Welcome to PLMA's Resource Directory. This robust directory features links to numerous white papers, webinar recordings, conference presentations and reports written, presented and published by the top thought leaders and experts in the energy industry. This dynamic resource is fully accessible to all PLMA members. Although some content requires members to be logged in prior to viewing. A limited amount of content is available to non-members and PLMA allies.

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ADD A RESOURCE

If you would like to submit an item to include on the Resource Directory, email it, along with a short description, to [email protected]. Items (if approved for inclusion) received by the 1st of the month will be included in the current month’s update. Items received after the 1st will be included in the next month’s update.


Featured Resources

PLMA Load Management Encyclopedia

The goal of this wiki initiative is to promote knowledge sharing among energy industry load management practitioners and allies in these three areas: Common Industry Terms as Defined on Wikipedia; Evolution of Demand Response in the U.S. Electricity Industry; and Load Management Acronyms & Glossary. PLMA facilitates this wiki initiative as a member service, but use is not restricted to PLMA member organization staff.

2020 PLMA Thought Leadership Compendium

2020 Thought Leadership Compendium2020 Thought Leadership Executive Summary

Executive Summary of the 2020 Thought Leadership Compendium

In the 2020 PLMA Thought Leadership Compendium you will find transcripts of 2020's most highly rated PLMA sessions. These sessions were drawn from sources including PLMA's 41st and 42nd Conferences and it's Load Management Dialogue webcasts. 

Source: PLMA Thought Leadership Committee
Type: Compendium

17th PLMA Award-Winning Load Management Initiatives

Executive Summary of the 17th PLMA Awards Compendium Cover17th PLMA Award-Winning Load Management Initiatives Cover

Executive Summary of the 17th PLMA Awards Compendium.

A Compendium of interviews with the six 17th PLMA Award Winners who were recognized in April 2020 for their uniquely innovative approaches to managing end use energy loads.

Source: PLMA Thought Leadership and Award Planning Groups
Type: Compendium

Thought Leadership 2020

U.S. Department of Energy’s Future Connected Communities: Validating Buildings as a Grid Resource

This excerpt from PLMA’s 2020 Thought Leadership Compendium titled “U.S. Department of Energy’s Future Connected Communities: Validating Buildings as a Grid Resource” was originally recorded as a Load Management Dialogue in the spring of 2020. PLMA has published this transcript as a stand-alone document highlighting DOE FOA 0002206 (deadline March 2021), to serve as an additional resource for organizations planning to bid on this upcoming funding opportunity. It offers a dynamic question and answer discussion about grid-enabled buildings and Connected Communities among officials from the U.S. Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Oakridge National Lab, and NRECA.

CLICK HERE for the Load Management Dialogue recording.

Source: PLMA Thought Leadership Group
Type: Compendium (excerpt)


Why is Electricity Pricing So Difficult? Between a Rock and a Smart Meter

This excerpt from PLMA’s 2020 Thought Leadership Compendium titled “Why is Electricity Pricing So Difficult? Between a Rock and a Smart Meter” was originally recorded as a Load Management Dialogue in the spring of 2020. It offers a highly engaging discussion among three industry experts who explore the potential and challenges of time-differentiated and dynamic pricing, where the barriers to these approaches lie, and how to design electricity pricing options that customers actually understand, and want.

CLICK HERE for the Load Management Dialogue recording.

Source: PLMA Thought Leadership Group
Type: Compendium (excerpt)

Thought Leadership 2019

Thought Leadership 2019

Transcripts from 12 selected webcasts and conference sessions produced by PLMA in 2019.

Source: PLMA Thought Leadership Group
Type: Compendium

Future of Distributed Energy Resources

Future of DER

Details 8 industry initiatives where leading utilities are partnering with their customers and allies to demonstrate the path to a more integrated approach to distributed energy resources.

Source: PLMA Thought Leadership and DER Integration Groups
Type: Compendium

Thought Leadership 2018

Thought Leadership 2018

Transcripts from 8 selected webcasts and conference sessions produced by PLMA in 2018.

Source: PLMA Thought Leadership Group
Type: Compendium

16th PLMA Award-Winning Load Management Initiatives

16th PLMA Award-Winning Load Management Initiatives

Eight transcripts of webcast interviews with the 16th PLMA Award winners for best demand response and other load management programs, initiatives and achievements.

