![]() Significant infrastructure upgrades will be required to address the needs of an evolving energy network. Instead, they must craft policy that will function with a less centralized electric system that incorporates multi-directional energy flows between energy providers and customers (or between customers) and includes a far greater number of participants. This effort will require states to adapt their policy regimes and infrastructure, which were designed for a centralized energy grid with one-way energy flows from large, centralized power plants to customers. The challenge facing state policymakers is how to craft policies that promote cost-effective investment in the electric system while allowing innovative technologies and new energy management approaches to flourish and compete in a rapidly shifting environment. While the changes are significant and rapid, most electricity is still provided by large central power plants and the ultimate balance of centralized and distributed energy resources is yet to be determined. Several states are finding that that these technologies and practices are outpacing regulatory policy and that changes are needed to appropriately value their contributions, or costs, to the grid. The degree to which states have moved toward a more advanced and distributed grid varies greatly, however. The explosion of new technologies-from smart water heaters and thermostats to electric vehicles, rooftop solar panels, energy storage and advanced metering infrastructure-promise a more efficient, reliable and resilient energy future. Technological change is outpacing both infrastructure capabilities and policy development while states look for ways to sync policy with a rapidly changing energy market. Major upgrades will be needed to reliably incorporate new technologies and systems, changing market dynamics and shifting consumer preferences. Much of the nation’s network of electricity generation, transmission and distribution resources is aging.
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