Energy Markets & Planning at Berkeley Lab

Informational Webinar: Free Technical Assistance for Regulatory Sandboxes and Other Innovative Approaches for Advanced Grid Technologies | Energy Markets & Planning

In case you missed our webinar with NARUC and NASEO on January 23, 2026, you can watch the presentation and download the slides here: emp.lbl.gov/informationa... /END

For more information on sandboxes and other innovation mechanisms, see the @berkeleylab.lbl.gov report, emp.lbl.gov/publications.... 4/x

States, public power utilities, and rural cooperatives can also apply for LBNL technical assistance to consider, develop, and implement sandboxes - or novel pilots and programs - for advanced T&D technologies like smart reclosers, advanced conductors, and flexible transformers. 3/x

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's (LBNL) new Regulatory Sandbox Navigator toolkit provides information for states and utilities on how to use sandboxes to promote innovation, examples across the country, and practical materials to tailor a sandbox to meet local objectives. 2/x

Advanced technologies for transmission and distribution (T&D) can increase capacity and improve electricity reliability and affordability. But they don’t easily scale under traditional regulatory practices. “Sandboxes” reduce barriers to deploying these innovative technologies. <THREAD>

A reminder: State agencies and utilities are encouraged to apply for free technical assistance to develop and implement regulatory sandboxes for advanced transmission and distribution technologies by February 13th. Find out more at emp.lbl.gov/regulatory-s....

What are regulatory sandboxes? -->

Interregional Electricity Transmission in the United States: Realized Savings and Opportunities for Increased Value, 2014 to 2023 - Leila Safavi, Julie Mulvaney Kemp, Will Gorman, Dev Millstein, Ryan ... Interregional electricity trade in the United States reduces total energy costs, but falls short of maximizing the economic potential of existing transmission i...

The report, “Interregional Electricity Transmission in the United States: Realized Savings and Opportunities for Increased Value, 2014 to 2023” appears in The Energy Journal. Download the PDF here: doi.org/10.1177/0195.... /end

The study looks at hourly energy transfers across thirty-two US transmission interfaces, from 2014 to 2023. By comparing real-time energy prices in the exporting and importing regions, it gauges the economic efficacy of transactions. 4/x

The net saving of $679 million could be much higher if uneconomic trades were avoided and all economic opportunities were pursued. Using existing transmission capacity, another $789 million could be regained. 3/x

As much as a quarter of all interregional transactions are uneconomical – that is, higher priced power is imported when cheaper local power is available. In the worst case, up to 81% of transactions are uneconomic. 2/x

Electricity trades across regions can save money, but market inefficiencies can erode those savings. A new study from @BerkeleyLab finds $1.23 billion a year in gross savings were offset by $551 million of uneconomic transactions. 🧵 🔌 💡 1/x

A reminder that our webinar on "regulatory sandboxes" starts in 15 minutes. For members of NARUC and NASEO only.

Register here:
lbnl.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Informational Webinar: Free Technical Assistance for Regulatory Sandboxes and Other Innovative Approaches for Advanced Grid Technologies. After registering,... This webinar will provide members of National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) with information on new technical assis...

State utility commissions and energy offices can register for a webinar with NARUC and NASEO on January 23, 2026. Register here: lbnl.zoom.us/webinar/regi.... / END

Learn more about the Sandbox program at sandbox-navigator.lbl.gov

For more information on sandboxes and other innovation mechanisms, see the @BerkeleyLab report at emp.lbl.gov/publications.... 4/x

States, public power utilities, and rural cooperatives can also apply for technical assistance to consider, develop, and implement sandboxes - or novel pilots and programs - for advanced T&D technologies like smart reclosers, advanced conductors, and flexible transformers. 3/x

Berkeley Lab's new Regulatory Sandbox Navigator toolkit provides information for states and utilities on how to use sandboxes to promote innovation, examples across the country, and practical materials to tailor a sandbox to meet local objectives. 2/x

Advanced technologies for transmission and distribution (T&D) can increase capacity and improve electricity reliability and affordability. But they don’t easily scale under traditional regulatory practices. “Sandboxes” reduce barriers to deploying these innovative technologies. <THREAD>

YouTube video by IPPSR Data Driven: The Facts about Data Centers in Michigan

The recording of yesterday's policy forum on data centers and resource use, co-hosted with the MSU Institute of Public Policy & Social Research, is now online. Thanks to our panelists for sharing their expertise: Dr. Ryan Wiser (LBNL), Dr. Dong Zhao (MSU), and Mr. Douglas Jester (5 Lakes Energy).

