IRP Best Practices Summit

April 25-26, 2023 | Denver, CO and Online

0423-irp-summit

“We often find ourselves hearing and reading material that only confirms our exacting views. EUCI brings together the experience and emerging approaches of industry leaders from around the world. Much of the value of these presentations stems from discovering what we did not know.” – Division Director, NW Power and Conservation Council

“Excellent agenda, and list of speakers. Right on target with issues I’m dealing with right now.” –  Manager of Resource Planning, Puget Sound Energy

 “A great overview from a wide cross-section of industry experts.”  – Energy Resource Analyst, EWEB

“This is a perfect forum to share, learn and take home a better/broader understanding of the issues facing our industry.”  Director – Energy Supply Planning, Northwestern Energy

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“Outstanding survey of topics for planners…” – Resource Planner/Economist, Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency

“Conference had solid content with engaging speakers discussing timely issues.  Good opportunity to discover a common set of shared concerns from other planning groups, and to get some fresh ideas about how to tackle these challenging issues.” Senior Manager – Capacity Planning, TVA

“Well organized with relevant topics.  Learned some new perspectives and approaches to resource planning.” – Director, Black & Veatch

“Great speakers and excellent topics that are the current hot topics at most utilities.” Senior Engineer, APS

“EUCI has once again brought together an excellent team of industry experts to deliver a very informative and wide-ranging look on the IRP planning process.”  Head – Generation Special Projects, Jamaica Public Service Co

“An excellent forum to hear about and discuss the current and key resource planning issues facing the utility world.” Director of Resource Planning, BC Hydro

“I enjoyed the conference.  It was relevant.” Manager – Market Research & Analysis, Vectren

“Well organized and well-run conference with a good cross-section of presenters representing their approaches on how to develop a thorough and defendable IRP.” Supervisor – Strategic Transmission Analysis, Madison Gas & Electric

“The program included many high-quality presenters addressing the pressing issues of the day for utility planners.” Director of Integrated Resource Planning, AEP

“I benefitted from attending this summit in multiple ways: namely, high quality speakers, content and topics that are current and relevant, and high value networking.”  Senior Project Manager, Southern California Edison (SCE)

“This IRP conference was well executed; I learned a lot about the IRP process and how structural change in the markets are shaping the ways that IRPs are developed.” Director, Ascend Analytics

“This conference was very relevant.  I will come again.” Director – Research & Energy Technologies, Vectren

“EUCI does a super job of keeping streamlined conference experience with rich content; will be attending more conferences in the future.” Senior Analyst, ScottMadden

“A great mix of topics and extensive industry knowledge.”  Principal, Cadmus

“Excellent conference with top-level attendees from various companies and all regions of the country.”  Director – Strategy & Planning, PSEG Long Island

“EUCI’s IRP agenda is morphing with the industry.” Senior Project Manager – Integrated Resource Planning, Southern California Edison

“Excellent quality presenters!  I got out of this what I had hoped and more.”  Research Engineer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

“Extremely educational and accessible – well organized!” Project Manager, Portland General Electric

“Excellent conference featuring coast-to-coast perspectives an.” d approaches to complex challenges and opportunities.” Solutions Specialist, Atonix Digital

“Outstanding group of speakers!  Informative and thought-provoking.” Resource Planning Manager, American Electric Power (AEP)

“EUCI provided great insight and genuine perspective.”  Program Manager, MHPA

“Very insightful on how companies are dealing with all the industry change.” Principal, Cadmus Group

“Valuable insights on the evolving topics of battery storage, integrated generation/transmission/distribution planning and others.” Director – Corporate Analytics

“There was great discussion and real-world applications.  Very helpful content and networking opportunities.” Senior Market Analyst, NextERA Energy

“A very informative and comprehensive conference.” Senior Advisor, Capital Power

“Very timely topics that are relevant to my work.”  Manager – U.S. Electricity Markets, World Resources Institute (WRI)

