ADS calls foul on the EPA

FierceSmartGrid
June 4, 2020 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Although the Association for Demand Response & Smart Grid (ADS) gives kudos to the flexibility demonstrated in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent release of draft regulations to address CO2 emissions from fossil fuel based power plants, as well as the various efficiency alternatives presented to reduce emissions, the organization is calling foul on the EPA.

"The draft regulations released show extreme flexibility in setting targets. And more importantly, they provide states with substantial flexibility in how they put together plans to meet those targets," said Dan Delurey, executive director of ADS. "We are surprised, however, to see that demand-side efficiency is described in the regulations as only being 'end-use' efficiency. States, utilities, and technology companies know that traditional end-use efficiency is not the only way to reduce usage and, thus, emissions. With the use of demand response and smart grid technologies and practices, it is possible to manage peak load, and for efficiency to be dynamic and dispatchable on a 24/7 basis. It can, thus, play a greater role in optimizing our electricity system and reducing emissions. It may even be possible to consider using demand response as a dynamic emissions reduction tool."  

Delurey recognized that the regulations do mention transmission upgrades as an option that states can consider, but noted that it is the distribution system where greater savings are possible states have jurisdiction to effect change.

Influencers in the demand response and smart grid communities will be taking advantage of the next 120 days to provide comments on the rule and help states understand the importance of considering demand response (DR) and smart grid as part of the draft regulations.

http://www.fiercesmartgrid.com/story/ads-calls-foul-epa/2020-06-04