The California IDER and DRP Working Groups

Distribution Resources Plan Working Group Homepage

Overview:

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued an Assigned Ruling on May 2nd 2016 (click here for full ruling) that established the Locational Net Benefit Analysis (LNBA) and Integrated Capacity Analysis (ICA) Working Groups to monitor and provide consultation to the Independently Owned Utilities (IOUs) on the execution of Demonstration Projects A and B as defined in the Distribution Resource Plans. This website hosts all working group materials, presentations, meeting notices and draft reports for the LNBA and ICA Working Groups.  The Working Groups are managed by the IOU’s and facilitated by More Than Smart.  Ultimate Oversight of the Working Groups is provided by the CPUC Energy Division.

DER Growth Scenarios and Distribution Load Forecasting Working Group

Overview:

The purpose of this Working Group is to provide an opportunity for interested stakeholders and IOUs to discuss the process and methodologies for forecasting the adoption of distributed energy resources (DER) and distribution load in order to inform the DRP process.  This includes coordination issues and how the DRP will inform the Commission’s Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process, the California Energy Commission’s Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR) demand forecast, and California Independent System Operator’s Transmission Planning Process (TPP).

Integrated Distributed Energy Resources Working Group Homepage

Overview:

Since 2007, the California Public Utilities Commission has sought to integrate demand side energy solutions and technologies through utility programs offerings. Decision (D.07-10-032) directs that utilities “Integrate customer demand-side programs, such as energy efficiency, self-generation, advanced metering, and demand response, in a coherent and efficient manner.”  The integration of demand side programs and technologies was expected to achieve maximum savings while avoiding duplicative efforts and reduce transaction costs and customer confusion. In short, IDER is a strategy that seeks to provide comprehensive building energy management solutions via the integration of technologies, programs, and strategies to facilitate customer behavior changes that reduce load and grid inefficiencies. Despite a long history of CPUC guidance, statewide IDER efforts have had limited success due to a number of factors identified in evaluation efforts. The current IDER Proceeding (R.14-10-003) seeks to address some of these lessons-learned and barriers.