California and Texas media have picked up on customer concerns surrounding new smart meters—surfacing questions on how new advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) devices will affect their bills, and apprehensions about the “accuracy” of these new solid-state devices. Current results of forensic activity have shown that, in general, meters are very accurate measurement device. However, activities [...]

The Virtual Power Plant is the working title assigned to the modern electric system architecture and operations envisioned by utility industry leaders. The VPP integrates the operation of supply- and demand-side assets to meet customer demand for energy services in both the short- and long-term. It’s the evolution of the present-day power plant, so it [...]

For decades, the energy market for electricity was represented with an inelastic demand curve. As this market adapts for smart grid operations and mechanisms develop for expanding consumer groups to change their consumption patterns, the market’s inelastic longevity wanes, and we must examine potential scenarios for effects on market prices.

Balancing customer and environmental demands and existing and emerging technologies to create a sustainable energy future requires bold, confident leadership to navigate the challenges of change. Here’s a look at the perspectives on the future of leadership and strategy from some of the C-level energy and utility industry leaders gathering at the 2010 KEMA Utility [...]

The FutureGen Alliance is a non-profit consortium of some of the largest coal producers and users in the world and was formed to partner with the U.S. Department of Energy on the FutureGen project. FutureGen Alliance CEO Michael Mudd offers insight on achieving a balance across prime fuels, conversion technologies and environmental pressures at the [...]