Publications

A Closer Look at RGGI and Grid Reliability (2021) – Jonas Monast and authors from the Duke University Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions reviews electric grid reliability in states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). In short, research indicates that RGGI’s implementation has not impacted grid reliability—and that RGGI may help to improve reliability through strategic demand-side investments—all while delivering important economic, public health, and emissions reduction benefits to consumers. Indeed, the inherent flexibility of a regional, market-based program that enables power plant operators to make efficiency upgrades, shift generation to lower-emitting options, or purchase allowances makes this policy tool a good fit with grid reliability goals.

Power Sector Carbon Reduction: An Evaluation of Policies for North Carolina (2021) – Jonas Monast and authors from the Duke University Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions conducted a study of carbon reduction policies for the power sector. This report reflects extensive modeling, policy and economic analysis, and stakeholder engagement. It does not make specific recommendations but evaluates different policies and offers options for decarbonizing the grid.

Communities in Transition: State Responses to Energy-Sector Job Losses (2019) – CE3 fellow Ethan Blumenthal ’18 authors white paper examining emerging state responses to energy-sector job losses.

Harnessing Competition in a Transitioning Electricity System: Opportunities for Traditional Cost-of-Service States (2019) – Jonas Monast, Franz Litz and Kate Konschnik identify options for states to create new opportunities for competition between monopoly utilities and third-party providers to help manage a rapidly changing electricity sector.

Regulation of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives (2019) – Lily Faulconer ’21, Madeline Labovitz ’21 and Ethan Blumenthal ’18 examine the historical development of electric cooperatives in the United States, detailing both federal and state regulations, and highlighting several innovative projects either in place now or currently under development.

Valuing Distributed Energy Resources: A Comparative Analysis (2018) – Heather Payne ’11 and Jonas Monast analyze the different approaches states are using to determine the value of distributed energy resources. The analysis focuses on nine states that have taken recent action via legislation and/or public utility commission proceedings — Arizona, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, and South Carolina.

Transitioning to a Lower-Carbon Energy Future: Challenges and Opportunities for Municipal Utilities and Electric Cooperatives (2018) – Heather Payne, Jonas Monast, Hannah Wiseman, and Nicolas Eason ’19 summarize a 2017 conference “Municipal Utilities and Cooperatives: Transitioning to a Lower Carbon Future” co-hosted by CE3 and the Florida State University College of Law, Environmental, Energy & Land Use Program. 

Illuminating the Energy Policy Agenda: Electricity Sector Issues Facing the Next Administration (2016) – Jonas Monast, Kate Konschnik, Ari Peskoe, Sarah Adair, Christina Reichert, and David Hoppock provide an overview of six key energy challenges that will shape the future of the electric grid. The report explores the next president’s options and the federal agencies and authorities that he or she could deploy.

Law, Policy, and the Future of Solar Financing (2016) – Heather Payne, Victor Flatt, Lissa Broome and Jeff Hughes explore the legal and policy implications of increasing the finance of solar energy, building upon themes discussed  at a workshop co-convened by the UNC School of Law Center for Climate, Energy, Environment, and Economics (“CE3”); the UNC School of Law Center for Banking and Finance; and the UNC School of Government Environmental Finance Center.

Student-Authored Papers