A Generative Dialogue Without Illusions Part 2

Part 2 of 3.

On systemic risk see my answer to Fred about his expertise on risk management and his lack of knowledge hidden under engineering knowledge. I think that what I have done so far is: “cracking through the egg shell (title of a chapter of solving tough problems)” of the power industry. That is the missing side of your “world … the bone and gristle world of decisions.”

Andy started his article with the following sentence: “This is the first of a four part series of articles on the natural gas and electricity price and supply risks facing the U.S. economy. The first article provides an overview and summary.” If we apply the expected long run natural gas price and supply risks to the electricity industry, there is a big difference between the decade old debate and a generative dialogue to “reassess the likely long-term prospects for price and supply in the U.S. market,” as Andy puts it.

At the center of the decade old deregulation debate, the research and practice suggested by Fred C. Schweppe and his colleagues in the 1988 book Spot Pricing of Electricity was in general bypassed. That is exactly what PA Consulting Viepoint on Energy is saying now.

My article An Alternative Business Case for Demand Response, a rebuttal to The Business Case for Demand Response, by Thomas Brunetto, Managing Director and Jamie Wimberly, CEO, both of Distributed Energy Financial Group, was the first stake on the “ground” that led to the emerging EWPC model. As you can see from what I said to be the “Key issue” in my post you refer to, it is Mr. Wimberly who acknowledges an emergent revolution away from the continuity scenario, which the Deloitte Research Energy Study identified in the 2005-2010.

Schweppe’s insights were to be applied first to a transformation of the vertically integrated utility by developing a spot price energy marketplace. As can be seen from my comments of 12.27.05 to Mr. Martin-Giraldo under A Few More Unfriendly Comments on Electric Deregulation, written by Fred, all deregulation experiments were based on jumping to the wrong conclusions. This is part of what I posted at that time:

I believe there has been a big misunderstanding of Fred C. Schweppe proposal. Trying to clarify his proposal, lets consider four general structures for the electric business: A) a traditional vertical integrated utility; B) a faulty deregulation or re-regulation that keeps a largely irresponsive and obsolete utility business model; C) Fred C. Schweppe “Regulated Spot Price Based Energy Marketplace” with homeostatic utility controls, where the utility is the only middleman; and D) a true deregulated electricity market, with retailers innovative business models, without price controls, a new value chain (generator, retailer & customer), while re-regulating the wires monopoly.

Quote completed on next paragraph…