NARUC survey looks at trends in energy

A survey by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) recently shed light on trends in distributed energy, energy efficiency, demand response, and the future of central station generation.

The survey of NARUC members was done in conjunction with management consulting firm Utilligent.

“The goal of this survey was to take the pulse of our membership on a range of issues currently impacting the electric industry,” NARUC President Nick Wagner, a member of the Iowa Utilities Board, said. “It’s all here in the results, which provide a national collection of regulatory insights on some of the most pressing issues facing utilities, with links to policy, state regulations, and individual programs.”

Among the key findings, the survey projects less photovoltaic and more utility-scale solar growth over the long-term. It also suggests that central station generation will remain dominant across the nation. Further, the survey says net metering is likely to be replaced by locational valuation to create equitable, sustainable valuation. In addition, transportation electrification and storage are poised to be the next big policy and regulatory challenges.

“Policy and cost are the primary drivers for change, regulations can be the brakes or the accelerator, according to responses from the commissioners,” Utilligent Executive Vice President of Strategy and Transformation Meir Shargal said. “Looking at the issues facing the industry through the eyes of those who must regulate them is an excellent way for stakeholders to think about the range of possibilities.”

NARUC is a non-profit organization whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities in all 50 states in addition to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.