Adoption of New Smart-Grid Technologies : Incentives, Outcomes, and Opportunities.

Title Page -- Copyright -- Preface -- Contents -- Figures -- Summary -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- CHAPTER ONE: Introduction -- Electricity Infrastructure in the United States -- The Supply of Electricity -- The Demand for Electricity -- Regulation in the Electricity Market -- Key Issues and Challenges with the Current Grid -- Demand Risk -- Differences in Wholesale and Retail Prices -- Integration of Renewable Sources of Energy -- Using Technology to Overcome Problems: The Smart Grid -- Research Questions -- Approach -- Organization of This Report -- CHAPTER TWO: A Review of the Potential Benefits of the Smart Grid -- Potential Benefits to Generators and Suppliers -- Potential Benefits to Distributors and Utilities -- Potential Benefits to Consumers -- Potential Benefits to All Market Participants and Society at Large -- Total Potential Benefits of the Smart Grid -- CHAPTER THREE: Potential for Entrepreneurship with Smart-Grid Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges Leveraging Big Data -- Description of Electricity Big Data -- The Disaggregation Problem -- Hardware Solutions -- Software Solutions -- Issues in Disaggregation -- The Economic Value of Disaggregated Data -- Consumers -- Utilities and Policy -- Benefits Outside of the Electricity Market -- Business Opportunities from Smart-Grid Data -- Energy-Efficiency Ventures -- Data Refinement -- CHAPTER FOUR: The Smart Grid in Practice: Some Empirical Evidence -- Response of Consumers to Alternative Pricing Structures -- Pilot Programs -- Large-Scale Studies -- Negative Consumer Experiences and Concerns -- Selected Issues and Experiences with the Smart Grid: Brief Case Studies -- SmartGridCity: Boulder, Colorado -- Massachusetts Electric Grid Modernization Process -- Summary of Empirical Evidence -- CHAPTER FIVE: Explaining the Evidence: Barriers to Smart-Grid Technology Adoption.

Regulatory Incentives on the Supply Side -- Lack of Technology Standards -- Perceived Costs to Consumers -- Real-Time and Time-of-Use Pricing and Transaction Costs -- Privacy and Health Risks -- Big-Data Technological and Personnel Barriers -- Costs of Interstate Transmission Infrastructure -- Costs of Distributed Generation -- Total Potential Costs of the Smart Grid -- CHAPTER SIX: Using Public Policy to Encourage Smart-Grid Technology Adoption -- Policy Levers to Incentivize Smart-Grid Investment -- Mandate Smart-Grid Investments -- Commit to Inclusion of Smart-Grid Investments in Rate Base -- Increase the Allowable Rate of Return on Capital -- Change the Distribution of Investment Expenditure and Cost Savings Pass-Through to Consumers -- Decouple Revenue from Sales -- Change Procedures for Rate Cases -- Broad Principles for Smart-Grid Regulation -- Shift Regulatory Focus from Costs of Investment to Net Benefits of Investment -- Adapt Pricing Structures to New Technologies -- Develop Efficient Pricing Policies for Distributed Generation -- Create and Enforce Smart-Grid Standards -- Recognize Differences in Local Electric Systems -- Manage Consumer Expectations -- Require Transparency in Data Collection and Usage -- Move to a Forward-Looking Test Case -- CHAPTER SEVEN: Conclusion -- Bibliography.

RAND Corporation researchers review the current technical, regulatory, and economic context of the electricity market and theoretical benefits of developing a smart grid; discuss some entrepreneurial opportunities associated with smart-grid data; examine empirical evidence related to smart-grid adoption and implementation; and offer policy suggestions for overcoming identified barriers.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.