Policy Vista™
Timely tracking and analysis of regulatory proposals,
state legislation and general rate cases.
IRP AS A DATA SERVICETM
IRP as a Data ServiceTM keeps users up to date on electric providers’ energy procurement schedules for myriad resources from their Integrated Resource Plans (IRP). The service is delivered via a dynamic online file or as an Excel file updated monthly. The file contains the following tabs and dashboards:
Tab #1 IRP Data: Background information on IRPs
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) ID Number
- Utility or CCA Name
- Load Serving Entity Type (e.g., Investor-Owned Utility)
- EIA Bundled Customer Count
- States covered by IRP
- Planned RFP Dates and Descriptions
- IRP submittal date
- Link to IRP
- Docket Number and Link
- Typical IRP Cycle Length (Years between Full IRPs)
- IRP Approval Date and Final Plan Link
- Anticipated Date for Next IRP
- IRP Start Year and End Year
- CO2 Emissions Reduction Target (%), Baseline Year and Target Year
- Summer and Winter Peak Loads in Start and End Years (MW)
- Retail Sales in Start and End Year (MWh)
- Load Forecast MWh (Compound Annual Growth Rate %)
Tab #2 Resource Data: MW additions and retirements by utility and year, along with notes and assumptions about each IRP for the following resources
- Solar Photovoltaics
- Onshore Wind
- Offshore Wind
- Demand Response/Demand-Side Management
- Hydro
- Bioenergy
- Energy Storage
- Geothermal
- Pumped Storage
- Natural Gas Combined Cycle
- Natural Gas Combustion Turbine
- Natural Gas Steam
- Nuclear
- Coal
- Oil
- Unspecified Power (e.g., Asset Controlling Supply or spot market power)
Tab #3 Utility Dashboard
A graph and chart that allows the user to toggle between all 70-80 utilities showing planned MW additions and retirements by resource and utility
Tab #4 Resource Dashboard
A heat chart and graph showing all utility and CCA resource procurement over time
Tab #5 EIA 861 Data
Customer count information from the EIA, including notes on any accounting assumptions made by EQ Research in applying EIA data (e.g., adding together multiple states’ data or combining multiple utilities that report using a joint IRP)
Tab #6 Archive
An archive of older IRP records that have been replaced by EQ Research
Add-ons to this service include Request for Proposal information and Resource Procurement Data so users can see how much energy procurement is still remaining from the initial IRP targets and find opportunities to bid resources.
LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY TRACKING
Our staff digs into dockets, bills and other state policy initiatives to identify issues that impact renewables, distributed generation (DG), energy storage, electric vehicles (EVs) and low-carbon transportation fuels. EQ’s legislative tracking service reports on incentives, mandates and other proposals in state legislatures, while EQ’s regulatory tracking service reports on new and open dockets, and other regulatory activities. Our staff covers all 50 states, as well DC. Summaries are available in a customized, searchable, online portal. Highlight reports are delivered twice monthly via email.
Key Features
Detailed reports and summary highlights
Alerts of rapidly evolving developments
Links to key documents, websites and articles
Upcoming actions, important dates and deadlines
Customize the states and issues in your online portal
We track over 60 policy types, including:
- RPS policies, RECs, SRECs
- Net metering, virtual net metering
- Community solar
- 3rd-party system ownership
- Feed-in tariffs, reverse auction mechanisms, solar valuation
- Interconnection issues
- Rate design
- Utility-owned DG
- Distribution system planning
- Major financial incentive programs
- PACE financing, on-bill financing
- Property tax policy
- Permitting, zoning
- State energy plans
GENERAL RATE CASES
EQ’s staff monitors and analyzes rate cases for proposals that would erode the value of distributed solar, energy efficiency and/or energy storage. Utilities are increasingly seeking to recover their fixed costs by shifting to customers charges that customers can’t avoid, and by raising or creating charges that target DG customers.
Our analyses summarize the major rate design components proposed in each rate case. Reports are typically delivered within a few business days of the utility’s initial filing. Data and analyses for all rate cases are maintained in a searchable, online portal. We also provide a twice-monthly digest of key rates developments, highlighting new issues and trends that arise around the country.
Rate case issues:
- Revisions to existing rate structures and tariffs
- New rates, rate options and tariffs
- Increases in fixed charges and demand charges
- Discriminatory charges and other proposals that would erode the value of DG, net metering, energy efficiency or energy conservation
- Utility DG programs, including community solar programs
RPS NAVIGATORTM
RPS NavigatorTM offers businesses and organizations a comprehensive tool for staying updated and organized on evolving state RPS policy developments that impact compliance obligations and investment decisions.
Subscribers can customize their RPS Navigator subscription to fit their specific needs and interests. This service provides a monthly updated data spreadsheet – with updates highlighted – that also includes state-specific qualitative details tabs. EQ Research provides subscribers with data that includes, among other fields:
- State RPS policy summaries
- Annual compliance obligations by resource tier
- Alternative compliance payment levels
- Renewable resource definitions
- Compliance multipliers
EVs, PLEASETM
EQ Research’s EVs, PleaseTM service helps businesses and non-profit organizations stay on top of state-level regulatory developments relevant to EVs and EV infrastructure. We proactively dig into and summarize new electric dockets — initiated at public utility commissions in all 50 states — that could impact EV deployment. These dockets include general investigations into EV issues, proceedings addressing specific EV issues, EV-related programs proposed by utilities, and general rate cases that include proposals to create new EV tariffs or revise existing EV tariffs. Summary reports of new dockets are delivered twice monthly via email.
LOW CARBON FUEL POLICY TRACKING
EQ Research follows state-level low carbon fuel legislation and regulation in California, Oregon, and Washington. We track legislation relating to Low Carbon Fuel Standards, fuel blend mandates, fuel tax exemptions, greenhouse gas emissions limits, fuel tax incentives, financial incentives, and funding mechanisms for low carbon fuel production. We also track programs and regulatory activities associated with low carbon fuels, including California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, Air Quality Improvement Program, Low Carbon Transportation Investments, Clean Transportation Program, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant and Loan Programs, Alternative Diesel Fuel Rulemakings, and Cap-and-Trade Regulations, as well as Clean Fuels Programs in Oregon and Washington. Users receive twice-monthly reports and online portal access.
Hydrogen TrackingTM
Users receive a twice-monthly report on legislation, regulation, and news covering both green hydrogen (hydrogen produced via electrolysis and powered by renewables) and non-green hydrogen. Topic areas range from hydrogen blending, pilots, and studies focused on establishing a hydrogen economy and proposed tax incentives. News coverage provides a run down of developments in the hydrogen world, such as technology advancements, proposed hydrogen plants, RFPs, and industry reports.
REQUEST SAMPLE REPORTS & PRICING DETAILS
Contact us for subscription details, pricing and samples of our legislative, regulatory and rate case services.
Request Sample Reports & Pricing