. Additional program goals include avoiding construction of incremental fossil generation prior to 2020.

The program reached these results exclusively with pricing signals where consumers could opt in and select their level of participation. Price signals were delivered with high reliability to consumer devices, providing them with timely information on which to base their decisions, as well as automatic response from smart thermostat technology based on personal preferences. Customers receive advance notice of peak price the day before so they can manage energy use more efficiently. OG&E's demand response program also includes dynamic pricing paired with the deployment of various types of in home equipment.

"…smart thermostats have enabled OG&E to interact with its customers with price signals and notifications to effectively reduce their peak consumption," said Mike Farrell, director of customer programs, OG&E. "From the first customer study to our second year of deployment [the technology] has sustained high performance results proving to be an important contributing factor for reduced peak demand, which represents a key goal for OG&E and other utilities and their customers everywhere."

Findings from OG&E's two-year pilot program show that OG&E is on track to enrolling one of every five residential customers in the program over three years and that satisfaction levels of currently enrolled customers are very high, according to the Brattle Group.

For more:
- see this report

Related Article:
Oklahoma utilities get EEI props

Read more about: Oklahoma Gas & Electric, Mike Farrell
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By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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5. Off-grid mobile technology finding success in the field

Utilities are key to the economic health of New Jersey, but an aging and degrading infrastructure could put an end to that growth and development.

The state's water, wastewater, energy, phone and internet utilities are foundational components of the state's economy, according to New Jersey American Water President David K. Baker. But, these utilities face challenges that could compromise their economic health over the long term.

"Without proper action today, long-term impacts will be compounded, becoming more costly and reduce New Jersey's competitiveness in economic development," said Baker.

To prevent this, each year, New Jersey American Water is investing about $300 million in repairing, replacing and upgrading its infrastructure and makes significant contributions to advancing the science of water through its parent company American Water.

In fact, Mark LeChevallier who has worked for American Water since 1985, leads the company's Innovation Development Process, which tests and develops new technologies and processes for use in the company and the water industry. The results of his hard work are evidenced by American Water's industry-leading compliance with EPA standards, achieving a score of greater than a 99.9 percent for drinking water, as well as by the innovations being brought in the areas of water and wastewater treatment and water-energy efficiency.

For more:
- see this report

Read more about: David K. Baker, Mark LeChevallier
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By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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