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Public Power Underground

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Nov 15, 2023 • 1h 26min

Office Hours w/ Professor Jacob Mays

“This paper argues for the centrality of real-time markets, which are cleared sequentially with a single binding interval.”Prof. Dr. Jacob Mays and Paul Dockery have an in-depth discussion in Hollister Hall at Cornell University about Prof. Mays recently released working paper on Sequential Pricing of Electricity. The discussion is only available as a podcast and is published uninterrupted and unedited.Mays, J. (2023). Sequential Pricing of Electricity. Working Paper, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University.You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us!The conversation explores the paper in 8 parts. 1. The goal of the paper“The goal of this paper is to promote a shift in the discussion of price formation in wholesale electricity markets from a static to a dynamic modeling framework. While the design and analysis of systems with significant reservoir hydropower have long relied on dynamic models, most other systems have come to rely on simpler static models that have nevertheless been useful in contexts with limited variability, uncertainty, and intertemporal constraints. The entry of large quantities of renewable and battery storage has increased the salience of all these factors, necessitating a richer modeling framework.” p. 40“This paper argues for the centrality of real-time markets, which are cleared sequentially with a single binding interval.” p. 3.2. Framework to assess the effect of price formation proposals on market outcomes“This paper develops a framework to assess the effect of such proposals on market outcomes, investigating how choices made by wholesale market operators regarding algorithms for commitment, dispatch, and market clearing can affect incentives for operation and investment.” p. 2“Step 1: specifying the model for operations” Section 3.2.1, p. 15“Step 2: specifying a parameterization” Section 3.2.2, p. 15“Step 3: specifying a pricing policy” Section 3.2.3, pp. 15-163. Static vs Dynamic modeling frameworks“The paper’s conceptual goal is a shift from the static picture of the merit-order curve in thermal-dominant markets to a dynamic understanding of price formation. Electricity prices are often colloquially described as the cost to serve an additional unit of load for a given period. In a static, convex economic dispatch model, prices that maximize efficiency both in short-run operations and long-run investment can be calculated as the dual variables corresponding to power balance constraints equating supply and demand. With no intertemporal operating constraints, dual values are typically determined by the fuel cost of thermal resources. In a dynamic model, an additional unit of load in a given period not only entails a direct cost in the present period, but also places the system in a slightly different state entering the subsequent operating period (e.g., with more or less energy stored in batteries). Dynamic models have been long been understood as necessary to the design and analysis of markets in regions with significant reservoir hydropower (see, e.g., Pereira and Pinto (1991) as well as more recent reviews in Steeger et al. (2014) and Aasg ̊ard et al. (2019)). In other regions, including the U.S. systems that serve as the primary motivation of this paper, markets have evolved in a context where storage was negligible. This state of affairs is set to change rapidly over the coming decade, as models typically find that decarbonized electricity systems will feature substantial quantities of storage (Jenkins et al., 2018; Williams et al., 2021; Frazier et al., 2021).” p. 24. Importance of dynamic models to regions with storage hydro. p. 385. Section 5. Evaluating price formation policies, pages 36-37“The broader point of the examples is to establish the need for the proposed framework in evaluating price formation: even with the limited scope of tests included here, the models produce a wide range of price outcomes.” p. 376. Flexible Ramping Products vs Fast Start Pricing“We note several differences between the (DLAC − NLB − θ) and (DLAC − RT − θ) policies. First, while we assumed in Section 4.3 that net load biasing would not result in any binding forward financial positions, the (DLAC −RT −θ) policy directly affects the quantity of reserves procured in the binding interval.” p. 307. Policy and parameterization are choices that matter: Section 5.3 Long-run consequences, pages 39-40“The choice of operating policy can have a significant impact on the total revenue across all resources. [...] In general, resource-specific revenues track the total charges.” however “storage is a notable exception with revenues deviating significantly from that seen by the market as a whole.”“They indicate the potential for substantial misallocation of investment due to inefficiencies in spot price formation.”8. Policy Recommendation: Advocate for high-fidelity simulation tools“Accordingly, a second policy recommendation is to advocate for high-fidelity simulation tools enabling system operators to compare operational performance and pricing outcomes with alternative algorithmic choices and reserve product specifications, putting them in position to credibly demonstrate the value of new reserve products and parameterize them efficiently.” p. 5.-----If you haven’t listened to prior discussion with Prof. Mays, you can check out prior conversations:Prof. Jacob Mays on Electric Markets and Resource AdequacyPaul Dockery·January 27, 2023Jacob Mays, PhD, Matt Schroettnig, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Paul Dockery discuss a paper Prof. Mays co-authored on contractual form in electricity reliability obligations, how it applies to the program getting developed in the Northwest, and what perspective he has on electric market development in the Northwest.-----Electric Market Enthusiasm, pt. 1: Professor Jacob Mays on Electric Market DesignPaul Dockery·May 19, 2022Jacob Mays, Assistant Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, answers Paul’s remedial questions on how electric markets function and what the Pacific Northwest should be considering when approaching market expansion incrementally in a wide ranging and engaging conversation.-----Public Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpowerunderground.substack.com
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Nov 6, 2023 • 55min

