Utility Renewable and Distributed Energy Strategies for Addressing Climate Change

Publication Date	June 2008
Publisher	IDC
Product Type	Report
Pages	25
ISBN Number	not applicable
Product Code	IDC04252

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Summary

This Energy Insights report evaluates how regulatory and market activity surrounding greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions in North America is triggering utility responses favorable to renewable energy (RE) and distributed energy (DE) technologies. After first reviewing the shifting carbon regulatory landscape and assessing the specific RE and DE technologies that stand to benefit from CO2 abatement, we then describe six utility strategies including examples of their real-world implementation that successfully hedge, adapt to, comply with, and profit from a future carbon-constrained business environment.

According to Nadav Enbar, senior research analyst, Energy Insights, The utility sector will be the primary target for reducing GHGs given its considerable carbon footprint, comprising roughly 40% of U.S. emissions. The onus will therefore be on industry executives to proactively make the tactical decisions, many of which advocate the greater use of RE and DE technologies, that address approaching CO2-limiting directives.

Content

Energy Insights Opinion
In This Report
Situation Overview
- The North American CO2 Regulatory and Market Environment in Brief
- Table: The Potential Impact of Future Carbon Regulations on the Electricity Sector
- Figure: Forthcoming U.S. Cap-and-Trade Markets
- The Potential Impact of GHG Emissions Abatement on RE and DE Technologies
  - Renewable Energy
  - Figure: Comparison of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Selected Generation Sources
    - Landfill Gas and Anaerobic Digesters
    - Biomass Combustion and Gasification
    - Figure: Energy Flows and Carbon Emissions for Separate and Combined Heat and Power Generation
  - Power-Only Baseload DE
  - Standby Diesel Generators
The Approach
Table: Utility GHG Strategies That Favor Renewable and Distributed Energy Adoption
- Best-of-Breed Strategies
  - Carbon Adder
  - Figure: The Potential Impact of GHG Regulation on the Relative Economics of Electric Resources
  - Carbon Trading
  - Renewable Energy Business Development
  - Figure: Top 10 Owners of U.S. Wind Projects, Year-End 2007
  - Climate-Neutral Products
  - Figure: SMUD's Carbon Offset Calculator
  - Direct GHG Reduction Efforts
  - Investing in RE as a Hedge
  - Figure: The Economic Benefits of MidAmerican Energy's Wind Hedge Strategy, 19972011
Future Outlook
Essential Guidance
- Actions to Consider
Learn More
- Related Research
  - Energy Insights Research
  - Other Research
- Synopsis