The market for coal-fired electricity has significantly evolved in recent decades, with coal's share of generation falling across the country. However, coal-fired power is an important resource in many states, and public utility commissions have an interest in understanding opportunities for the U.S. coal fleet to evolve. The U.S. Department of Energy and NARUC established a Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Partnership as a cooperative effort to highlight new technology and regulatory approaches to improving the environmental and economic performance of coal-fired power plants, understand new market opportunities for coal byproducts, and increase the deployment of carbon capture, utilization, and storage projects. Learn More
Highlighted Resources
- Advancing Innovation with CCUS Hubs: A Case Study of Houston, Texas, April 28, 2022
- Virtual Briefing: Project Tundra and Prospects for Carbon Capture in North Dakota, March 31
- White Paper Briefing: Coal-to-Hydrogen Challenges and Opportunities, September 28, 2021
- Webinar: Federal-State Collaboration for Energy Community Revitalization, September 20, 2021
- Webinar: Policy Outlook for Carbon Capture in the 2020s, June 9, 2021
- WIEB + NARUC Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage Workshop Series, Sept. - Oct. 2020
- A Comprehensive Survey of Coal Ash Law and Commercialization: Its Environmental Risks, Disposal Regulation, and Beneficial Use Markets, February 2020
- Recent Changes to U.S. Coal Plant Operations and Current Compensation Practices, January 2020
- Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration: Technology and Policy Status and Opportunities, November 2018
The nation's natural gas infrastructure transports gas to homes, buildings, industrial customers, and utilities for use in heating and electric power. Public utility commissions are responsible for assuring the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the natural gas distribution network. The U.S. Department of Energy and NARUC established a Natural Gas Partnership (NGP) as a cooperative effort to understand emerging technologies and regulatory options for improving commission oversight of natural gas utilities. Learn More
Highlighted Resources
- Net-Zero Emissions Opportunities for Gas Utilities, February 7, 2022
- European Gas and Electricity Market Volatility, January 24, 2022
- SoCal Gas: Role of Clean Fuels and Business Transformation Workstream, November 15, 2021
- U.S.-Europe Methane Strategy, January 15, 2021
- Artificial Intelligence for Natural Gas Utilities: A Primer, October 2020
- Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Replacement and Modernization: A Review of State Programs, January 2020
- Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Workshop Summary, July 2019
- Sampling of Methane Emissions Detection Technologies and Practices for Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure: An Educational Handbook for State Energy Regulators, July 2019
Given technological advances in nuclear generation and increasing state interest in retaining and encouraging zero-emission nuclear power, NARUC’s Center for Partnerships & Innovation (CPI) manages a Nuclear Energy Partnership with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy. Through this Partnership, NARUC provides opportunities for state public service commissioners and commission staff to better understand barriers and opportunities related to the U.S. nuclear fleet. NARUC educates and informs state commissioners and staff on important issues surrounding the use of nuclear energy technologies. This partnership includes analysis on policy and regulatory issues related to existing and new nuclear generation, leading to educational briefs, workshops, and informational forums aimed at NARUC's state membership. Learn More
Highlighted Resources
- Webinar: Assessing and Mitigating Financial Risks of New Nuclear, June 17, 2022
- Webinar: Paving New Trails for Advanced Fission with Oklo, March 11, 2022
- Advanced Nuclear Technology Workshop Summary, July 1, 2021
- Press release: New NARUC-DOE Nuclear Energy Partnership Enables State Energy Regulators to Explore Key Nuclear Power Issues, March 8, 2021
Advances in highly efficient building system technologies, energy storage, onsite power generation, and internet-connected and artificial intelligence-enabled building and grid control technologies are leading to great opportunities for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings (GEB). Sophisticated energy system controls and smart consumer technologies allow for two-way power flows and flexible management of both electricity demand and supply to improve the performance and service offerings of buildings and the electric power system. NARUC has partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy and National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) to educate state regulators and energy officials about GEB opportunities and support grid access to GEB benefits. Learn More
Highlighted Resources
- U.S. DOE Request for Information on Potential Funding for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings in Connected Communities, April 2020
- Determining Utility System Value of Demand Flexibility From Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings, April 6, 2020
- Considerations for Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings (GEB) Pilot Projects, December 2019
- Roadmapping: A Tool for States to Advance Load Flexibility and Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings, November 2019
- Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings: State Briefing Paper, October 2019
In recent years, state regulators have seen a surge in utility smart grid investments, from advanced metering infrastructure to smart appliances and distributed energy resources. In their role protecting the public interest, state regulators who oversee these utility investments seek to balance benefits and costs; one way to prudently leverage new technologies is by ensuring new components are interoperable and future-proofed. NARUC has partnered with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to educate regulators on the value of smart grid interoperability and technical standards that support it. Learn More
Highlighted Resources
- Understanding Cybersecurity for the Smart Grid: Questions for Utilities, December 2020
- Smart Grid Interoperability: Prompts for State Regulators to Engage Utilities, April 2020
- Smart Grid Interoperability: Online Learning Module Videos
- Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards Regional Roundtables Summary Report, January 2020
- Evolution of the Distribution System & the Potential for Distribution-level Markets: A Primer for State Utility Regulators, January 2018
Electric vehicle (EV) adoption is increasing around the country, resulting in a new kind of electricity load from EV charging. Commissions are grappling with related challenges, including how to shift this new load to off-peak hours and whether and how utilities may be involved in offering EV charging to drivers. NARUC, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, is working to explore these emerging topics with its members and experts. Learn More
Highlighted Resources
- Electric Vehicles: Key Trends, Issues, and Considerations for State Regulators, October 2019
- NARUC’s Electric Vehicles State Working Group, open to all NARUC members, holds monthly meetings or webinars on EV topics