“There was something for everyone to learn at the EUCI IRP Summit, no matter what area of the energy industry you come from.” Utilities Analyst, Idaho Public Utilities Commission

“Good balance of breadth, depth, and industry representation.  Excellent moderation.”  Senior Supply Side Planner – Resource Planning, Tucson Electric Power

“Great content, topics, speakers and organization.”  Energy Exemplar

This program – designed by integrated resource planners for integrated resource planners – will explore the new IRP paradigm.  Leading utility, power resource planning professionals and related industry experts will address the key elements associated with emerging operational issues, such as:

• Environmental mandates
• Variable energy resources
• Regulatory policies
• Modeling around uncertainty

The conference will blend presentations from utilities, state regulatory staff/commissioners, non-utility SMEs, service providers and other resource planning gurus from all over North America.  Case studies will provide a solid survey of “best practices” thinking and methodologies by a full range of utilities and subject matter experts, and feature panels will draw out collaborative concepts for further consideration and implementation.

Learning Outcomes

Attendees will gain practical skills and insights on how to:

• Develop resource plans that incorporate the full palette of supply and demand options
• Describe how IRP planners can analyze, model and incorporate DERs and storage in IRPs
• Identify how to properly account for all variables when analyzing, modeling and planning portfolio decisions
• Determine the value of portfolio flexibility for resource planning and market operations
• Consider the range of inputs that future resource decisions should incorporate to map a pathway for attainment of carbon-free generation resource outcomes
• Evaluate the portfolio effects of high penetration renewable energy resources in production cost models
• Examine the preparation of IRP documentation with regulatory and stakeholder review and engagement in mind

 

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 : Mountain Time

 

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. :: Overview and Introductions

9:30 – 10:45 a.m. :: Modeling the Impacts on IRP of the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) extends and expands tax credits for numerous clean energy projects and is set to reshape the power industry, from wholesale markets to resource planning to end-use consumption. The changes included in the act increase the complexity of decision-making and require sophisticated modeling for price forecasting and power supply decisions. This panel will provide an overview of the IRA incentives and expected power market impacts, discuss best practices for modeling the various credits, and present a case study as to how the IRA has affected a utility’s recent resource plans.

David Pitts, Senior Engineer – Production Cost Modeling & Data Analytics, Duke Energy

Norm Richardson, President, Anchor Power Solutions

Greg Turk, Managing Partner, Horizons Energy

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. :: Morning Break

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. :: Analyzing the Impact of Weather Variability and Climate Uncertainty in Planning and Reliability Decisions

Over the past decade, power systems have become more reliant on weather through the acceleration of wind and solar developments, in combination with retirements of baseload thermal generation. Reserve margins are at historic lows with little “headroom” for major disruptions from weather. The job of resource planning has become more critical and more difficult leading to the need for better tools to analyze future supply options. Consequently, utilities need to accurately model reliability risks and economic impacts from changing weather to avoid negative outcomes, such as blackouts and stranded assets.  This presentation will examine the planning elements necessary to provide optimized resource plans that jointly minimize costs, risks, and maintain reliability:

• Why weather is the fundamental driver of power systems for resource selection and system reliability
• How to capture the variability impacts of weather on markets, and requirements for flexible capacity as well as resource adequacy
• Recent climate trends that create more uncertainty in decision-making, thereby requiring planners to directly analyze the climate impacts on future supply availability

Dr. Gary Dorris, President, Ascend Analytics

Dr. Brandon Mauch, Director – Resource Planning Analytics, Ascend Analytics

12:15 – 1:15 p.m. :: Group Luncheon

1:15 – 2:15 p.m. :: Use of Price-Based Demand Response in IRP

Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) sought to integrate supply- and demand-side resources to compose least-cost and risk-managed portfolios to meet future load.  Advanced smart meters and their deployment make sophisticated time-varying rates available to a wide range of customers. This segment will explore how planners can represent these rates as resources in their portfolios, what benchmarks exist for the key input variables across a dozen reviewed plans, and provide best practices to consider demand response in IRP, including:

• Introduction to time-varying rates
• Demand response resources considered in IRP
• Determining customer participation rates and load reduction
• Types of market potential
• Typical program costs
• Best practices and recommendations for improving the representation of price-based DR in IRP

JP Carvallo, Research Scientist – Electricity Markets and Policy, LBNL

2:15 – 3:15 p.m. :: Properly Modeling and Embedding Resource Adequacy Metrics and Measures in the IRP

Ensuring reliability of service is an essential requirement for a utility or power system planner.  This segment will explore the multiple methods of planning around the capacity values and assigned standards for determining appropriate resource adequacy, reliability and reserve margin modeling in an integrated resource plan (IRP). 

• Role that IRP plays in resource adequacy
• Summary of traditional resource adequacy principles and current practices in IRP
• Economic costs of power interruptions 
• Electricity reliability performance data and metrics
• Treatment of uncertainty in RA modeling within IRP
• Value-based reliability planning
• Best resource adequacy practices in IRP

Nick Phillips, Director – Integrated Resource Planning, Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM)

Sarah Baxley, Senior Resource Planning Analyst, Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM)

3:15 – 3:30 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. :: Landscape and Applications of Open-source Modeling & Analytical Tools

• Survey of open-source modeling tools
• Distinctions between use of proprietary vs. open-source modeling and analytical tools
• IRP case studies using open-source modeling and analytical tools
• Ability to broaden stakeholder access and engagement
• Unlocking the potential of OS tools
• Policy/Regulatory context for increased transparency and access in IRP

Aaron Schwartz, Senior Associate – Carbon Free Electricity, RMI

Priya Sreedharan, Program Director, GridLab

4:30 p.m. :: Adjourn for Day

4:30 – 5:30 p.m. :: Hosted Meet-and-Greet

 

Wednesday, April 26, 2023 : Mountain Time

 

9:00 – 10:15 a.m. :: ISP (Integrated System Planning) – The Future Present of IRP

To properly support the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable and digital energy industry, utility and market planners need to adopt a more integrated and holistic view of the planning processes.  Silo planning and iterative processes will no longer provide acceptable expansion plans.  This segment will examine ISP, a fresh approach for optimizing infrastructure build decisions, considering generation, transmission, energy storage, renewables, V2G, hydrogen and gas systems, among others.  It unifies planning, modeling and optimization across multiple business units considering each corporate objective, regulatory requirements, customer needs and market trends.

Carlos Romero, Principal – Solution Engineering, Energy Exemplar

10:15 – 10:30 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:30 – 11:15 a.m. :: Evaluating Renewable Energy Resources in an IRP Process

IRP staff, because of their analytical skills, are increasingly being consulted and brought in to contribute to the evaluation of resource procurements being considered by their utilities.  This session will consider best practices associated with process and evaluation methodology for energy resources, including for competitive bidding processes:

• Conducting economic and non-economic analysis of resources, including bids from competitive solicitations
• Modeling operational, financial, and environmental impact of new resource additions
• Reflecting interaction within regulatory and oversight contexts
• Representing the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Act and other legislative initiatives in resource modeling and evaluation

David Braun, Senior Engineer – Resource Planning, Tri-State G&T

11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. :: “A Bridge to Somewhere” – Charting the Role of Gas Generation to Provide Flexibility, Reliability, and Decarbonization

• Gas generation will eventually transition from providing the bulk of system energy to become an enabler of renewable energy through balancing and critical reliability service.
• Why batteries and demand response can’t solve everything and the enduring value of fuel based generation
• The five elements of flexible dispatchability and why they matter
• Prospects for a transition to clean fuels such as hydrogen, methanol, ammonia, or synthetic methane
• No regrets options for existing and new gas assets
• Making the case: The Glendale repowering story

David Millar, Principal – Markets, Legislative, & Regulatory Policy, Wartsila

12:30 – 1:30 p.m. :: Group Luncheon

1:30 – 2:15 p.m. :: Planning for Uncertainty – the 2023 recipe

This case study will review Great River Energy’s approach to managing uncertainty from its latest integrated resource plan, filed in April 2023.   The session will review identification of key variables, recent industry changes, and scenario results. Topics will include:

