Emerging Technologies

Kavulla, Travis. The Retail-Wholesale Divide." Presentation to the Harvard Electricity Policy Group 75th Plenary Session, Cambridge, MA, June 2014."

Smutny-Jones, Jan. Regulating Generation: When Do Wholesale and Retail Generation Become Part of the Same Whole? - How Very Zen." Presentation to the Harvard Electricity Policy Group 75th Plenary Session, Cambridge, MA, June 2014."

Nieto, Amparo. Connecting Wholesale and Retail Pricing: A Look at Market and Policy Design Decisions." Harvard Electricity Policy Group 70th Plenary Session, Dana Point, CA, March 7-8, 2013. 7 pages.

Neenan, Bernie. Why Direct Customer Participation in Wholesale Markets is Counter Productive." Harvard Electricity Policy Group 70th Plenary Session, Dana Point, CA, March 7-8, 2013. 12 pages.

In this paper we propose a method for the allocation of fixed (capital and non-variable operation and maintenance) costs at the medium voltage (MV) distribution level. The method is derived from the philosophy behind the widely used MW- mile methodology for transmission networks that bases fixed cost allocations on the “extent of use” that is derived from load flows. We calculate the “extent of use” by multiplying the total consumption or generation at a busbar by the marginal current variations, or power to current distribution factors (PIDFs) that an increment of active and reactive power consumed, or generated in the case of distributed generation, at each busbar, produces in each circuit. These PIDFs are analogous to power transfer distribution factors (PTDFs).

Unlike traditional tariff designs that average fixed costs on a per kWh basis across all customers, the proposed method provides more cost reflective price signals and helps eliminate possible cross-subsidies that deter profitable (in the case of competition) or cost-effective (in the case of a fully regulated industry) deployment of DG by directly accounting for use and location in the allocation of fixed costs. An application of this method for a rural radial distribution network is presented.

Significant increases in prices and price volatility of natural gas and electricity have raised interest in the potential economic opportunities for electricity storage. In this paper, we analyze the arbitrage value of a price-taking storage device in PJM during the six-year period from 2002 to 2007, to understand the impact of fuel prices, transmission constraints, efficiency, storage capacity, and fuel mix. The impact of load-shifting for larger amounts of storage, where reductions in arbitrage are offset by shifts in consumer and producer surplus as well as increases in social welfare from a variety of sources, is also considered

Pfeifenberger, Johannes. Hidden Values, Missing Markets, and Electricity Policy: The Experience with Storage and Transmission." Presentation to the Harvard Electricity Policy Group's 79th Plenary Session, Washington, DC, June 2015."

Lee, Henry, and Grant Lovellette. Will Electric Cars Transform the U.S. Vehicle Market? An Analysis of the Key Determinants." Energy Technology Innovation Policy Discussion Paper Series, #2011-08. Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School. July 2011."

Faruqui, Ahmad, Ryan Hledik, Armando Levy, and Alan Madian. Will Smart Prices Induce Smart Charging of Electric Vehicles? The Brattle Group, July, 2011.

Kelly, James. Distribution Infrastructure and Electricity Transformation. Presentation to the Harvard Electricity Policy Group, Fifty-Eighth Plenary Session. Santa Monica, CA. February 25, 2010. 13 pages.

Braz, Aubrey. Preparing for Electric Vehicles: The Distribution System Perspective. Presentation to the Harvard Electricity Policy Group, Fifty-Eighth Plenary Session. Santa Monica, CA. February 25, 2010. 16 pages.

Parks, Jim. Smart Grid Activities at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). Presentation to the Harvard Electricity Policy Group, October 1, 2009. 36 pages.

Hogan, Michael. Can Low-Carbon Resources Thrive through Markets?" Presentation to the Harvard Electricity Policy Group's 80th Plenary Session, Houston, TX, October 2015."

Hogan, William. Reliability and Scarcity Pricing: Operating Reserve Demand Curves. 2 March 2006. Presentation, 31 pages.