Sara Baldwin Auck, IREC's director of regulatory programs, offers a nutritional primer on the regulatory actions leading state's are taking now and considering for the future, and which best practices other states are looking at to meet solar's growing needs.

1. What It All Means:
Solar Regulatory World 101
Sara Baldwin Auck
IREC Regulatory Program Director
October 21, 2014
www.irecusa.org
@IRECUSA
#3iForum

2. “So…what do you do for work?”
Regulatory Director, Interstate Renewable Energy Council

3. The Regulatory World: What is it?
A Key Ingredient to a Stable, Robust Solar Market

4. What it All Means?
Consumer
Empowerment
Expanded Access
Clean Energy
Future
Attracting Financing
Shaping Future Investments
Consistency, Stability, & Predictability
Adoption of National Best Practices
Implementing Policies | Removing Barriers

5. At the Table: IREC’s Regulatory Team
• Healthy appetite for complex issues
• Developer of best practices, model regulatory
rules and standards
• State-level engagement, national perspective
• Independent, fact-based experts
• Translate technical jargon into impactful
regulatory reforms

6. What’s on the menu?
IREC Regulatory Activity 2012-2014 (US DOE SunShot Initiative)
IREC Regulatory Activity 2007 – 2011 (Other US DOE contracts)

7. Grid Modernization

8. Grid Modernization
More distributed
energy resources and
energy storage
Complementary
Regulatory Reforms
***
New Models &
Performance-based
Incentives
Higher
penetrations of
renewable
energy
More efficient use
of energy
Modern,
resilient low-carbon
electricity grid

9. Who’s Leading the Charge?
California:
• Net Metering 2.0
• Distributed Resource Planning (DRPs)
• Interconnection Reforms
• New Energy Storage Requirement
• Reforming the Energy Vision
• Solar PV/Net Metering Valuation
Hawaii:
• Interconnection Reforms (improved technical screens)
• Energy Storage + Solar PV
• NEM 2.0 ?
New York:
• Clean Energy Fund
Massachusetts:
• 10-year grid modernization plans
• Distribution grid mapping and integrated planning
Learn More Here Booth #3909: Wednesday @ 10:30 am and Thurs @ 12 pm!

10. Net Metering (and VOST, NEM 2.0…)

11. Net Metering and Solar Valuation
NV: PUC docket
13-07010, E3
developed study
proving NEM’s
benefit to grid
VT: 2012 legislation
directed the V PSB
to complete an
evaluation of NEM
MN: 2013 legislation
required development
of a VOST, methodology
complete
CA: 2012 legislation
required a CPUC study of
costs and benefits of NEM;
LADWP considering VOS
approach;
new NEM 2.0 Docket
AZ: ACC workshops to
develop methodology.
Multiple studies to date
CO: PUC
considering Xcel
cost/benefit study
of NEM
TX: Austin Energy
developed a VOST in 2012;
San Antonio’s CPS will be
replacing NEM with a
SunCredit tariff
NC: In docket No. E-
100 Sub 136, NCUC
is examining
avoided cost
methodology.
PNNL study just
released.
SC: E3 chosen to
develop valuation
methodology for
PSC
WA: Docket UE-131883
to discuss costs and
benefits of DG
LA: Consultant
chosen to conduct
benefit/cost study
OR: PUC recently
held a workshop to
discuss solar rates
in docket UM 1452
HI: NARUC funded
a NEM
benefit/cost study
from E3
AL: Consultant
hired by PSC in
2014 to study
costs-benefits of
NEM
MS: Valuation
study
completed
ME: 2014 legislation
directed PUC to
complete VOS study
UT: Defeat of
proposed solar
charge, valuation
study forthcoming
Learn More Here (Booth #3909): Today @ 1 pm!

12. Distributed Energy Storage

13. Energy Storage
• Energy storage requirement (1.3 GW by 2020)
• Interconnection cost waiver for RE+storage NEM systems
• 200 MW of large storage to ease high penetrations of RE
• Looking at solar PV+distributed storage value methodology
New Report: Economics of Grid Defection
Rocky Mountain Institute, Feb 2014
www.rmi.org/electricity_grid_defection

14. Interconnection Reform

15. Interconnection Reform
• Improved efficiency, cost allocation, and certainty
• Striking a balance (time, resources, safety, reliability)
• Refining, updating evolving technical standards
• FERC Order - Improvements to Small Generator
Interconnection Procedures to handle higher volumes of
small distributed generators
Learn More Here Booth #3909:
Today @ 11 am and Thurs @ 11 am!

16. Shared Solar

17. Shared Solar
Check out IREC’s Shared Program Catalog @ www.irecusa.org

18. Shared Solar
Key Issues:
• Program structure
• Value for Energy
• Finance-ability
• Ownership
• Expanding access to all potential customers
Markets to watch:
Learn More Here (Booth #3909): Today @ 3 pm andWed @ 3 pm!

19. Dessert Anyone?
Rate Design
Avoided Costs
Demand Response/Energy Efficiency
Utility Business Models
Revised Regulatory Framework

20. For more information
Sara Baldwin Auck
sarab@irecusa.org
www.irecusa.org