Utilities Policy最新文献

{"title":"Curtailment pressures and grid flexibility in Brazil: Lessons from the fast-rising distributed generation","authors":"Walquiria N. Silva ,&nbsp;Giovani G.T.T. Vieira ,&nbsp;Erik Eduardo Rego ,&nbsp;Lucas F.C. Simone ,&nbsp;Luís F.N. Lourenço ,&nbsp;Maurício B.C. Salles","doi":"10.1016/j.jup.2026.102148","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jup.2026.102148","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The accelerated expansion of micro and mini distributed generation (MMDG), predominantly photovoltaic, has introduced new operational challenges to Brazil's hydro-thermal power system. Since MMDG supplies load directly at the distribution level, it reduces the net demand visible to the transmission grid. This thread is reshaping the national net-load curve by deepening the midday valley and steepening the evening ramp that centrally dispatched resources must supply. Although the duck curve phenomenon and its curtailment implications have been widely studied internationally, quantitative evidence for hydro-dominated systems remains limited. In this context, the present study applies a data-driven analysis of hourly operational data from 2024 to evaluate how MMDG growth affects net-load variability, modifies ramping behavior, and influences curtailment exposure in the Brazilian National Interconnected System (SIN). To this end, the analysis addresses two guiding questions: (i) how the expansion of MMDG reshapes the aggregated load curve and alters intraday variability, and (ii) how its production profile relates to curtailment events classified as energy imbalance (ENE) in centralized wind and solar plants. By examining these aspects together, the study provides system-level evidence particularly relevant to hydro-based electricity systems undergoing rapid distributed PV expansion. The empirical results show that MMDG accentuates midday net-load valleys, particularly on weekends, with the lowest values occurring on Sundays, approaching 50,000 MW, followed by evening recoveries exceeding 25,000 MW and extreme short-term ramp rates approaching 10,000 MW per hour. Flexibility Factor indicators range from 0.59 to 0.71, indicating heightened short-term operational stress. At the same time, ENE curtailment intensifies during hours of high distributed output, presenting moderate positive correlations (<em>ρ</em> ≈ 0.37–0.49, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01). Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the continued growth of MMDG amplifies intraday variability and curtailment exposure in Brazil's hydro-dominated system, thereby underscoring the need for strengthened coordination between transmission and distribution operators.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23554,"journal":{"name":"Utilities Policy","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 102148"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does the carbon price floor policy promote CTL-CCS investment? A real options and sequential investment model","authors":"Weiwei Zhang,&nbsp;He Dai,&nbsp;Yunxiang Wang,&nbsp;Yunzhuo Li,&nbsp;Yuanrong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The coupling of Coal-to-Liquid (CTL) technology with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions from coal use by transporting captured CO₂ for storage in geological formations, yet economic barriers hinder its widespread application. To address this, the study incorporates a carbon price floor policy into a sequential investment model for the CTL-CCS project and employs real options analysis to evaluate how the policy incentivizes CTL-CCS investment under uncertainties in oil, coal, and carbon prices. Taking the Shenhua project in China (with an annual oil output of 1.08 million tons) as a case study, the findings indicate that implementing a carbon price floor increases the value of the CTL-CCS project from 8.24 to 10.18 billion yuan, elevates the investment probability from 37.1 % to 74.2 %, and reduces the critical carbon price threshold from 217.43 to 156.74 yuan. The optimal carbon price floor to incentivize immediate investment is identified as 125 yuan per ton. These results underscore the effectiveness of carbon price floors in accelerating low-carbon investment in high-emission sectors and provide quantitative insights for carbon market design in China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23554,"journal":{"name":"Utilities Policy","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 102133"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145790564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Command and control: A systematic approach to demand-side flexibility","authors":"Fouad El Gohary","doi":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102137","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102137","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This policy note presents a case for shifting demand-side flexibility (DSF) policy from a market-based, individualist approach to a system-level, command-and-control framework. DSF could play a crucial role in maintaining grid stability, integrating variable renewable energy sources, and reducing infrastructure costs. The prevailing framework for fostering DSF overwhelmingly relies on price signals and assumes that consumers are rational, price-responsive agents who are both willing and able to optimize electricity use. Empirical evidence suggests that this approach has yielded limited results. The proposed model emphasizes centralized flexibility management, regulatory mandates, and automation to ensure reliability and scalability. Central to this model is the establishment of a Flexibility Coordinator responsible for two primary tasks: coordination—identifying system-wide grid needs, mapping users’ flexibility potential, and aligning these to generate an effective set of target measures; and execution—applying a set of targeted regulatory measures focused on mandating and “embedding” flexibility across the grid while minimizing user disruption and safeguarding comfort and preferences. These measures could include mandating automated demand-response functionality for residential heat pumps and EV chargers, requiring