The U.S. electric sector continues to wage its transformation in a rapidly evolving “new energy” ecosystem. Accelerating “green” energy from the sun and the wind – and the growth of distributed energy – has created the industry’s new biggest challenge: integrating it all onto the grid. Decarbonization is intensifying, and extreme weather events attributed to climate change are forcing electric utilities to harden systems at a time of regulatory and investment uncertainty. Yet despite such headwinds, the new, generational influx of billions of dollars in federal funding for grid improvements is spurring optimism.
Backed by a survey of some 250 U.S. power sector stakeholders, the Black & Veatch 2022-2023 Electric Report explores these topics and more, from cybersecurity matters to how the proliferation of electric vehicles is pressuring power providers to find ways to meet the expected, sizable charging needs.