Source: PLMA Thought Leadership and Award Planning Groups
Type: Compendium

Non-Wires Alternatives: Insights from the Nation's Leading NWA Projects

PLMA SEPA E4Future

This webinar helps you understand the basics and push for non-wires-alternatives projects based on stories real practitioners. Hear directly from the SEPA-PLMA project team and key NWA project representatives about results from the industry-wide call for NWA project case studies including compelling lessons learned, and challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. You’ll get the breakdown of what we learned from 10 leading NWA projects representing different project sizes, geographies, and grid challenges.
Click here to view the report.

Source: A joint E4TheFuture, SEPA & PLMA Webinar
Type: Webinar Recording and Report

2018 Utility Demand Response Market Snapshot

2018 Utility Demand Response Market Snapshot

While the energy industry seems focused on energy storage as a critical solution to many of the challenges of integrating renewables on the grid, a new industry report documents the growth of demand response (DR) as an increasingly valuable and flexible resource.

Source: Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), Navigant Consulting, Inc. and PLMA
Type: Report

Future of Utility “Bring Your Own Thermostat” Programs

Future of Utility “Bring Your Own Thermostat” Programs

This thought leadership publication is a compendium of eight energy utility, manufacturer, and solution provider viewpoints.

Source: PLMA Thermostat Interest Group
Type: Compendium

Evolution of Demand Response

Evolution of Demand Response

As PLMA refined and coordinated materials for the Demand Response Training Series, Michael Brown, NV Energy and Chair of the PLMA Education Committee, together with the Education Committee and PLMA Training Partners realized there was not a singular, agreed upon definition of Demand Response and the stages of its evolution (DR 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0) to help new and transitioning professionals, regulators, and lawmakers understand the growth and trends of the industry, so they set out to develop a harmonized, consistent definition, followed by a public comment period.

Source: PLMA Thermostat Interest Group
Type: White paper

Hidden Battery Report

Hidden Battery Report

The nation’s 50 million residential electric water heaters collectively represent a significant – and vastly underutilized – energy storage resource capable of leveraging substantial environmental and cost benefits according to new research commissioned by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Peak Load Management Alliance (PLMA) and Great River Energy (GRE).

Source: The Brattle Group
Type: Report


PLMA Resources Directory

June 2020   

Global Supply Chain Impacts to Grid Modernization in the Age of COVID-19

Hot Topic

PLMA’s first MEMBERS ONLY HOT TOPIC conversation was June 11th, hosted by PLMA’s Global Load Management Interest Group. Our special guest facilitators will lead a conversation with staff of PLMA member organizations that explores how utilities and their hardware suppliers are adapting grid modernization plans and programs as the global supply chain faces disruptions due to COVID-19 as well as a new Executive Order that halts installation of some bulk-power system equipment. What’s your perspective? What are you most concerned about? How is your business changing to accommodate this new world order? Come and participate, learn, or just listen. You’ll gather key insights and ideas from fellow load management practitioners across the PLMA membership.  Keep the conversation going in the Global Load Management Conversation Circle

Source: Webinar featuring the Global Load Management Interest Group
Type: Webinar   

 

COVID-19 Impacts on Utility Loads and Implications for Load Management Programs

Covid

Gain key insights from the results of a PLMA survey conducted in partnership with Guidehouse to assess COVID-19 impacts on load management programs, especially for the upcoming summer months. The purpose of this survey was to collect information and disseminate insights on how utilities are adapting to changes/challenges from the COVID-19 crisis in terms of managing their Demand Response resources and how load management programs are being modified to adapt to the changes.

Read the PLMA/Guidehouse COVID-19 Survey Summary Results and Analysis at
CLICK HERE and plan to join PLMA for a dialogue about the implications for load management practitioners.

Source: Webinar featuring Brett Feldman and Debyani Ghosh, Guidehouse, with Rich Philip, PLMA
Type: Webinar   

 

Connected Energy (UK) Ltd for Battery Recycling in Belgium

Connected Energy

Connected Energy (UK) Ltd.’s system installed at the Umicore industrial site in Belgium reuses Renault Kangoo batteries which previously powered 48 vehicles in France. The system provides a frequency response service to Elia, the Belgium system operator, to help it balance electricity supply and demand for network stability. It is the first time 'second-life’ batteries have been used at an industrial scale in this way in the country. The batteries have a combined energy storage capacity of 720 kWh and can deliver 1.2 MW in power. With solution project partner ENGIE, the battery is optimised in real-time as part of a synchronized asset stack providing revenue generation and power quality management for global materials technology and recycling group Umicore who also recycle EV batteries. The installation will give the company insight into the process of wear in the batteries, which can help to build better batteries.

