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Many power companies have programs that encourage their customers to invest in energy efficiency products that lower consumer energy bills, delay the need for new electrical generation capacity, and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. Technologies that maximize the efficient generation, transmission, and storage of energy are fundamental to such programs. Renewable electricity generating technologies also play a major role in many programs and are discussed separately under the solar, geothermal, bioenergy, ocean, wind, hydropower, and hydrogen headings on EREN.
More basic information about energy efficiency in the power industry is also available.
Technologies
Superconductivity
Superconducting materials have the ability to conduct electrical current with no resistance and extremely low energy losses. Their capacity to efficiently handle large amounts of current can be applied to electric devices and to electricity transmission.
Energy Storage
Energy storage can improve the efficiency and reliability of the electric utility system by reducing the requirements for spinning reserves to meet peak power demands, making better use of efficient baseload generation, and allowing greater use of intermittent renewable energy technologies. Energy storage technologies include utility battery storage, flywheel storage, superconducting magnetic energy storage, compressed air energy storage, pumped hydropower, and supercapacitors.
Issues
Demand-Side Management (DSM)
DSM refers to actions taken on the customer's side of the meter to change the amount or timing of energy consumption. Utility DSM programs offer a variety of measures that can reduce energy consumption and consumer energy expenses.
Distributed Generation
Small, modular electricity generators sited close to the customer load can enable utilities to defer or eliminate costly investments in transmission and distribution system upgrades, and provide customers with more reliable energy supplies and a cleaner environment.
Electricity Industry Restructuring
Utility deregulation has the potential to bring greater customer choice among energy products and suppliers. Electricity rates could also drop, as the price of energy will be determined less by federal and state regulations and more by energy supply and demand.
Electricity Reliability
A stable and reliable electricity grid is the backbone of modern society. With the electricity industry being restructured, additional demands are being placed on the grid, making it even more important to maintain reliability standards.
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