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Electrification of buildings and transportation is now broadly regarded as an essential component for tackling the climate crisis, and cities and states have already begun to adopt electrification policies. Ensuring that the electric distribution system is ready for this future in a way that maintains customer affordability and reliability is one of the most important tasks for a successful energy transition. 

The CHARGED initiative was established by GridLab, RMI and Advanced Energy United to identify tools and methods that utilities across the United States can adopt to enable electrification in ways that minimize infrastructure costs and maintain system reliability. The underlying principle is that multistakeholder conversations that bring utilities, technology providers, and public interest groups together in collaborative ways can generate creative and effective solutions that will help utilities and states across the country to learn from each other. 

The initial focus of CHARGED was a three-day convening held in Boulder that brought together nearly 60 participants from utilities, advanced energy solutions providers, OEMs, public interest groups, and regulatory experts. Through group problem-solving approaches, the attendees discussed and developed solutions across planning, rates, deployment, grid connection and operations, culminating in a 100-page public document. Future efforts will mobilize the findings and recommendations from the inaugural convening, focusing on further problem-solving, analysis, and implementing solutions with state and utility partners.