Source: Webinar featuring Mark Bailey, Connected Energy (UK) and Michael Smith, National Grid
Type: Webinar  

 

Retail Automated Transactive Energy System (RATES) Report

Rates Report

This is the final report from a California Energy Commission funded project to develop and pilot-test a standards-based Retail Automated Transactive Energy System (RATES), and behind the meter energy management solution. The purpose was to minimize the cost and complexity of customer participation in energy efficiency programs, maximize the potential of small loads to improve system load factor, shave peaks, integrate renewable generation, and provide low opportunity-cost resources to the grid. This project was conducted with Southern California Edison to facilitate customer participation and expand Demand Response Participation in the area served the Moorpark substation.

CLICK HERE to view the final report.

Source: California Energy Commission
Type: Report 

 

May 2020  

National Grid and EnergyHub for National Grid ConnectedSolutions

NGrid Energy Hub

National Grid’s ConnectedSolutions program is the nation’s first pay-for-performance-based Bring-Your-Own-Battery Demand Response (DR) program. The program has shown how to cost-effectively incentivize customers to purchase batteries and allow the utility to discharge those batteries to reduce peaks on the grid. The program provides residential, commercial, and industrial battery owners across Massachusetts and Rhode Island with incentives from $200-400/kW-performed per year in exchange for providing battery capacity to support a more sustainable and efficient grid. The program embraces consumer choice by enabling participation with battery integrators from Tesla, Sunrun, Generac, SolarEdge, and Sonnen through an integration with a single Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) platform provided by EnergyHub. With the goal of enrolling 17 MW of load relief by the end of 2021, the program is on track to provide more than $15,000,000 per year in system benefits, which will reduce costs for all customers. This program started as a National Grid program, but it has been so successful that it has since been adopted by Eversource and Unitil. These utilities work together to offer one consistent program for customers.

Source: Webinar featuring Paul Wassink, National Grid; Chris Ashley, EnergyHub; and Brett Feldman, Guidehouse Insights
Type: Webinar    

Why Is Electricity Pricing So Difficult? Between a Rock and a Smart Meter

Electricity Pricing

For decades, there has been the promise of time-differentiated and dynamic pricing for electricity consumers, yet we are still far from reaching that elusive goal. This disconnect between price signals and marginal costs has complicated efforts to modulate system peaks and fill the duck curve’s belly. At the same time, customers do not tend to desire more complex rates, being comfortable with their traditional flat rate despite the fact they don’t know what a kilowatt hour is. But now, with smart meters and technologies to help customers manage energy use like never before, how can we greatly boost pricing success in the decade to come? Hear two energy experts discuss how some utilities are succeeding with TOU, Demand, and even dynamic pricing, where the barriers are today, and how to design pricing options that customers actually understand and want.

Source: Webinar featuring Ahmad Faruqui, The Brattle Group; Bill LeBlanc, E Source; and Derek Kirchner, Consumers Energy
Type: Webinar    

Arizona Public Service and EnergyHub for APS Distributed Energy Resource Aggregations (Rewards Programs and Solar Communities)

APS EnergyHub

Arizona Public Service (APS) has implemented programs that reimagine the relationship between a utility and distributed energy resources (DERs) and that will be instrumental in its commitment to achieve 100% clean energy by 2050. APS uses EnergyHub’s Mercury DERMS platform to dynamically manage a portfolio of grid-edge assets including thermostats, batteries, water heaters, and solar inverters for an array of grid services. APS leverages DERs for peak demand reduction, load shifting and renewables matching, solar management, and advanced load and capacity forecasting. Services are available year round, multiple times a day, unlike event-based calls for DR. They have implemented these programs with both bring-your-own and direct install models. APS has evolved from a DERMS early-adopter to a pioneer of a customer-centric approach to managing the grid.

Source: Webinar featuring Tom Hines, Arizona Public Service; Renée Guillory, Arizona Public Service; Ben Bunker, EnergyHub; and Brett Feldman, Guidehouse
Type: Webinar   

 

April 2020 

Recordings from the 41st PLMA Online Conference

41st PLMA Conference

Recordings and other resources from the 41st PLMA Online Conference on April 20-22, 2020. The 41st PLMA Conference was originally scheduled to be presented in Scottsdale, Arizona, but instead was presented online with a mix of live and pre-recorded content presented at no charge to members and non-members alike. 

