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Experience

Since its inception in 1993, Distributed Utility Associates (DUA) has managed or undertaken nearly one hundred market assessment, analytical, and R&D planning projects for dozens of clients including distributed utility technology vendors, foreign and domestic utilities, and most US energy research organizations. The following is a summary of experience and available services.

Market Opportunity Analysis

• Estimated national, regional and service territory market potential for many distributed generation technologies. Distributed Utility Associates uses its own proprietary market model, DUVal, and its own distributed technology cost and performance and value estimation datasets.
• Assessed the impact of diverse electric utility industry restructuring scenarios on the US market penetration of distributed electric resources.
• Estimated market potential for distributed generation in the Republic of South Africa.
• Provided business opportunity advice to many utilities (and unregulated subsidiaries of utilities) interested in entering the distributed generation market, as investor, system supplier, and/or operator.
• Advised technology developers on preferred business strategies, partners, competing technologies, customer versus utility perspectives on their technologies, etc.
• Consulted with electricity energy storage technology developers on US and international market opportunities, appropriate responses, and related business planning.
• Supported the International Energy Agency Photovoltaics Business Opportunities Conference.
• Authored white paper on modular energy applications in less developed countries, for World Bank, delivered in India.

Technology Assessment

• Created an extensive survey of DU economic studies and hardware system tests at utilities for inclusion in EPRI's Distributed Resources Technical Assessment Guide (DRTAG) and for other clients following the DU concept.
• Developed and maintains an up-to-date database of distributed resource technology cost and performance information.
• Maintains a current database of utilities which are active in DU, and relevant regulatory trends in the US.
• Consulted with US and foreign utilities on DU market opportunities and strategies.
• Co-authored and published numerous papers and books on emerging utility technology and business trends.
• Served as utility industry experts at various emerging technology review meetings for technology developers, policy-makers, and research planners.
• Consulted with utilities and vendors on future communications infrastructure needs of the industry.

Technology Commercialization and Acceptance

• Provided dozens of training sessions, seminars and presentations on the Distributed Utility concept covering technical, engineering, economic, business, market potential, and research aspects, for utilities, research organizations, and other industry audiences.
• Consulted frequently by regulatory agencies considering establishing distributed utility policies.
• Presented numerous seminars on electric utility restructuring and its implications for acceptance of emerging electric technologies and markets.
• Developed and maintains a comprehensive database of utility generation, transmission and distribution expenditures.
• Developed a plan for a definitive national proof of concept test for distributed resources, the Distributed Utility Integration Test (DUIT). Engaged leading utilities in the process.
• Researched and documented current and emerging federal and local incentives, for renewable energy technologies
• Advised technology developers on strategic directions and tactics.
• Developed, facilitated, and documented conferences: 1) "The Emerging Roles of Energy Storage in a Competitive Power Market" for the US Department of Energy, and 2) two national level DU conferences for the Gas Research Institute.
• Continuously facilitates connections between leading energy technology developers and their potential users.
• Assisted in an electric utility industry communications project definition, including a utility communication capability needs and business implications assessment.

Research & Development Program Planning and Analysis

• Developed a distributed utility strategic plan and related research agenda for the United States natural gas industry.
• Developed and facilitated processes to undertake quantitative assessments of the benefits of membership in EPRI, GRI, and utility research programs.
• Documented US utility business and technology trends and their effects on R&D needs and choices, based on surveys of leaders in the utility, energy services, and DU technology industries.
• Presented a comprehensive seminar for ENEL (Italy) addressing energy R&D portfolios: risk and performance evaluation, economic optimization, and restructuring implications for R&D choices.
• Facilitated major research organizations' identification and establishment of collaborative relationships to address key DU research needs.
• Analyzed the use of hydrogen storage to aid the coupling of renewable energy sources into regional utility systems.
• Analyzed the integration potential for renewables into distribution systems.

References are available upon request.