Collaborative Transmission Planning: California’s Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative

California’s RETI collaborative set a high standard for aligning electricity generation and transmission with environmental values. This peer-reviewed article, in the July 2102 issue of IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy, provides an overview of the rationale for both stakeholder involvement in transmission planning and for zone development of renewables.

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NREL Releases Highly Anticipated Report

A new report published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Renewable Electricity Futures Study (RE Futures), is an initial investigation of the extent to which renewable energy supply can meet the electricity demands of the continental United States over the next several decades. This study explores the implications and challenges of very high renewable electricity generation levels—from 30% up to 90%, focusing on 80%, of all U.S. electricity generation from renewable technologies—in 2050

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Western Governors’ Association Report – Integration Challenges

“Meeting Renewable Energy Targets in the West At Least Cost: The Integration Challenge.”
The Western Governors’ Association commissioned this report to explore ways to reduce costs to the region’s electricity consumers for integrating wind and solar, identify barriers to adopting these measures and recommend possible state actions.
Prepared by Regulatory Assistance Project for Western Governors’ Association.

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Proposal for National Standards to Guide Transmission Planning

David Olsen, Western Grid Group; February, 2010 Development of a set of national standards to guide transmission planning may be the single most effective next step policy-makers and stakeholders could take to support emergence of a workable and progressive transmission policy. Transmission is now planned using a variety of approaches and assumptions, for relatively near-term…

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Public Interest Principles for Electric System Planning: Earning Consent for New Transmission

Public Interest Standards for Electric System Planning: Earning Consent for New Transmission (Draft Paper, August 2010)

Transmission planning better able to support timely development of a smart, reliable, secure electric grid that facilitates a clean energy economy, enhances national security and prosperity, and aligns electricity supply with environmental sustainability.

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Stakeholder Involvement Crucial to Better Plans

Olsen, David. Managing Director, Western Grid Group. Stakeholder Involvement Crucial to Better Plans. Energy Future Coalition-Rockefeller Foundation-Meridian Institute Symposium, Dec. 1, 2009. Comments of Western Grid Group Transmission lines and other large infrastructure projects routinely face multi- year approval schedules. This delay is sometimes occasioned by the fact that the plans presented for approval often…

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