Source: PLMA
Type: Presentations
  

Calculating Cost-Effectiveness for Energy Efficiency and Demand Response

Cost effectiveness

Are utility program cost-effectiveness testing practices developed decades ago adequate to guide our industry investments today? Are legacy measurement practices inhibiting both innovative program designs and commonsense best practices for putting ratepayer dollars to optimal use? Learn how E4TheFuture is partnering with DOE to offer guidance on how cost effectiveness testing can include the impacts of flexible load management, to include demand response and distributed energy resources.The speaker will offer insights from “The National Standard Practice Manual (NSPM)” (see https://nationalefficiencyscreening.org/national-standard-practice-manual/), published in 2017 with a focus on cost-effectiveness assessment of energy efficiency, and which is actively being expanded to address a range of DERs including Demand Response. She will also share experience with the state use of the NSPM to date, and early learnings from the draft NSPM for DERs, a project co-funded by US DOE and forthcoming in summer 2020.

Source: Webinar featuring Julie Michals, E4TheFuture, and Michael Brown, NV Energy
Type: Webinar   

 

March 2020 

The Promise and Progress of Integrated Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Programs

Promise and Progress

In a large missed opportunity to boost power grid flexibility and benefit customers, relatively few US utilities have programs that fully integrate energy efficiency and demand response, according to ACEEE’s recently published review of 44 utility portfolios. Program administrators typically have approached and implemented energy efficiency (EE) and demand response (DR) programs separately. While the benefits and value of integrated EE/DR programs have long been recognized, ACEEE’s recent research shows that most customer programs still are not integrated. During this Dialogue, Dan York will present results from ACEEE’s review, which characterizes the landscape of integrated EE/DR programs in the US. York also will provide examples of successful programs and discuss how they have overcome challenges to integration.

CLICK HERE to read the ACEEE report.

Source: Webinar featuring Dan York, ACEEE; Craig Aubuchon, Ameren Missouri; and Olivia Patterson, Opinion Dynamics
Type: Webinar
    

Behavioral Demand Response Programs

Anything

Join the Customer Engagement Interest group as we explore residential behavioral demand response techniques currently employed across various utilities. We’ll have Baltimore Gas and Electric speaking about their large scale Peak-Time Rebate program, Arizona Public Service giving us insights on their award-winning Smart Thermostat program, and discover how CPS Energy engages over 300,000 customers in Behavioral Demand Response through friendly competition.

Source: Webinar featuring Scott Jarman, Austin Energy; Tom Hines, Arizona Public Service; Leigh Jarosinski, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; and Julie Cain, CPS Energy
Type: Webinar
    

US Department of Energy’s Future Connected Communities: Validating Buildings as a Grid Resource

US DOE

Discover why the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Building Technologies Office is expanding its research to validate grid-interactive efficient buildings as a grid resource. Gain insights regarding key findings on grid-interactive efficient buildings research and future opportunities. The dialogue will focus on a significant investment planned by DOE in Connected Communities. As used here, the term Connected Community is a group of grid-interactive efficient buildings with diverse, flexible end use equipment that collectively work to maximize building and grid efficiency without compromising occupant needs and comfort. The goal of a proposed Funding Opportunity Announcement is to demonstrate the ability of groups of efficient buildings to provide additive benefits to the electricity system and building owners including energy savings, peak demand reduction, reduced capacity needs, and cost savings. DOE intends to expand its initial set of smart community testbeds into a larger cohort of regional pilot projects to study a variety of building types, technologies, and business models in varied utility regulatory environments, climates, and locations.  CLICK HERE to read about Department of Energy Releases Request for Information on Potential Funding for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings in Connected Communities.
Source: Webinar featuring Davis Nemtzow, DOE; Mary Ann Piette, LBNL; Teja Kuruganti, ORNL; and Allison Hamilton, NRECA
Type: Webinar  

 

February 2020 

Utility Dive's State of the Electric Utility Industry Survey: Implications for Load Management Practitioners

Utility Dive Webinar

Listen to a discussion about implications for Load Management practitioners from Utility Dive's Annual State of the Electric Utility Industry Survey.

CLICK HERE to read about the Utility Dive report.

Source: Webinar featuring Larry Pearl, Utility Dive, and Michael Brown, NV Energy
Type: Webinar
  

 
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