This project looks at the effects of different retail tariff designs on the deployment of distributed energy resource (DERs), and their subsequent effect on pollution, electric system costs, and customer bills. We use smart-meter data and techno-economic models to simulate the effects of more granular and cost-reflective tariff designs on DER investment and use.
This project is supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and is a collaboration between the Institute for Policy Integrity, Environmental Defense Fund, and the MIT Energy Initiative.
- Spiller, Elisheba, Ricardo Esparza, Kristina Mohlin, Karen Tapia-Ahumada, and Burcin Unel (2020). “The Role of Electricity Tariff Design in Distributed Energy Resource Deployment,” Environmental Defense Fund Economics Discussion Paper Series 20-03. Available at SSRN.
- Unel, Burcin, Ricardo Esparza, Kristina Mohlin, Elisheba Spiller, and Karen Tapia-Ahumada (2020). “Retail Electricity Tariff Design, Distributed Energy Resources, and Emissions.” Available here.
Technical Appendices
- Bharatkumar, Ashwini, Ricardo Esparza, Kristina Mohlin, Elisheba Spiller, Karen Tapia-Ahumada, and Burcin Unel (2020). "Electricity Demand Simulations on the Distribution Edge: Developing a Granular Representation of End-User Preferences using Smart Meter Data." Available here.
- Esparza, Ricardo, Elisheba Spiller, Kristina Mohlin, Karen Tapia-Ahumada, and Burcin Unel (2019). “Creating Representative Profiles from Clustered Non-Electric Heating Customers Load Profiles.” Available here.
- Esparza, Ricardo, Kristina Mohlin, Elisheba Spiller, Karen Tapia-Ahumada, and Burcin Unel (2020). “Methodology Documentation for Rate Design and Distributed Energy Resource Integration: Impacts on the Environment and Distribution System Costs.” Available here.