CHALLENGE

Our client, a mid-sized vertically integrated electric utility, announced one of the most aggressive net-zero carbon emissions goals in the United States. The company embarked on a long-term resource planning effort to meet this goal while maintaining reliability and affordability. The client faced several common challenges in this effort, including the consideration of a multitude of options, technology readiness, context and suitability for their territory, and the absence of a regulatory mandate that would require them to pursue lowcarbon options. ScottMadden was engaged to facilitate a long-term resource strategy that could meet ambitious decarbonization goals while maintaining (or improving upon) today’s levels of reliability.

PROCESS

• Developed a framework for evaluating technologies which included: technology maturity, scale of potential carbon abatement, overnight and operating costs, capacity factors, risk and dispatchability
• Facilitated workshops to focus on the preferred technologies within the short, intermediate, and long-term plan segments
• Engaged with client’s resource planning team using their IRP model to interactively solve for the desired emission levels and understand financial and operational impacts

RESULTS

• A long-term resource plan to achieve aggressive decarbonization goals while maintaining reliability
• Provided a plan that incorporated and identified enablers (e.g., regulatory policy, pilot projects, grid capabilities, etc.) necessary to support the resource plan
• Prepared the leadership team to approach their board and regulators with the financial impact of the plan under varying costs of carbon to help inform decision making