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A Suggested Component-Level, Units-of-Production Plant Depreciation Method

By Ramon Mischkot, Principal Consultant, Transactive Management, November, 09, 2009 - Introduction  more...
Article Viewed 425 Times  |  Be the first to comment on this article.

Costless Collars: A Poor Hedge for Utility Customers

By Tom Matthews, Energy Commodity Risk Administrator, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, September, 16, 2009 - Costless collars are an attractive low-cost strategy for speculators who have a directional view on the underlying market. They are not a prudent strategy for a utility looking to reduce commodity price risk to end-use distribution customers. Utilities that employ a costless collar hedging strategy are likely exposing their customers to excess price risk and higher commodity costs versus employing a hedging strategy that uses simple forward contracts. Utility company and utility commission documents available through the Internet suggest the many electric and natural gas utilities employed costless collar hedge strategies on behalf of their customers between 1998 and 2008. This article examines the performance of a costless collar hedging strategy as compared to a forward contract hedging strategy for a hypothetical natural gas utility within the 1998 through 2008 time frame. Key assumptions to this comparison are that the utility has no view on future market prices and that the utility employs a dollar-cost averaging strategy to place hedges.  more...
Article Viewed 1693 Times  |  3 Comments

Regulatory Compliance - Creating an Enterprise Roadmap for the Power Industry

By Anurag Jain, GRC Analyst, MetricStream, September, 03, 2009 - Let's face it; the fear of non-compliance is daunting, especially when organizations all over the world are imposing huge fines on energy companies. Whether it's the Sarbanes Oxley Act, FERC and NERC regulations (Federal Energy Regulation Commission and North American Electric Reliability Corporation) and requirements from state and regional bodies, complying with them is challenging.  more...
Article Viewed 1224 Times  |  1 Comments

Rate Case Management for Utilities: An Overview

By ChenniChetty Natarajhan, Functional Consultant, Wipro Technologies, August, 20, 2009 - Introduction  more...
Article Viewed 1779 Times  |  Be the first to comment on this article.

Decoupling in a Downturn

By Chad Garrett, Senior Research Associate, E SOURCE, August, 06, 2009 - Renewed interest in utility-led energy-efficiency programs has resulted in a recent flurry of electric revenue decoupling activity, and the economic downturn raises the question of whether this regulatory framework will place an undue burden on customers through higher rates. Several thoughtful papers about implementing decoupling have emerged in recent years (see Resources below); however, little attention has been given to this issue, which may become the policy's Achilles heel.  more...
Article Viewed 2068 Times  |  7 Comments

Information Technology Innovations: Ready to Tackle Challenges Ahead

By Warren Causey, Vice President, Sierra Energy Group, July, 16, 2009 - It once was fairly easy work to map trends in the utility industry and anticipate future directions. The industry was stable and slow-moving for many years. Since October and November, however, all of that ease, along with the stability, has gone out the window.  more...
Article Viewed 1574 Times  |  1 Comments

Sulfate in Wastewater Streams a Growing Concern for the Energy Sector

By David Kratochvil, President and Chief Operating Officer, BioteQ Environmental Technologies, July, 02, 2009 - New developments in water quality legislation are making it increasingly important for companies to look to new technologies for treating their feed and waste water streams. One area of growing interest is the presence of sulfates.  more...
Article Viewed 1793 Times  |  Be the first to comment on this article.

Don't Forget Your Fuel Control Valves

By Andrew Cofas, Product Line Manager, Woodward Governor, June, 18, 2009 - Gas Turbine Fuel Control Valves  more...
Article Viewed 1763 Times  |  1 Comments

Are Energy Derivative Markets Really Needed?

By Rahul Banerjee, Principal Consultant, Wipro Technologies, June, 04, 2009 - When we think of energy derivative markets many thoughts come to mind. Do these lead to speculation and abnormal price rise of commodities (recent price movements for oil with highs of $140 a barrel to $60 currently)? Is it a boon or a curse for a company and its investors? Would the world be better off without derivatives? And finally, the more fundamental question: What economic purpose do derivatives serve in society?  more...
Article Viewed 2779 Times  |  18 Comments

Patent Portfolio Strategies for Cleantech Companies

By Brent Yamashita, Partner, DLA Piper LLC, May, 21, 2009 - The stimulus package recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) includes billions of dollars for energy grants and loan guarantee provisions that are intended to enhance the use of renewable energy as well as energy efficiency. This includes substantial funds for R&D in "cleantech" technologies. This funding, as well as the existing global interest in reducing the use of fossil fuels and increasing energy consumption efficiency, should lead to an explosion of new cleantech products and technologies.  more...
Article Viewed 2141 Times  |  Be the first to comment on this article.
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