Season Finale: Hot Takes on Transmission

Inspired by the YouTube series *Hot Ones*, Whitney Muse (Senior Policy Advisor in the White House Office of Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation), Mark Lauby (Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer at North American Electric Reliability Corporation), and Jordan White (Executive Director, Development at GridLiance) join co-hosts Paul and Crystal to discuss increasingly controversial topics while eating a series of increasingly spicy wings. The conversation triangulates hot topics in the energy industry from engineering, policy, and business perspectives.You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us!Round 1: Mild Spice - ERO Report / Texas & Utah Inverter caused outagesRound 2: Medium Spice - No Transition without Transmission & Regulatory Frameworks for ChangeRound 3: Hot - Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission  & Western States Transmission InitiativeRound 4: SpicyPublic Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpowerunderground.substack.com
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Oct 6, 2023 • 1h 16min

Electrification is Happening w/ Steve Pantano and Danielle Walker

Steve Pantano from Rewiring America and Danielle Walker from the Department of Energy’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs join Ahlmahz Negash, PhD and Paul Dockery for a discussion of electrification. The crews discuss the Inflation Reduction Act’s Home Energy Rebates, Rewiring America’s IRA Savings Calculator, best practices in building electrification, and the newly announced American Climate Corp!You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us!08:41 - Hierarchy of Electrification17:53 - Home Energy Rebates Program30:44 - Rewiring America Calculator44:34 - Building Electrification Best Practices - ACEEE report50:31 - Workforce!           American Climate Corp          Clean Energy Corp59:27 - Alhmahz’s Insightful Question of the Week1:06:29 - Electrician for a Day1:12:52 - Danielle Walker’s Closing ThoughtsPublic Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpowerunderground.substack.com
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Sep 21, 2023 • 1h 25min

*buzzed history* with Mark Ohrenschall, Shauna McReynolds and Crystal Ball

three energy historians join public power underground for an infotaining and slightly irreverent discussion of the major milestones for the electric industry in the northwest--------------------Mark Ohrenschall, Shauna McReynolds and Crystal Ball join and Paul Dockery to discuss the history of the electric industry in the Northwest from acronyms to statutes and a myriad of institutions along the way. There were three primary texts used for the conversation.NewsData’s list of Western Energy AcronymsPublic Power Council’s excellent guide to Public Power in the Pacific Northwest, the Public Power ChroniclePublic Generating Pool’s famous Organized Market Retrospective. The recording ends with Mark Ohrenschall’s closing thoughts on his final day as Executive Editor of NewsData.You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us!03:27 - Acronym Anagrams13:06 - Historian’s ranking of major milestones38:13 - Preference48:03 - Whoops56:25 - Energy Policy Acts58:42 - The Energy Crisis1:06:57 - Market Evolution1:21:10 - Mark Ohrenschall’s Closing ThoughtsPublic Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpowerunderground.substack.com
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Sep 8, 2023 • 1h 14min

