Advanced Energy United Reports

This white paper outlines five case studies of participation in both retail and wholesale markets by a range of distributed energy resources (DERs), exploring business models in use across the country today, and explaining how market rules have limited opportunities for participation. 

Read the motion to intervene AEE filed in support of FERC's decision not to rehear Order 841 establishing rules for energy storage to participate in wholesale markets.

Wholesale electricity markets should be technology-neutral, allowing all resources to compete on price and performance.

Many market rules, however, are outdated, having been designed with older technologies in mind. Such rules can prevent new technologies from selling their services on the open market, which stifles innovation and keeps our electricity system from being modernized for higher performance. 

On Feb. 13 2019, Advanced Energy Economy and Sustainable FERC filed a joint petition with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding concerns about recent changes suggested by independent regional grid operator ISO New England Inc.’s (ISO-NE) staff to the process for measurement and verification of energy efficiency resources that participate in ISO-NE’s markets. 

On Jan. 24, 2019, Advanced Energy Economy submitted our priorities to Members of the 116th Congress to ensure technology-neutral wholesale markets will allow all resources to compete based on price and performance.

On June 29, FERC issued an order asking PJM to make significant changes to its capacity market.

This order came in response to concerns from traditional generators about “state subsidies,” namely RECs and ZECs, suppressing prices in capacity auctions.

A preliminary examination of proposed Dept. of Energy plans to support coal, nuclear plants

Advanced Energy Economy along with several energy trade group colleagues (API, AWEA, ELCON, EPSA and NGSA) commissioned an independent analysis of policy implementation and related direct costs of supporting uncompetitive coal and nuclear power plants proposed in a draft DOE memo released by Bloomberg News in May.

AEE submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) asking DOE to reject FirstEnergy Solutions’ March 29 request for an order under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act.

The request from an owner of power plants operating in competitive wholesale electricity markets is for emergency financial support for a wide range of coal and nuclear plants across the PJM Interconnection (PJM) region, which stretches from Maryland to parts of Ohio. 

On Sept. 30, the U.S. Dept. of Energy announced a proposed rulemaking for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under its authority in Section 403 of the Federal Power Act to urge FERC to provide out-of-market financial support to uneconomic coal and nuclear power plants.

This report by Analysis Group was commissioned by AEE and AWEA in order to independently answer questions asked by Energy Secretary Rick Perry about the reliability and market rules of the U.S. electric power grid.

In the report, Analysis Group finds it is market forces – primarily low-cost natural gas and flat demand for electricity – that are causing some coal and nuclear power plants to retire, and not state and federal policies supporting renewable energy development.