The energy sector in the US is experiencing unprecedented change and growth, shaped by ambitious net zero goals set at the State level, the largest federal investment in climate and clean energy in history with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and new regulations like the FERC Order 2222 helping to usher in the grid of the future.
For utilities and customers, supply remains at the heart of the energy conversation regarding what that future looks like. More and more, we are seeing Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), such as solar PV, electric vehicles (EVs), and energy storage systems come online to offset our need for traditional centralized power generation and secure local home-grown energy.
Just last year, electric power generation from all types of renewables accounted for nearly one-quarter of total generation nationwide. As the US energy landscape continues to adapt, grid flexibility will be crucial to addressing the variable availability of renewable energy and enhancing the overall resilience of the grid.
An inflection point for grid flexibility
Last month, I attended the 2023 National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Summer Policy Summit in Austin, TX, which gathered utilities, thought leaders, and energy advocates from across the country to discuss how evolving our energy policy can help to strengthen the US’s energy system.
Representing Piclo at the NARUC conference, it was hard not to notice that I was not the only freshman at the party. From emerging energy businesses attending the event like EV charging companies, DER developers, and software providers, to larger established organizations entering the energy flexibility space such as Ford and Google, it was clear to see that the clean energy sector is booming.
