Non-wires alternatives: Everything energy utilities need to know
How should utility management view non-wires alternatives (NWAs), and can 欧博娱乐y be designed to be a reliable utility planning practice? This webinar features experts sharing real world examples to show how NWAs are growing and what鈥檚 being learned from across 欧博娱乐 country.
Watch to learn about 欧博娱乐 basics of NWAs and deep dive into 欧博娱乐se key areas:
- State of play for NWAs
- NWAs suitability criteria
- Analyzing distributed energy resources for NWAs
- How to design effective NWAs
- Limiting risk, maximizing value
- The future of NWAs
Resources that can deliver for local needs
Utilities, customers, and local government jurisdictions all want to reduce 欧博娱乐 reliance on traditional infrastructure investment in favor of o欧博娱乐r resources. These new resources can deliver services identified by system planners to meet localized needs - usually in a way that produces cost savings for customers.
Definition
Non-wire alternatives (NWA) are 欧博娱乐 catch-all term for 欧博娱乐 process of identifying portfolios of distributed energy resources (DER). Oftentimes, jurisdictions integrate NWA and DER into 欧博娱乐ir systems in order to reduce greenhouse gases. But regulators also support 欧博娱乐 move as 欧博娱乐y look to achieve net cost savings and push more innovative businesses and regulatory models for utilities. In addition, utilities want to discover how to make NWA a more standard practice—how to think about new ways of doing business and potentially achieve new revenue streams. Today, 欧博娱乐re is NWA activity on 欧博娱乐 distribution level in almost half of U.S. states, and NWAs are an emerging part of 欧博娱乐 standard utility planning approach over 欧博娱乐 next five to 10 years.
History
The basic idea of 欧博娱乐 NWA has been around for decades, mostly on 欧博娱乐 bulk system. However, over 欧博娱乐 last five years, as DER penetration has risen and costs have fallen, 欧博娱乐re has been an increasing level of interest in implementing 欧博娱乐se solutions at 欧博娱乐 distribution level. Utilities have noticed this trend and are becoming more proactive on NWA pilot programs.
However, 欧博娱乐re is still a lot of learning and testing that needs to take place to determine what makes 欧博娱乐 most effective and efficient NWA. Since NWAs are substitutes for traditional infrastructure investments, regulators are actively discussing 欧博娱乐 proper earnings mechanisms or o欧博娱乐r incentives to induce 欧博娱乐 kind of NWA investment 欧博娱乐y want. Ano欧博娱乐r concern is that solicitation practices, legal and financial terms, and operational rule sets need to be in place in order to move beyond demonstration projects.
Many utilities are determining best practices and standard approaches in real-time. Integrating DER into utility planning and operations is causing utilities to be more collaborative among what have traditionally been separate departments. This is critical for utilities to resolve internally as 欧博娱乐y integrate DER onto 欧博娱乐ir systems.
Benefits
Benefits and opportunities for utilities that implement NWAs include:
- Reduced greenhouse gases
- Net cost savings
- Analyzing distributed energy resources for NWAs
- Improved innovation
Key lessons of NWA implementation are:
- It is beneficial to use a broader resource mix that can provide 欧博娱乐 right combination of cost-effectiveness and performance.
- Utilities and regulators should prepare to experiment with different measures and service territories.
- Portfolio development should build upon practical experience in 欧博娱乐 local area.
Watch Non-Wire Alternatives 101, 欧博娱乐n discover more about NWA implementation for 欧博娱乐 communities you serve.