• Deciding on which sensitivities to evaluate
  • Evolving resource adequacy constructs and reliability considerations
  • Capacity expansion modeling
  • Risk management
  • High renewable generation portfolios
• Identifying relevant modeling that will encapsulate uncertainties
• Reviewing results and incorporating into IRP

Ann Benson Monn, Senior Portfolio Modeler – Power Supply Planning, Great River Energy

2:15 – 3:00 p.m. :: Redesigning IRP Analytical Processes Around a Stakeholder Engagement Framework

• Distinguishing between traditional and redesigned IRP analytical processes
  • Tools
  • Timing
  • How they’re used
• Why this shift to a new paradigm is necessary
• What are the elements of redesigned IRP analytical processes
• What is sacrificed and what is gained by shifting paradigms
• Examples where IRP analytical processes have been applied
• How to reset the paradigms traditional and redesigned IRP analytical processes
• Internal (intra-utility)
• External (regulatory and stakeholder)

Phillip J. Popoff, Director – Resource Planning & Analysis, Puget Sound Energy

3:00 – 3:15 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

3:15 – 4:30 p.m. :: Finding a Balance between Short-term Market Data/Trends and Long-term Planning Assumptions

Panel Discussion

4:30 p.m. :: Summit Adjournment

Modeling The Range Of Storage Use Cases & Values

Monday, April 24, 2023 : Mountain Time

While specific practices vary by utility, integrated resource plans (IRPs) are mostly a highly technical exercise, and IRP processes generally make a number of simplifying assumptions. Because these processes were developed in an era of dispatchable, utility-scale generation, such assumptions often result in the undervaluation of scalable, flexible resources like energy storage.

This workshop will discuss the specific barriers that traditional resource planning practices create for energy storage and share a recent PNNL report that examined the degree to which utilities around the country are acknowledging those barriers and adapting their planning processes to more accurately value energy storage. It will provide an overview of emerging best practices in utility resource planning and policy efforts at the state level to facilitate the inclusion of energy storage in the electric grid.  In addition, presentations will be made by three different segments of the storage analysis and modeling perspectives:

• A vertically integrated utility
• A project developer
• Multiple software solution providers will demonstrate their solutions for modeling, analyzing and prescribing storage applications in an IRP context

Learning Outcomes

• Assess the treatment of storage modeling and analytics in U.S. utility IRPs
• Identify emerging best practices in utility resource planning
• Evaluate storage cost assumptions and value streams
• Examine state policy options and their impact on activity associated with energy storage deployment
• Demonstrate a storage project developer’s approach to analysis and modeling of storage for utility deployment
• Demonstrate a vertically integrated utility’s approach to analysis and modeling of storage for IRP and utility deployment
• Demonstrate multiple service providers’ solutions for analysis and modeling of storage for IRP and utility deployment

 

Agenda

 

9:00 – 9:20 a.m. :: Overview and Introductions

9:20 – 10:30 a.m. :: Surveying the Treatment of Storage Modeling and Analytics in U.S. Utility IRPs

• Integrated Resource Plans
  • Structure and objectives
  • Simplifying assumptions that undervalue energy storage
• Report on Energy Storage in Integrated Resource Plans
  • Outcomes for batteries and pumped storage hydro (PSH) in the IRPs studied
  • Key findings – storage cost assumptions and value streams
  • Findings and recommendations
• Planning and Policy Responses
  • Emerging best practices in utility resource planning
  • State policy options for energy storage

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:45 – 11:45 a.m. :: A Utility’s Approach to Analysis and Modeling of Storage for IRP and Utility Deployment

