Trainings on Renewable Energy Policy and the Energy Transition

The trainings listed below provide a selection of some of the trainings recently delivered by the Director of E3 Analytics, Toby Couture, covering a wide range of topics in the world of energy.

The Future of Energy

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This video covers highlights from a start-up event in Berlin, Germany in the Summer of 2020 covering recent innovations reshaping the clean energy and cleantech sector.

Subsidy-Free Solar:

This webinar takes a deep-dive into the topic of subsidy-free solar PV. In a growing number of markets around the world, articles have heralded the rise of subsidy-free solar PV, touting it as a new era in energy where renewable energy technologies can compete, fully and without subsidies, on the open market. This webinar looks at the trend of subsidy-free solar and unpacks some of the key issues and implications.

The Future of Solar PV Policy:

As solar PV becomes increasingly the lowest cost source of new power supply in markets around the world, the world of solar policy is in for a host of seismic changes. This webinar looks into the crystal ball to lay out some potential pathways for what the future of solar PV policy has in store.

Strategies to Deal with the Duck Curve:

The duck curve has emerged as favorite talking point among power sector professionals and those working in the solar sector. This webinar unpacks the duck curve and looks at some of its evolutionary cousins, the Nessie curve, and the Shark curve.

Introduction to Solar PV Subsidies:

This training provides an overview of solar subsidies, with a look at how policies to encourage solar PV have evolved over time.

Introduction to Net Metering:

Net Metering remains a central part of the solar PV policy toolkit, and is found in virtually all corners of the world. Despite its widespread adoption, misconceptions abound about how Net Metering works in practice. This webinar highlights some of the key issues in Net Metering policy design and implementation.

Introduction to Net Billing:

Net Billing emerged as part of the evolution of solar PV policy beyond Net Metering, and is becoming increasingly common in markets around the world. This webinar provides a detailed overview of why Net Billing policies have emerged, and how to design and implement them in practice.

Overview of Feed-in Tariffs and Feed-in Premiums:

Feed-in tariffs and feed-in premiums remain central parts of the renewable energy policy toolkit, not only for solar PV but for all renewable energy technologies. This training provides an overview of how feed-in tariffs are designed, and traces the emergence of feed-in premiums over time. A useful introduction for policymakers, whether at the local, state, or national level.

Distributed Solar PV Compensation Mechanisms:

This webinar dives into the fascinating world of solar PV compensation, which refers to how owners of solar PV systems are actually compensated, or remunerated, for their solar PV generation. An essential topic for any policymaker looking to design and implement smarter solar policies in a world where solar PV is becoming increasingly cost-competitive.

Virtual Net Metering:

This training looks at the emergence of Virtual Net Metering, a policy that enables owners of solar PV systems to locate their PV projects elsewhere on the grid instead of directly on their roof, or premises. It draws on examples of Virtual Net Metering from markets like Brazil, and Israel, to provide practical insights for policymakers.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) Energy Sharing and Blockchain:

As new business models reshape the energy sector, the solar industry is not immune. In a growing number of communities around the world, new business models are starting to emerge that enable owners of solar PV systems to share their surplus generation with their neighbors, or peers, within particular regions of the grid. Some of these developments are being facilitated and enabled by the use of Blockchain, another innovation with tremendous potential in the solar sector, and the electricity sector more broadly.

New Business Models in the Solar Sector:

New business models have spread throughout the energy sector, including solar leasing, aggregators, and new business models in terms of how electric utilities themselves are being structured. This training provides an overview of some of these trends and reflects on what they mean for the future of the electricity sector.

Solar Heating and Cooling: Opportunities and Potentials:

This webinar provides a snapshot of the tremendous potential that exists in the solar heating and cooling sector. While most people continue to think of solar as simply solar PV panels, generating electricity that is fed into the network, this training shows that there are several economically attractive opportunities to develop solar heating and cooling technologies to reduce energy bills and support the transition beyond fossil fuels.

Scaling-up Solar PV and Storage in Island Contexts:

Islands are emerging as hotspots of renewable energy deployment and innovation. This webinar provides a snapshot of some of the most exciting island markets around the world, showing how leadership at the island level is helping not only reduce the costs of electricity for island residents, but also helping them pioneer new technologies and applications, including solar+storage to provide renewable electricity around the clock, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.

NET-FITs: Combining FITs and Net Metering:

This training looks at the emergence of NET-FIT policies, hybrids between traditional Net Metering and Feed-in tariffs where solar users can self-consume their own generation onsite and receive a cash payment for their net surplus generation. NET-FITs are starting to spread to countries around the world and are emerging as a key policy tool in efforts to scale-up small and medium-scale solar PV projects.

An Overview of Corporate Power Purchase Agreements:

Corporate PPAs are spreading rapidly around the world, providing a way for large companies to directly contract renewable electricity supply to meet their energy needs, often bypassing traditional utilities in the process. This webinar provides an overview of some of the companies leading the way toward 100% renewable energy, delivering on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives while saving money in the process.