Next Tuesday: join this free webinar on distributed energy resources from @berkeleylab.lbl.gov.

The Institute of Public Utilities is proud to be teaming up with the MSU Institute of Public Policy & Social Research on their 12/16 policy forum! The event will be recorded.
Topic: Data centers and energy/water use
Guests: Ryan Wiser (LBNL), Douglas Jester (5 Lakes Energy), and Dong Zhao (MSU).

Learn how to maintain a reliable and secure grid with distributed energy resources.

Join @berkeleylab.lbl.gov and panelists from the Georgia PSC, @nreca.bsky.social Puget Sound Energy, and @nationalgrid.bsky.social for a free i2X webinar on Dec 16.

Register: lbnl.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Join @berkeleylab.lbl.gov and panelists from the Georgia PSC, @nreca.bsky.social, Puget Sound Energy, and @nationalgrid.bsky.social for a free i2X webinar on Dec 16. Learn solutions for maintaining a reliable and secure grid with distributed energy resources. Register: lbnl.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Former Berkeley Lab Scientist John Clarke Wins 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics The Nobel Prize committee honored former Berkeley Lab scientist John Clarke for research in quantum tunneling in electric circuits.

🏅 Former Berkeley Lab senior scientist John Clarke has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics. His research on quantum tunneling in electric circuits paved the way for today’s quantum computers and sensors. 🧠 This brings LBNL’s Nobel count to 17!

@nobelprize.bsky.social
@uofcalifornia.bsky.social

Clockwise from top left: Thasneem Frousnoon, Laura Cook, Marta Cerruti, Jacob Rapp, Heejung Cho, and Jaya Tripathi.

We are chuffed to have 6 postdocs representing #TeamBioSci in the 8th annual @berkeleylab.lbl.gov  Research SLAM tomorrow, Thurs Sept 18 @ 3 PM PDT! Lab staff can attend live on the Hill or tune in virtually and cast votes for the People's Choice Award. Everyone else, watch this space for updates!

💡 New Transmission Paper alert 💡
“Electric transmission value and its drivers in United States power markets” just went live in Nature Communications! Kudos especially to Julie Mulvaney Kemp for getting this work to the finish line.

doi.org/10.1038/s414...

🔌 New Journal Article Alert 🔌

Backup power or bill savings? How electricity tariffs impact residential solar-plus-storage usage in the United States

I'm happy to announce has recently been published, open-access, in Utilities Policy 👇

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

The Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X™) enables simpler, faster, and fairer interconnection of new energy resources on distribution and transmission systems while enhancing the reliability, resiliency, and security of electric grids. Learn more at emp.lbl.gov/interconnect....

Join a free i2X webinar to discuss innovations in allocating interconnection-related costs for distribution upgrades among beneficiaries for economic efficiency. September 29.

With panelists from @Mass_DPU, @NMPRC1, @New_Leaf_Energy, and @Current_Energy_.

Register at lbnl.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

🧪 🥼 🥽 Looking for tools to answer questions related to energy and infrastructure security? Now's your chance to apply for an investigator role at Berkeley Lab's @jgi.doe.gov.

Apply today! ⬇️
Deadline: September 9
Please share!

Inside the AI race: can data centres ever truly be green? Energy demand for training machines and running apps is driving a surge of investment into fossil fuels

"Innovation is often limited by infrastructure, but the rapid growth of #AI data centers presents a unique opportunity to build next-gen energy systems from the ground up," says @berkeleylabemp.bsky.social's Arman Shehabi (via @financialtimes.com)