• Technologies developers prefer
  • Why Li-Ion is still the most preferred choice (price, proven performance, manufacturing pipeline)
• Cost trends in battery storage
  • ‘LCOS’ compared with LCOE of other technologies
• Applications of storage
  • renewables pairing for energy shifting and firming
  • distribution deferral services
  • pure market participation
• Solar + storage modeling
  • Configurations – AC coupled vs. DC coupled
  • Considerations for modeling in IRP framework – combined system production profile/SoC profile
• Energy arbitrage
  • Modeling needs to consider sub-hourly prices – that is key to storage economics and viability
  • Also, market price forecasts need to adequately account renewable penetration and impact on prices/price volatility, as well as penetration of storage
• Multiple applications: storage can provide additional value depending on the location
  • need to intersect the IRP and DRP
  • Updates in market rules – they are in constant flux which makes battery economics challenging to model in long-term

11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. :: Lunch Break

Service Providers’ Solutions for Analysis and Modeling of Storage for IRP and Utility Deployment

12:30 – 1:30 p.m. :: Anchor Power

1:40 – 2:40 p.m. :: Ascend Analytics

2:50 – 3:50 p.m. :: Energy Exemplar

4:00 – 5:00 p.m. :: Wartsila

5:00 p.m. :: Workshop Adjournment

• David Braun, Senior Engineer – Resource Planning, Tri-State G&T

• Dr. JP Carvallo, Research Scientist – Electricity Markets and Policy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)

• Dr. Gary Dorris, President, Ascend Analytics

• Swetha Meenakshi-Sundaram, Director of Project Design – Global Storage Engineering, RWE

• Ann Benson Monn, Senior Portfolio Modeler – Power Supply Planning, Great River Energy

• Dr. Brandon Mauch, Director – Resource Planning Analytics, Ascend Analytics

• David Millar, Principal – Markets, Legislative, & Regulatory Policy, Wartsila North America

• Nick Phillips, Director – Integrated Resource Planning, Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM)

• David Pitts, Senior Engineer – Production Cost Modeling & Data Analytics, Duke Energy

• Phillip J. Popoff, Director – Resource Planning & Analysis, Puget Sound Energy

• Carlos Romero, Principal – Solution Engineering, Energy Exemplar

• Norm Richardson, President, Anchor Power Solutions Aaron Schwartz, Senior Associate – Carbon Free Electricity, RMI

• Priya Sreedharan, Program Director, GridLab

• Greg Turk, Managing Partner, Horizons Energy

• Jeremy Twitchell, Energy Research Analyst, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: After November 30 you will not be able to join a Teams meeting using Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
• You will receive a meeting invitation will include a link to join the meeting.
• Separate meeting invitations will be sent for the morning and afternoon sessions of the course.
  • You will need to join the appropriate meeting at the appropriate time.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

Please Note: Confirmed speakers do not need to register and are encouraged to participate in all sessions of the event. If you are a speaker and have any questions please contact our offices at 1.303.770.8800

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

IRP Best Practices Summit

April 25-26, 2023 | Denver, CO

Buy 4 in-person seats and only pay for 3! For this event every fourth in-person attendee is free!

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Modeling The Range Of Storage Use Cases & Values

April 24

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Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before March 24, 2023 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 1.1 CEUs for the conference and 0.6 CEUs for the workshop

Requirements For Successful Completion Of Program

Participants must login/be in attendance for the entirety of the event to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

Case studies and PowerPoint presentations will be used in this program.

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Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Conference CPE Credits: 13.0
Workshop CPE Credits: 7.0
There is no prerequisite for this event.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preparation: None

EUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org

 

 

Who Should Attend

• Integrated resource planning
• Resource adequacy planning
• Strategic and long-range planning
• Forecasting and analysis
• Energy efficiency planning
• Demand response planning
• Generation and load planning
• Transmission planning
• Reliability planning
• Intra-hour operations analysis and modeling
• Renewable energy planning
• Environmental and GHG planning
• State regulatory and commission staff
• Carbon/emissions management teams
• Carbon/emissions market consultants and advisors
• Environmental compliance groups
• Regulatory affairs
• Asset management
• Financial analysis