Electricity Market Design
Across two-thirds of the U.S. organized wholesale electricity markets, Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs), perform a variety of functions that directly impact the development of clean energy including guiding investment in new generation, managing transmission development, setting prices for resources, maintaining reliable electricity supply and other services.
Recognizing wholesale markets as a critical link in the U.S. electricity system which will directly impact the clean energy transition, WRI has begun to examine how market design and governance issues can drive alignment between these markets and the clean energy goals of states, cities, and other consumers.
WRI has convened diverse stakeholders from RTO/ISO staff, utility leadership, academia, environmental nonprofits, and policymakers to discuss challenges facing market design in three workshops:
- July 2018 Workshop: Market Designs for the Clean Energy Transition
- November 2018 Workshop: Market Designs for the Clean Energy Transition: The Role of New Generator Finance
- December 2019 Workshop: Market Designs for the Clean Energy Transition: Proposed Forward Clean Energy Markets
- December 2020 Workshop: Market Design for the Clean Energy Transition: Advancing Long-Term Approaches
WRI is also working directly with cites which are collaborating around wholesale market stakeholder processes to learn about how RTO issues impact their goals, identify their shared values, and brainstorm potential actions. To learn more, contact Heidi Ratz.