Multi-Client Projects SEPA offers custom projects to fit your needs and resources. Contact Us Advisory Services Current Projects Multi-Client Projects Federal Funding Opportunities Our Focus Clients and Projects Custom research tailored for your budget The challenges you face and the questions you need answered are often parallel to other similar organizations. The benefits from joining a SEPA multi-client study include: Pooling resources and finances to share costs and solutions-in-common with similar organizations from around the United States. Identifying common recurring gaps or challenges where the solution set is better represented by a more robust group of stakeholders. Allowing participants to establish a network of direct peers who are facing similar challenges and build a support system to continue to share best practices and insights. How does it work? Multi-client projects allow organizations to be part of exclusive research that tackles challenging issues in the utility carbon-reduction space. These projects provide unique analysis and insights that identify solutions and opportunities to inform your decisions about the energy ecosystem. Multi-client projects differ from other SEPA research projects and reports available to the general public. They concentrate on a specialized area of interest that may not be widely covered and that requires in-depth data collection through interviews, surveys, and stakeholder processes coupled with detailed analysis and recommendations from industry-leading subject matter experts. The results are often the first of their kind available in the market. SEPA multi-client projects serve a variety of different purposes, including strategy for long-term planning, and in-depth analysis into niche and underexplored topic areas. Projects SEPA is Currently Soliciting Coordinating Siting and Interconnection for EV Fleets The Challenge Utilities are well equipped to develop mid and long term resource plans that take into account new load growth on their system. Similarly, business owners and fleet operators are accustomed to multi-year procurement planning that allows them to lay out a plan for transitioning their fleet over the next five to ten years. However, these activities need to happen with better coordination. When and where a fleet plans to deploy charging infrastructure can have significant implications for infrastructure costs, and just a little bit of information exchange between utilities and fleet owners can go a long way to ensure a cost effective transition to electric transportation. Outcomes: Increased coordination and collaboration at the local and national level to simplify the fleet electrification process for utilities, fleet owners, and EVSPs. The multi-stakeholder project will identify areas for better coordination and develop a consensus driven process to improve cross-stakeholder communication and planning around fleet electrification. The coordinating framework and playbook will include: An approach to coordinated pre-screening for site selection Step by step site selection and site planning guidelines Guidelines to coordinate and share data relating to interconnection and permitting Download Full Overview (PDF) The Engage Task Force The Challenge The utility industry is undergoing dramatic changes due to innovative new clean energy technologies, new demands from customers, changing economics and the increasing imperative to reduce carbon emissions to address climate change. Outcomes: The Engage Task Force, facilitated by SEPA and EPRI, will identify issues and areas where education about technologies, terminology and tools are most critical. The task force will employ robust stakeholder engagement to create a solid foundation to advance new utility business models and the regulatory framework to facilitate them. Download Full Overview (PDF) Active Projects Equitable Electrification (SEPA & EPRI joint study) The Challenge Regulators and utilities are increasingly looking to effectively address equity in their transportation electrification programs and investments. Yet the majority of current programs targeting underserved communities are not meeting that group’s needs. Outcomes: Join SEPA and EPRI to bring together stakeholders from utilities, EV charging providers, community organizations, and underserved customers. This study will: Evaluate the efficacy and equitability of traditional transportation electrification program design elements. Develop a set of benchmarking practices and tools designed for quantitative assessment of equity and inclusiveness in current and future TE programs. Offer a series of utility boot camps and accompanying resources to support new program design efforts. Download Full Overview (PDF) DERMS - Utility Systems of the Future The Challenge Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) represent an intriguing and complex opportunity for utilities. While these advanced systems promise to simplify the management of utility DER portfolios, the broad spectrum of possible capabilities makes evaluation, selection, and justification of DERMS an overwhelming challenge. An important element of the DERMS conversation is concise, well-defined terminology and language to articulate the many variants. Outcomes: This study will: Identify and compare the many emerging variants of DERMS and DERMS modules Develop use cases to create a menu of options for utilities interested in DERMS Articulate traditional and cutting-edge options to streamline discussions on the value of DERMS with internal stakeholders as well as regulators Download Full Overview (PDF) Completed Projects Members Only Transportation Electrification Planning Framework Posted January 6, 2022 Download Now Reports Integrated Distribution Planning: A Framework for the Future Posted September 21, 2020 Download Now Reports Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) Requirements Version 2.0 Posted February 4, 2019 Download Now Chris Schroeder Vice President, Research & Industry Strategy x Chris Schroeder Chris joined SEPA in 2017. He is responsible for helping SEPA members define a variety of programs, strategies, and solutions for distributed energy resources supporting the advancement of clean energy and modernized grid. Chris has over 20 years of management consulting experience across electric utility and renewable energy industries. Chris has also provided strategic consulting services for state regulatory proceedings, complex stakeholder facilitation services, utility tariff review and energy storage initiatives for utilities throughout North America. Chris has a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Mathematics from Willamette University and a Master of Science in Building Systems Engineering from the University of Colorado. Phone: 202.871.9340 Email: [email protected] Follow LinkedIn For pricing and participation details, please contact Chris Schroeder at 202.871.9340 or [email protected]
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