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U.S. Department of Energy
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Using Integrated Resource Planning to Encourage Investment in Cost-Effective Energy Efficiency Measures

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1219705· OSTI ID:1219705
 [1]
  1. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
An integrated resource plan (IRP) is a long-range utility plan for meeting the forecasted demand for energy within a defined geographic area through a combination of supply side resources and demand side resources. Generally speaking, the goal of an IRP is to identify the mix of resources that will minimize future energy system costs while ensuring safe and reliable operation of the system. Thirty-four states currently require some sort of IRP process for electricity planning. Thirteen of those states also use IRP processes for natural gas planning. Significant variation exists concerning whether IRPs are acknowledged or approved by each state’s public utility commission (PUC) and the authority accorded to the plans. In the process of developing an IRP for electricity, planners may consider adding generation capacity, encouraging customer-owned generation and combined heat and power facilities, adding transmission and distribution lines, reducing line losses in the transmission and distribution system, implementing demand response programs, and investing in energy efficiency programs to reduce future demand. Analogous supply side and demand side options exist for natural gas planning.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network (SEE Action)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1219705
Report Number(s):
DOE/EE--0668; 5838
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English