Lorenzo Kristov and Josh Keeling on Maximizing DER Deployment

Lorenzo Kristov and Josh Keeling join Ahlmahz and Paul to talk about maximizing the deployment of distributed energy resources but first we make them say something nice about electric utilitiesLorenzo Kristov and Josh Keeling join Ahlmahz Negash, PhD and Paul Dockery for a discussion of FERC 2222, maximizing the distribution-level customer value of distributed energy resources, international examples of unbundling the functions of distribution utilities, and 80/20 advice on how to make the most progress toward DER deployment. First, we make them compliment electric utilities.You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us!12:17 - say something nice about electric utilitiesLorenzo and Josh brought a lot of great compliments and some not-so-nice compliments. Among the list of compliments they didn’t get to but shared by Josh Keeling afterward:Pretty good at the poles and wires gameNever get confused about the differences between “useful life” and “economic life”Captain planet-like super team of lawyers, economists, engineers, and accountantsNever scared to pilot somethingAlways happy to explain what “you just don’t understand” about distribution engineeringVery optimistic: can always find a way to point out how “used and useful” things areReally good at finding new ways to apply the word “innovation”Never too quick into something “at scale”Really are the best of both world between trudging local government and greedy corporate monopoly15:51 - discussion of FERC Order No. 2222FERC order 2222NREL summaryNARUC status update25:05 - maximizing the distribution-level and customer value of DERsCatalyst w/ Shayle Kahn episode on electrification40:06 - international examples of unbundling the functions of distribution utilities48:58 - 80/20 of DER interconnectionVolts episode with Saul Griffith Interstate Renewable Energy Council, DER interconnection best practices1:00:05 - Ahlmahz’s insightful question of the week1:03:10 - DER for a day1:08:20 - Josh Keeling’s closing thoughtsPublic Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpowerunderground.substack.com
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Aug 17, 2023 • 1h 14min

Best Practices in Power Planning w/ Ric O'Connell and Anna Sommer

Ric O’Connell and Anna Sommers join Ahlmahz Negash, PhD and Paul Dockery for a deep dive into power planning best practices including planning for extremes, open source models, and best in class computational techniques.You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us!09:41 - how to explain power planning to a five year old19:00 - best practices in power planning58:10 - Ahlmahz’s unfair question of the week: what about AI?1:03:50 - PUC-for-a-dayfor more about open source planning, GridLab recently collaborated with RMI on an open source modeling report. you can find it here.Public Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpowerunderground.substack.com
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Aug 7, 2023 • 1h 15min

BONUS: 3Ps of transmission in the West

Transmission experts talk about horror stories from permitting Idaho Power's Boardman to Hemmingway transmission line and react to a regional planning organization scorecard--------------------Adam Richins, Christina Hayes, and Pam Sporborg join Paul Dockery at Paddy’s Bar & Grill for an after-hour conversation about transmission in the West. The recording starts with another edition of Energy Enthusiasm, Distilled where the experts distill complicated topics in infotaining ways while on a clock. The conversation then tackles the 3Ps of transmission policy (Planning, Permitting, and Paying-for) and closes out with a new, unscripted game: FERC-for-a-Day.Permitting: Horror Stories from Boardman to Hemmingway (B2H)Planning: Transmission Planning & Development Regional Report CardPaying-for: Importance of transmission to Clean Energy PathwaysWe also discussed briefly the cultural importance of the Bonneville Power Administration’s rate hearing room for the energy community in the northwest, which led me (Paul) to bring up an Ezra Klein podcast about cultural evolution. A link is included here for those who want the background information.You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us!Public Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpowerunderground.substack.com
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Jul 20, 2023 • 1h 29min

Utility Maximization, Community Input, and Solarpunk Stories with Prof. Dr. Destenie Nock

