Advanced Energy United Reports

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. 

Diverse, Flexible Resources Are Key to Reducing Costs and Enhancing Reliability in Today’s Electric Power System

To inform to inform the 60-day Department of Energy study called for by Energy Secretary Rick Perry in an April 14 memo, this white paper by the AEE Institute shows that today’s electric generation mix is more diverse than ever; low-priced gas is primarily driving change in resources, followed by flat load growth and competition from renewables; and, as ERCOT and PJM demonstrate, reliable grid management is achievable with a high degree of variable renewables and even in extreme conditions.

In 2016, FERC responded to comments from AEE and others calling for the Commission to expand its initial inquiry into barriers facing energy storage to examine a wider array of advanced energy technologies that cannot fully compete under current market rules by including distributed energy resources like rooftop solar when they are aggregated for market participation.

AEE supported this expansion of the rule to encompass aggregated distributed energy resources (DER) and encouraged FERC to continue to pursue breaking down of barriers to market competition in a comprehensive way.