supermarkets to couple cooling loads with automated controls, and enforcing waste heat recovery in industrial processes. By adopting a more assertive and systematic approach, a range of flexibility measures—potentially imperceptible to users—can be effectively implemented, creating a more reliable, adaptable, and scalable DSF model that is essential for a successful energy transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23554,"journal":{"name":"Utilities Policy","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 102137"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145790567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rethinking compensation for high-voltage electricity transmission line impacts on residential property in Belgium","authors":"Simon De Jaeger,&nbsp;Johan Eyckmans,&nbsp;Guido Pepermans,&nbsp;Sandra Rousseau","doi":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102111","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102111","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As part of the energy transition, the high-voltage (HV) electricity grid often needs technical upgrading. These investments are not only associated with public benefits but also give rise to private concerns, such as the impact on property values. However, it is challenging to determine the value loss associated with an HV line crossing a real estate property, since characteristics such as age, size, and location of the property matter. In the Belgian context, compensation for property value losses resulting from public utility easements is legally recognized, but the amount is subject to debate. Thus, the research question we address in this study is how compensation should be determined and how it should depend on property characteristics. To provide a market and a citizen perspective, we assess the points of view of real estate experts and Belgian citizens, which we then relate to the current compensation scheme.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23554,"journal":{"name":"Utilities Policy","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 102111"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An unrealized desire: what slows the implementation of energy communities in Catalonia?","authors":"Josep-Maria Arauzo-Carod","doi":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The transition to a sustainable energy model requires a broad social consensus to succeed. However, there is currently limited research on the factors influencing individual acceptance of specific energy transition tools, such as Energy Communities (ECs), a gap this paper aims to address. Specifically, we examine whether the determinants of current willingness to join ECs are the same as those influencing future willingness. This question is particularly relevant, as some individuals delay their participation in pro-environmental actions in anticipation of better future conditions, a behaviour that ultimately slows the energy transition. Using survey data from 1840 individuals in Catalonia (Spain), our findings reveal that the same factors do not necessarily shape current and future intentions to join ECs. This insight suggests the need for policy measures that address current dissatisfaction with ECs and promote future acceptance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23554,"journal":{"name":"Utilities Policy","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 102120"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Positive or negative? A study on the synergistic effectiveness of policy interventions on residential waste minimization behavior in China","authors":"Ting Yue ,&nbsp;Jing Zhou ,&nbsp;Xianmin Shao ,&nbsp;Ruyin Long ,&nbsp;Chuchu Wan ,&nbsp;Nikita Parfenov","doi":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102131","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102131","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined waste reduction and energy-saving behaviors from the perspective of waste minimization, categorizing them into conservation, green purchasing, and recycling behaviors. Based on the attitude-behavior-context theory, this paper constructed a model of factors influencing waste minimization behavior, integrating policy interventions and residential psychological factors. Survey data from 915 representative residents in eastern China show that both economic incentive and information publicity policies positively impact waste reduction behavior, but their interaction generates negative synergy. The effectiveness of information publicity policies increases with residential outcome expectations. Policy implications are provided to reduce policy conflicts and promote waste minimization behavior.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23554,"journal":{"name":"Utilities Policy","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 102131"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimal energy management system for a community microgrid: A case study from the Gambia","authors":"Maimuna Drammeh ,&nbsp;Ravi Samikannu ,&nbsp;Abid Yahya ,&nbsp;Maruliya Begam Kadarmydeen ,&nbsp;Kavitha R ,&nbsp;Kanimozhi Gunasekaran ,&nbsp;Meeradevi T ,&nbsp;Gladys Gamariel","doi":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102132","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102132","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Remote communities often lack access to reliable electricity. This study investigates the feasibility of a microgrid system tailored for Kantong Kunda, a rural community in The Gambia. The community's current energy consumption and demand are determined through data collection using the Epicollect5 survey tool to characterize the local energy consumption and demand profile accurately. HOMER Pro software was employed to simulate and optimize hybrid microgrid configuration, prioritizing both cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability. The proposed system integrates 79.8 kW of Solar Photovoltaic (SPV), a 60-kW diesel generator, 374 batteries, and a 22.8 kW converter. The optimized design yields a Net Present Cost (NPC) of $251,474.80 and a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of $0.08527/kWh, which is