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Evaluate Your Utility's Investment Planning Process Based on Smart Grid Consortium Investment Model Applications at 15 Utilities.

Evaluate the Business Case for Smart Grid Investments at Your Utility

The Smart Grid Research Consortium (SGRC)  

The SGRC is an independent, objective research and applications organization established to assist utilities with smart grid investment analysis. SGRC financial analysis software is provided to all Consortium members and applied by SCRC staff for each utility member using utility data. More on the Smart Grid Consortium.

Who Should Join?   

The SGRC provides exceptional value regardless of the stage of your smart grid development. Our members range from utilities who have yet to embark on smart grid investments to utilities on the leading edge of smart grid implementation. Applications range from evaluating and developing an initial smart grid development strategy, to evaluating "next step" extensions in smart grid implementations, to assessing and evaluating overall "after-the-fact" investment costs and benefits. Join the Smart Grid Consortium.

Consortium Organization  

Consortia are appropriate where research and analysis results have a broad application and where pooled funding and distribution of certain deliverables to all members provides significant financial and content benefits compared to each member pursuing the topics on their own. The SGRC was initiated through Texas A&M Univeristy in 2010 and established as an independent research organization in January 2011.

Membership Benefits  

Each utility Consortitum member receives the Smart Grid Investment Model (SGIM) customized and applied for their utility along with training, software support and continuing applications support provided by SGRC staff. Consortium staff also maintain and provide analysis to support member utility smart grid investment decisions. Membership is open to electric cooperatives, municipal and other public utilities.

Comprehensive Smart Grid Analysis Framework  

The Smart Grid Investment Model (SGIM) applies a comprehensive framework addressing all important distribution system smart grid technology and applications areas from distribution automation and conservation voltage regulation to communications/meters and in-premise customer programs including pricing and demand response. Each utility's investment analysis incorporates utility-specific infrastructure and customer characteristics including monthly customer-class, end-use (e.g. residential AC) hourly load forecasting models estimated with utility data. More on the Smart Grid Investment Model.

Consortium Support   

The Consortium provides each member utility with as much or as little support and interaction as desired. A typical application includes Consortium staff (1) applying data provided by the member utility to customize and implement the Investment Model, including estimating monthly customer-class end-use hourly load models, (2) delivering the model and working jointly with utility staff to identify particular investment areas of interest, (3) further analysis and development of more detailed cost and benefit parameters, and (4) working with utility staff to identify and evaluate actionable smart grid investment strategies.

Consortium staff is also available to assist with vendor proposal evaluation, project cost/benefit monitoring and evaluation and identification of emerging smart grid applications that may be of interest to the member utility.

Consortium vs. Vendor Business Case Analysis  

Consortium business case analysis provides an independent, vendor-neutral, objective evaluation of smart grid investments solely for the benefit of each consortium utility. The Smart Grid Investment Model provides a comprehensive analysis across all smart grid areas whereas most vendor analysis focuses on a particular technology or technology area. Consortium support continues throughout the year incorporating vendor information and other details, evaluating "what-if" scenarios and tracking smart grid progress and investment results.

Compare to Other Smart Grid Business Case Analysis  

The Consortium Investment Model has been developed with input and analysis results from 15 electric cooperative and public utilities to provide meaningful, actionable results. In our two-year development effort we identified the following as critical requirements in conducting utility-specific smart grid investment analysis. Regardless of whether smart grid analysis is conducted inhouse, by a consultant or through the Consortium, we believe each of these characteristics should be part of any utility smart grid investment analysis.

  • A 20-year, quarterly financial smart grid cost/benefit accounting framework with utility customer class, end-use electricity use detail
  • A monthly kWh, peak kW, load profile forecasting model to determine smart grid hourly load program impacts by customer class and end-use (e.g., residential AC, water heating,etc.)
  • Comprehensive analysis of individual smart grid technologies and programs from the substation to behind-the-meter applications including communications, IT, metering, distribution automation, customer engagement, demand response, etc.
  • Incorporation of "real-world" considerations including management reengineering costs, delayed program benefits, etc. to provide prudent investment analysis.
  • Intuitive, easy-to-use Excel-based software
  • Cost/benefit parameters, parameter ranges and guidelines to begin or continue smart grid investment analysis at your utility
  • Scenario, what-if, and other analysis features required to develop cost-effective smart grid investment strategies

More on the Smart Grid Investment Model business case analysis.

Consortium Leader/Research Team  

The Consortium is managed and its research is led by Dr. Jerry Jackson, an energy economist with more than thirty years experience in new energy technology market analysis, financial model development, utility program development and project management. He was previously a professor at Texas A&M University (where he led the Consortium through its first year), chief of the Applied Research Division at Georgia Tech Research Institute, and president of a consulting firm where he has worked with utilities, state regulatory agencies, equipment manufactures and others in addressing energy industry issues.

In addition to Consortium research support staff, additional project team members are assembled from academic and industry organizations to provide expertise for research topics and applications analysis.
More on Consortium Leader/Research Team.

Consortium Research  

Part of the Consortium mission is to address and incorporate new smart grid issues in the Smart Grid Investment Model and applications analysis conducted for member utilities. This commitment ensures that each member utility will always have access to relevant technical and program issues in the future. Impact of electric vehicles, distributed resources and customer engagment program characteristics are three current ongoing research and analysis development areas.

Cost  

The cost for each participating member is $20,000 with an annual software, training, applications support fee of $5,000. Membership fee includes a license to use the Smart Grid Investment Model software, supporting materials, model implementation and applications support at your utility.
Join the Smart Grid Research Consortium.

For More Information Contact:

Jerry Jackson, Ph.D.
Leader, Smart Grid Research Consortium
37 N. Orange Avenue, Suite 500
Orlando, Fl 32801
979-204-7821
www.smartgridresearchconsortium.org
jjackson@smartgridresearchconsortium.org