Price reductions are most often mentioned as the key benefit of energy restructuring. Of equal importance, however, are the innovation benefits of deploying new technologies in a more dynamic market structure. The Center for the Advancement of Energy Markets (CAEM) has been approached by both technologists (concerned that public policy decision makers and utility executives do not understand the impact of their actions on the deployment trajectory of new technology) and policy and utility decision makers (concerned that they need a better understanding of technology innovations) about the need for an educational effort to bridge the gap between energy restructuring policies and the impact of new technology. CAEM’s IDEAS Foundation (Integrated Development of Essential Assets and Services) has accordingly developed the Technology Education Initiative (TEI).

TEI will be a forum to evaluate the implications of new technologies in the transition from the monopoly model of utility regulation to the competitive model. The primary focus will be developing an informational foundation for non-technologists and an identification of impediments and obstacles to deployment of particular technologies. The TEI is an umbrella under will many different technologies will be evaluated over several years. Each technology project will be a stand-alone project but will be fit into a broader framework, the sum of which will be a comprehensive insight into how technology and public policy will dramatically reshape energy markets. The Grid Enhancement Evaluation Project is the first such project in the TEI.

Grid Enhancement Forum

The Grid Enhancement Forum will be evaluating opportunities for enhancing the Nation's electric transmission grid through the use of various new technologies, including solid-state power electronics-based solutions, high-voltage direct current interconnectors, and superconducting-based technologies. It will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to develop a methodology, independently evaluate the various technologies, recommend ways to integrate the technologies into the existing regulatory framework and eliminate identified barriers to commercial deployment, and conduct a educational campaign to raise public awareness and acceptance of the technologies. The project will begin in June 2002, with a final report to be issued later in the year. It is expected to have a significant impact on decisions made by regulators, financial analysts, utility executives, the media and potential customers. For more information, see our Grid Enhancement Forum page.