Prof. Dr. Destenie Nock joins Dr. Ahlmahz Negash and Paul Dockery for a conversation about what the grid of the future *should* look like. The discussion dives deep into (1) the energy equity gap, (2) a methodology for finding the optimal expansion of a power system under the objective of maximizing social benefit, (3) the Gini coefficient, and (4) how to use the Strategic Objective Hierarchy combined with the expertise of social scientists to translate community input into rigorously measurable inputs into an optimization model!You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us!09:24 - A benefit maximization approach to utility planningDestenie Nock, Todd Levin, Erin Baker, Changing the policy paradigm: A benefit maximization approach to electricity planning in developing countries, Applied Energy, Volume 264, 2020, 114583, ISSN 0306-2619, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.114583.28:13 - Amplifying community leader perspectivesErin Baker, Destenie Nock, Todd Levin, Samuel A. Atarah, Anthony Afful-Dadzie, David Dodoo-Arhin, Léonce Ndikumana, Ekundayo Shittu, Edwin Muchapondwa, Charles Van-Hein Sackey, Who is marginalized in energy justice? Amplifying community leader perspectives of energy transitions in Ghana, Energy Research & Social Science, Volume 73, 2021, 101933, ISSN 2214-6296, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2021.101933.Prof. Dr. Destenie Nock explainer videos: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.destenienock4164/videos48:53 - Unveiling hidden energy poverty using the energy equity gapCong, S., Nock, D., Qiu, Y.L. et al. Unveiling hidden energy poverty using the energy equity gap. Nat Commun 13, 2456 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30146-5Video link to “The Energy Equity Gap: Unveiling Hidden Energy Poverty” presentation for Energy Seminar Series at UC DavisVideo link to Destenie Nock: Identifying Hidden Forms of Energy PovertyVideo link to Energy Nerd ShowNOAA’s Meteorological Development Lab’s work on Wet Bulb Globe TemperaturesNOAA’s experimental tools for calculating Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures and how it compares to heat indexEvaluating the 35°C wet-bulb temperature adaptability threshold for young healthy subjects1:07:38 - What should the grid of the future look like?1:12:42 - Ahlmahz’s insightful question of the week: What’s the overlap between energy justice and energy assistance?“Jenkins et al. [49] review three core tenets of energy justice: 1) distributional justice, relating to equal distribution of both the costs and benefits of the energy system; 2), recognition justice, relating to the fair representation of individuals; and 3) procedural justice, providing equal access to decision making processes.”From Who is marginalized in energy justice? Amplifying community leader perspectives of energy transitions in Ghana, Section 1:1:18:27 - from Human Batteries to Solarpunk - a new Public Power Underground game!Ezra Klein podcast: What the heck is going on with UFO stories?Monk and Robot series by Becky ChambersFuturamaThe Fifth ElementThe MatrixAvatarMen in BlackWALL-EStrange WorldMad MaxIron ManPublic Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpowerunderground.substack.com
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Jul 6, 2023 • 1h 8min

Debra Smith hosts Randy Hardy, Bill Drummond and Steve Wright

Debra Smith, Randy Hardy, Bill Drummond, and Steve Wright recorded an info-taining conversation live on-stage at NWPPA’s 83rd Annual Conference and Membership Meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. Debra hosts the three former Administrators of the Bonneville Power Administration who continue to engage in energy policy. The discussion ranges from greatest regrets to reasons for optimism, and proudest moments. At the end Paul Dockery joins to facilitate an energy inspired game called Energy Enthusiasm Distilled.The episode was edited prior to the news of Debra Smith’s surgery. For updates on her recovery you can find updates on Caring Bridge. Her electric utility enthusiast friends wish her a speedy and full recovery!You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us!Public Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpowerunderground.substack.com
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Jun 20, 2023 • 1h 30min

Risk perspectives; from strategy to execution with Kevin Nordt and Paul Dietz

We discuss how utility risk management is a lot like dungeons and dragons: creatively managing risk by leveraging strengths to maximize the likelihood of beneficial outcomes when solving problems.Kevin Nordt, Paul Dietz, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Paul Dockery talk about managing market risk from utility risk managers perspectives. Including (1) putting uncertainty in perspective, (2) organizational and customer risk tolerance, (3) translating risk tolerance strategies for risk management, and (4) risk based thinking in the context of power supply. Plus the crew answers an insightful question from Ahlmahz and they discuss the set up of an energy inspired dungeons and dragons campaign.You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us!07:59 - Risks as friend or foe15:18 - Risk tolerance32:39 - Risk awareness52:06 - Risk based thinking in the context of power supply1:02:52 - Ahlmahz’s insightful question of the week1:14:14 - Dams and Distribution; setting up an energy industry inspired Dungeons and Dragons campaignPublic Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpowerunderground.substack.com

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