American Gas Utility Companies Associated with FMGPs

2011 ◽  
pp. 1267-1285
Keyword(s):  
Utility Companies

scholarly journals Evaluating the Curtailment Risk of Non-Firm Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Plants under a Novel Last-In First-Out Principle of Access Interconnection Agreement

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1463
Author(s):  
Kwami Senam A. Sedzro ◽  
Kelsey Horowitz ◽  
Akshay K. Jain ◽  
Fei Ding ◽  
Bryan Palmintier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Photovoltaic ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Utility Companies ◽  
Access Rights ◽  
Time Series Simulation ◽  
Photovoltaic Plants ◽  
Flexible Generation ◽  
Pv Penetration ◽  
Access Right ◽  
Utility Scale

With the increasing share of distributed energy resources on the electric grid, utility companies are facing significant decisions about infrastructure upgrades. An alternative to extensive and capital-intensive upgrades is to offer non-firm interconnection opportunities to distributed generators, via a coordinated operation of utility scale resources. This paper introduces a novel flexible interconnection option based on the last-in, first-out principles of access aimed at minimizing the unnecessary non-firm generation energy curtailment by balancing access rights and contribution to thermal overloads. Although we focus on solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in this work, the introduced flexible interconnection option applies to any distributed generation technology. The curtailment risk of individual non-firm PV units is evaluated across a range of PV penetration levels in a yearlong quasi-static time-series simulation on a real-world feeder. The results show the importance of the size of the curtailment zone in the curtailment risk distribution among flexible generation units as well as that of the “access right” defined by the order in which PV units connect to the grid. Case study results reveal that, with a proper selection of curtailment radius, utilities can reduce the total curtailment of flexible PV resources by up to more than 45%. Findings show that non-firm PV generators can effectively avoid all thermal limit-related upgrade costs.

Analysis of the Use of Electric Vehicles by Electric Utility Companies Fleet in Brazil

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1032-1039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz Artur Pecorelli Peres ◽  
Jose Francisco Moreira Pessanha ◽  
Fernanda de Menezes Ferreira Particelli ◽  
Ana Carolina Iglezias Loma Caldas ◽  
Joao Vitor Serra
Keyword(s):  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Electric Utility ◽  
Utility Companies

scholarly journals Leveraging User Preferences to Develop Profitable Business Models for Electric Vehicle Charging

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Felix Röckle ◽  
Thimo Schulz
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Electric Vehicle ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Brand Image ◽  
User Preferences ◽  
Value Network ◽  
Electric Vehicle Charging ◽  
Utility Companies ◽  
Physical Assets ◽  
Ev Charging

To design profitable business models for electric vehicle (EV) charging it is necessary to understand user preferences. For this purpose, prior literature is analyzed to develop a conceptual framework linking a company’s assets, the surrounding value network, and user preferences. Then, survey insights from two EV charging projects (ultra-E, SLAM) are summarized to illustrate user preferences in this area. Based on this data, the framework is eventually visualized by applying it to four case studies from the EV charging market. Based on the case studies, the following six key findings are derived: 1. Companies that have a very strong position in one of the three resource classes that define the quality-of-service provision (physical assets, digital assets, brand image) demand a higher price for fast charging. 2. Utility companies leverage their existing customer base. 3. New to the industry firms leverage their brand image to enter the market. 4. Selling below cost is not sustainable. 5. Sharp price distinctions reflect the power balance within the value network. 6. Power plays may result in a fragmented market.

Financial State of Utilities and Ways to Improve It

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-36
Author(s):  
Valentyna Glukhova ◽  
◽  
Kristina Kravchenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
State Regulation ◽  
Public Utilities ◽  
Financial Policy ◽  
Main Task ◽  
Efficient Operation ◽  
Financial Condition ◽  
Transport Services ◽  
Fixed Assets ◽  
Utility Companies ◽  
High Level

Annotation. Introduction. One of the key tasks of the formation of a socially oriented economy is to ensure a high level and quality of life of the population, which implies the satisfaction of the most necessary needs of citizens in comfortable housing, energy, sanitary and technical, transport services, etc. Satisfaction of the above needs is possible only under the condition of the efficient and uninterrupted functioning of utilities, since the main task of the utilities is to provide the population with heat, water, gas, electricity and other services on which the comfort of housing, the state of human health, the constant mode of operation of enterprises, improvement districts, ecological state of settlements. The efficient operation of enterprises of communal ownership largely depends on their financial condition. Therefore, the study of the development and financial support of public utilities, the effectiveness of their activities is relevant, especially in the context of decentralization. Now, the problems of public utilities require much attention, among which their financial condition is significant. Purpose. The purpose of the work is to analyze and study the financial condition of utilities and develop proposals for its improvement. Results. The article considers, analyzes and compares such indicators of the financial condition of utility companies in some cities of Ukraine as: financial results, depreciation of fixed assets, return on assets, absolute liquidity ratio. Factors influencing the financial results of utilities have been identified. The main ways to improve the financial condition of utilities have been identified. Conclusions. According to the results of the analysis of their financial condition, the prevailing loss, high level of depreciation of fixed assets and low capital productivity of most enterprises in this industry have been determined. The reasons for this situation are the lack of effective directions of financial policy in this area, the imperfection of the regulatory framework and miscalculations in the management of financial resources. The current state of this industry gives grounds to talk about the need to improve the effectiveness of its state regulation in order to solve the basic problems of its socio-economic development.