well below the region's grid electricity tariff. This configuration yields 16.1 % excess electricity, a 10.5 % Return on Investment (ROI), a 14.2 % Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and a 6.03-year payback period, while cutting total emissions by 133,981.4 kg compared to a diesel-only baseline. The work contributes a microgrid design designed for rural African communities, and the findings demonstrate that microgrids can deliver reliable, affordable, and low-carbon electricity through decentralized energy systems for remote communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23554,"journal":{"name":"Utilities Policy","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 102132"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the future dynamics of renewable energy social Acceptance: Scenarios for Iran","authors":"Reza Hafezi ,&nbsp;Zohreh Rahimirad ,&nbsp;Ali Asghar Sadabadi ,&nbsp;David A. Wood","doi":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102135","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102135","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Citizen participation is a key factor in the growth of renewable energy. This study explores how that participation might shape Iran's energy transition to 2040 by using a qualitative scenario method grounded in a matrix-based uncertainty analysis. A literature review and a focus group generated 51 potential drivers. A national panel (n = 61) rated each driver on importance and predictability (1–9), making it possible to identify key uncertainties and assumed trends. Findings show that social participation in renewable energy depends mainly on three uncertainties: (1) energy governance (centralized ↔ decentralized), (2) the energy-economy (cost-reflective pricing ↔ subsidized energy), and (3) infrastructure and asset ownership (citizen/co-ownership ↔ predominantly public). Based on the two most orthogonal axes, four internally consistent scenarios were developed. A follow-on policy panel (n = 21) stress-tested interventions, prioritizing nine policy levers. Economic and financial measures ranked highest, underlining that pricing reform and investment risk reduction are critical for achieving a socially accepted renewable energy transition. The study offers a transparent, reproducible pathway—from driver identification to scenario design and policy testing—tailored to Iran's context but adaptable to other settings facing similar uncertainties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23554,"journal":{"name":"Utilities Policy","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 102135"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145790565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A cross-sectional view of the drinking water scenario in a climate-stressed setting: Case study from southwestern Bangladesh","authors":"Tasneem Chowdhury Fahim ,&nbsp;Md Mainul Islam ,&nbsp;Zinat Hasiba ,&nbsp;Md. Ahasanul Hoque","doi":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jup.2025.102121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This cross-sectional study examines the drinking water crisis in five highly water-stressed upazilas of southwestern Bangladesh, assessing quality, availability, accessibility, and costs. Key factors include water source reliability, unavailability duration, collection burden, ownership, and socio-economic disparities. Using TDS/Conductivity meters, the study found high salinity levels in community hand tubewells (1733 mg/L) and ponds (1330 mg/L), exceeding the Bangladesh national TDS standard. On average, water unavailability lasts up to 4.65 months annually. Spatial variability highlights Paikgacha's severe unavailability (7.15 months) compared to Koyra's shorter duration (2.84 months). Limited ownership (16 %) of water sources and reliance on external sources underscore access barriers. Affordability pressures are acute: low-income households allocate up to 4 % of their monthly income to drinking water, exacerbating vulnerabilities. Women and adolescent girls (∼80 %) bear the burden of water collection, while indigenous minorities face prolonged unavailability (6.85 months) with minimal ownership (2 %). Findings suggest policy should focus on reliability and equity, not just expanding coverage. Options include a low-cost lifeline block and targeted vouchers or discounts, paid for by cross-subsidies; extending pipes first to areas with the longest shortages; sizing rainwater-harvesting systems for the dry months; and inclusive governance with seats for women and indigenous peoples, and help with connection fees. By pinpointing where constraints bind and who is left behind, the study informs practical pathways toward SDG 6.1 in climate-stressed coastal settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23554,"journal":{"name":"Utilities Policy","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 102121"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A physically-constrained and economically viable model for storage sharing in energy communities","authors":"Shubham Patwari,&nbsp;Satish Sharma,&nbsp;Prerna Jain","doi":"10.1016/j.jup.2026.102153","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jup.2026.102153","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Energy storage (ES) enhances flexibility in local energy markets but is often economically unviable for individuals due to high capital costs. This paper proposes a two-stage stochastic model for community-based ES sharing using Physical Storage Rights (PSRs), enabling participants in the day-ahead (DA) market to access storage while accounting for uncertainties and physical constraints. ES owners earn upfront by selling PSRs, mitigating real-time market volatility. The model shifts from individual utility maximization to a system-oriented approach. Numerical results show PSR allocation is economically and physically viable, benefiting both storage owners and participants, even with varying storage efficiencies across the community.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23554,"journal":{"name":"Utilities Policy","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 102153"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}