Showing 25 resources
In 2024, the CHARGED Initiative was formed with the goal of removing barriers to reliable and affordable electrification on the distribution system. Founded by GridLab, RMI, and Advanced Energy United, the CHARGED Initiative is designed to make progress outside of…
Read moreOutlines actionable fixes for connection bottlenecks, including flexible connection sizing, streamlined procedures, and earlier customer engagement.
Read moreOffers near-term strategies for coordinating demand-side management and electrification programs, including better data-sharing across utility teams.
Read moreCovers scenario-based, bottom-up forecasting and proactive investment strategies that move beyond traditional single-peak planning.
Read moreCondenses the GIS Best Practices Report into utility-focused guidance for maximizing geographic information system investments, drawing on lessons from real-world utility GIS implementations to support electrification planning.
Read moreExplains why utilities need accurate, up-to-date GIS data as distributed generation and electrified loads strain distribution systems. Shows how strong asset-location data supports capacity expansion, reliability, and cost control.
Read moreAnswers utilities' top questions about flexible grid connections in a quick-reference format. Covers how flexible connections differ from traditional ones, rollout steps, expected benefits, and ways to manage cost and risk.
Read moreIntroduces regulators to flexible grid connections as a tool to speed up electrification while deferring costly infrastructure upgrades. Reviews regulatory pathways, cost-recovery options, and equity considerations for implementation.
Read moreProvides in-depth guidance on distribution system GIS investments, drawn from utility interviews and site visits.
Read moreSummarizes GIS benefits and recommendations from the full GIS Best Practices Report for a regulatory audience. Helps regulators understand how strong GIS data supports oversight of utility electrification investments.
Read moreLays out a framework for proactive distribution system investment, developed with utilities and regulators at CHARGED’s 2024 Inaugural Convening. Covers what qualifies as a proactive investment, the risks involved, and how to implement supporting processes.
Read moreDocuments the August 2025 CHARGED Annual Convening in Chicago, where stakeholders built on prior working group efforts. Summarizes discussions across six cross-disciplinary topics: locational demand-side management, data platforms and data access, medium and heavy-duty fleet electrification, holistic approaches to grid…
Read moreIntroduces the CHARGED Initiative, a coalition of utilities, policymakers, industry experts, and public interest groups. Explains its mission to develop practical, scalable solutions that prepare the U.S. distribution grid for rapid electrification.
Read moreFeatures U.S. commissioners sharing insights from their May 2025 study tour of Great Britain’s flexible, affordability-driven grid. Translates Great Britain’s regulatory innovations into strategies relevant to U.S. distribution systems.
Read moreReports findings from a May 2025 study tour in which seven U.S. regulators examined Great Britain’s demand flexibility markets and incentive mechanisms. Identifies both near-term actions and longer-term regulatory reforms U.S. states could pursue.
Read moreRecaps CHARGED’s April 2024 Inaugural Convening in Boulder, CO, where 60 stakeholders identified over 50 solutions for electrification. Organizes recommendations across planning, rates, deployment, grid connection, and operations, plus a cross-cutting need for better data sharing.
Read moreSummarizes technical and regulatory considerations for making distribution capacity investments ahead of anticipated load growth. Offers practical guidance for utilities and regulators navigating investment decisions under demand uncertainty.
Read moreExamines Australia’s world-leading rooftop solar penetration — 30% nationally, 50% in South Australia — and its shift toward managing consumer energy resources. Compares U.S. and Australian grid structures to draw lessons for American regulators.
Read moreDocuments a March 2026 study tour in which nine U.S. utility commissioners traveled to Australia to study distributed energy management at scale. Highlights Australia’s blueprint for a customer-focused, flexible grid and its relevance to U.S. regulatory challenges.
Read moreReflects on CHARGED’s nearly two-year mission to prepare U.S. distribution systems for electrification through international learning exchanges. Shares takeaways from the Australia study tour on tools and approaches for a better-managed distribution grid.
Read moreDiscusses how utilities can build distribution capacity ahead of anticipated demand growth using long-term forecasts. Covers the Proactive Investment Report’s recommendations for planning processes and specific actions for utilities and regulators.
Read moreChallenges traditional grid connection methods that plan for worst-case, simultaneous maximum load. Presents flexible grid connection as a way to speed up new load connections and avoid unnecessary infrastructure spending.
Read moreProvides a 10-step roadmap for implementing flexible grid connections, including staggered, schedule-based, and dynamically managed approaches. Draws on case studies from the UK and Australia to show how utilities can reduce connection delays without major capital investment.
Read moreExplores the incentive structures behind Great Britain’s flexibility approach, including utilization metrics and utility benchmarking, which were top themes from a U.S. regulator delegation to Great Britain.
Read moreRecaps a May 2025 visit by U.S. regulators to Great Britain to study its market-based approach to grid flexibility. Highlights lessons on accelerating electrification and deferring infrastructure costs that could translate to U.S. states.
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