Investigating the factors that influence use of ICTs for citizen engagement in Malawi

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rachel Sibande
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Citizen Engagement ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Social Constructs ◽  
Utaut Model ◽  
Utility Companies ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Radio Programs

Literature has suggested that Malawians are keen to participate. Malawian’s willingness to participate is evident as the country has recorded high voter turnouts during the elections in recent decades. However, literature also suggests that there is minimal citizen engagement in between elections. Elsewhere, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been used to enhance citizen engagement, but ICT led citizen engagement is still an emerging field and yet to be explored as an area of research particularly in Malawi. We thus sought to explore if the use of ICTs could improve citizen engagement with councils, councilors, and utility companies that provide water and electricity in Malawi. We developed and deployed an ICT platform called Mzinda which means My location in Malawi’s populous Chichewa language. The platform provided various channels for citizens and duty bearers to engage via SMS, USSD, web and a mobile application. We sought to understand the factors that influence citizen’s behavior intention to use an ICT platform to engage. We applied the modified UTAUT model by including Attitude and Self Efficacy social constructs that have among others been cited as limitations of the UTAUT model. We conducted factor loadings of six social constructs of the modified UTAUT model to validate content and reexamine the model in the context of citizen engagement using ICTs in Malawi. We found that, Attitude and Self Efficacy were not significant determinants of the Behaviour Intention for citizens to use the ICT platform. However, 75% of the Behaviour Intention was influenced by Perfomance Expectancy and Effort Expectancy as moderated by age and gender. Empirical evidence showed that responsiveness and actionability of councils and councillors had improved. We also learned that citizens believed that service delivery had improved and that they had more influence over councils, councillors, and the utility companies because of using the ICT platform. We conclude by noting that improvements in service delivery; enhanced responsiveness and actionability of councils, councillors and the utility companies were not necessarily as a result of the ICT platform alone; but a combination of ICTs and non-technology mechanisms of engaging the stakeholders through community campaigns, radio programs, print media engagement, community meetings and debates among others. It is evident that ICTs are not the panacea of all citizen engagement problems. This research can be useful to researchers and practitioners in the technology and citizen engagement domains.

Stakeholder dialogue on Facebook

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Martin
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Public Ownership ◽  
Stakeholder Dialogue ◽  
Dialogic Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Empirical Results ◽  
Utility Companies

Purpose German, Austrian and Swiss utilities are confronted with radical changes in the European energy sector. A dialogue between the utility companies and their various groups of stakeholders is gaining importance. Increasingly, utilities create their own Facebook presence enabling such a dialogue. Still, to the best of the author’s knowledge there exists no research which explicitly focuses the stakeholder dialogue of German, Austrian or Swiss utilities on Facebook. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyse Facebook as an instrument for dialogic communication in the energy sector. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was distributed to 1,280 German, Austrian and Swiss utilities, and 14 per cent of the utilities completed the survey, including 130 German, 19 Austrian and 25 Swiss companies. The participating utilities are primarily in public ownership. Findings The Facebook conversation of utility companies and their stakeholders meets the basic requirements of a virtual stakeholder dialogue. Nevertheless, less than half of the companies perceive their current stakeholder conversation on Facebook as truly interactive. Therefore, even if the basic requirements of a dialogue are met, most companies still do not seem to fully use the dialogue potential of Facebook. Originality/value This study provides first insights into virtual stakeholder dialogues in the energy sector. A suggestion to operationalise such a virtual dialogue is provided. Both operationalisation as well as the empirical results help researchers and practitioners to better understand virtual stakeholder dialogues.

scholarly journals FINANCIAL, PRICING AND TARIFF POLICY IN THE FIELD OF HOUSING AND UTILITIES: MAIN ISSUES, TRENDS AND SOLUTIONS

2014 ◽  
pp. 58-65
Author(s):  
A. N. Ryakhovskaya
Keyword(s):  
State Regulation ◽  
Public Utility ◽  
Tariff Policy ◽  
Utility Companies ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
Utilities Services

Reasons of low efficiency of institutional transformations in the field of housing and utilities are being studied; and specific features of public utility companies related to natural monopolies, as well as possible options of solving such issues are being considered; necessity of state regulation of their activity has been justified. Provisions to be taken into account at establishment of tariff policy in housing and utilities services have been shown.

scholarly journals Demand Side Simulaton: Architecture And Performance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jahanzeb Yousaf
Keyword(s):  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Database Management System ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Simulation Engine ◽  
Agent Simulation ◽  
Utility Companies ◽  
Simulation Paradigm ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Complex Solutions ◽  
And Performance

In this thesis, we describe a simulator of residential power consumption, as the first step towards a comprehensive demand-side simulator in the context of smart grid. The si mulator uses a commercialRelational Database Management System (RDBMS) as its simulation engine, and is thus capable of supporting much larger simulated systems than other existing simulators which are mostly based on a multi-agent simulation paradigm. The RDBMS-based design also leads to much improved performance while requiring less resources than comparable MAS-based system. Moreover, simulator records all the events which exceed a certain threshold and in response controls demand and assures the stability of the system, based on the future and past events. furthermore, simulator can help utility companies to obtain initial data that can lead to the development of more complex solutions to monitor and control energy consumption, and thus identify target operating points for the generation and distribution systems, with the ultimate goal of balancing the demand and supply, and of improving energy efficiency at the utility level.

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