System-Level Issues with Grid, DER, and Vehicle Technologies

Session Submission Type: Panel

Abstract

The systems encountered by any given technology are numerous (e.g., governance, market, social, physical), and barriers to technology may arise through interactions with and between any or all. Across these projects, governance frameworks often need to be adapted to suit particular locations, customer segments, and/or market structures, particularly due to the complex and interconnected nature of the technologies discussed here. We also see commonly recurring themes of the importance of understanding aspects of behavior, including the relationships between technologies, stakeholders, and governance frameworks.  This panel will engage in a discussion on some of these issues across different traditional and non-traditional grid, distributed energy resource (DER), and vehicle technologies.

The first paper focuses on Interconnection reforms in Massachusetts and New York.  Interconnection is a critical issue in both solar PV systems, vehicle charging systems, and other electrification technologies.  This paper addresses the question: Why do some states manage to overcome political barriers to adapt interconnection regimes to be relatively more effective?  Two major findings related to improving interconnection policies are presented, with a focus on solar PV systems.

The second paper develops a systematic approach to understanding barriers to successful electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) projects.  Electric vehicle chargers, or EVSE, represent a rapidly growing segment of DER technologies.  This paper uses the results of more than 70 interviews with stakeholders in DER projects to develop a systematic way of discussing barriers with these projects, with the goal of encouraging future study into these barriers to control costs and ease infrastructure expansion.

The third paper examines geographic variation in consumer access to light-duty vehicles (LDVs) using dealership listings from across the U.S.  It evaluates two key dimensions of access—proximity to dealerships and suitability of available vehicle types—based on powertrain, body style, weight, and price.  The results offer a supply-side view of vehicle markets, highlighting regions where consumer choices are a mismatch with the available vehicle stock.  These results support more informed decision-making regarding a number of topics, including transportation affordability and vehicle weight-induced road degradation.  

The final paper focuses on a technology value mapping of hydrogen, principally in the transportation sector.  As an emerging technology, it is not yet clear how different stakeholders can realize the greatest value from the hydrogen sector, as well as synergies for differing stakeholders to collectively realize greater value than may have originally been apparent.  This project conducted interviews and focus group workshops with a variety of stakeholders to produce the broadest possible map of benefits for those stakeholders.

Policy Area

• Natural Resource, Energy, and Environmental Policy

Secondary Policy Area

• Innovations in Science and Technology

Chair

• Sanya R Carley, University of Pennsylvania

Discussant

• John Kim, Georgia Institute of Technology

Organizer

• Peter Keene Benoliel, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Individual Presentations

• A Systematic Approach to Understanding Barriers to Successful EVSE Projects - Presenting Author: Peter Keene Benoliel, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Margaret Taylor, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

• Mapping vehicle choice sets in the U.S.: Spatial patterns in Light-Duty Vehicle access - Non-Presenting Co-Author: John Paul Helveston, George Washington University; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Margaret Taylor, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Presenting Author: Sydny Fujita, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Peter Keene Benoliel, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

• Sparking Adaptation: The Politics of Reforming Effective Interconnection Regimes in Massachusetts and New York - Presenting Author: Kathryn Chelminski, Brown University