Central Planning and Public Ownership: Efficient Deployment of DERs

The panel discussion focuses on the question of whether central planning and public ownership are necessary for the efficient deployment of distributed energy resources (DERs) in the grid. While DERs are often associated with decentralization and localism, the panelists explore whether strong institutions and better state capacity are needed to deploy DERs effectively. Cyril Brunner, from Vermont Electric Cooperative, highlights the limitations of small, rural co-ops in accommodating additional DERs due to infrastructure and load constraints. On the other hand, Matt Huber, a professor at Syracuse University, argues that the grid needs to be doubled or tripled to accommodate DERs, and centralized planning and socialized capital infrastructure models are the most cost-effective and efficient ways to achieve this. Despite differing perspectives, the consensus is that the grid needs significant expansion, and the discussion revolves around finding the most optimal mechanisms for achieving this.