Costs and Benefits of Net Energy Metering: Request for Information, 43345-43346 [2017-19647]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 178 / Friday, September 15, 2017 / Notices GRAY, JASON K. GREEN, A. BIANCA HAIRFIELD, JAMES M. HALL, LINDA W. HOLIFIELD, JONATHAN HURT, JOHN W. III JACKSON, CANDICE E. KARVONIDES, MARIA KEAN, LARRY G. KISSEL, ADAM H. KOEPPEL, DENNIS P. LEE, EBONY L. LUCAS, RICHARD J. LUCZAK, RONALD J. MAESTRI, PHILIP A. MAHAFFIE, LYNN B. MALAWER, HILARY E. MANNING, JAMES F. MCDONALD, WALTER C. MCFADDEN, ELIZABETH A. MCLAUGHLIN, MAUREEN A. MENASHI, STEVEN J. MILLER, DANIEL J. NAVARRO, ERICA M. PENDLETON, AUDREY J. PEPIN, ANDREW, J. RAMIREZ, LISA RICHEY, KIMBERLY RIDDLE, PAUL N. ROBISON, GREGORY ROSENFELT, PHILIP H. RYDER, RUTH E. SANTY, ROSS JR. SASSER, TRACEY L. SCOTT, JANET D. SIMMONS, LEE-DOUGLASS R. SIMPSON, DANIEL J. SMITH, KATHLEEN A. SOLTIS, TIMOTHY F. ST. PIERRE, TRACEY L. STRACKE, LINDA A. STYLES, KATHLEEN M. THOMAS, MILTON L. JR. VENABLE, JOSHUA J. VIANA, JOSE A. WASHINGTON, MARK R. WILBANKS, LINDA R. WILLS, RANDOLPH E. WOOD, GARY H. official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System at www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site. You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department. Betsy DeVos, Secretary of Education. [FR Doc. 2017–19673 Filed 9–14–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Costs and Benefits of Net Energy Metering: Request for Information Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of request for information (RFI). AGENCY: mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Valarie Barclay, Director, Executive Resources Division, Office of Human Resources, Office of Management, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 2C150, LBJ, Washington, DC 20202–4573. Telephone: (202) 453–5918. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or text telephone (TTY), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877–8339. Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free internet access to the VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:07 Sep 14, 2017 The U.S. Congress has directed the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or Department), as part of the Grid Modernization Initiative, to conduct a study of the cost and benefit considerations of net metering to utilities (utility business perspective), ratepayers (consumer perspective), and the electrical grid (technical/operational perspective). There have been numerous studies assessing the impacts of net metering in states across the United States. As part of this study, DOE seeks stakeholder input on existing studies (2012–present) assessing the costs and benefits of net metering, and the availability of data that can be used in conducting such studies. DOE expects to use this input to help inform its report to Congress. DATES: Public comments are due on or before October 30, 2017. ADDRESSES: Electronic: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments electronically identified by docket number EERE–2017–OT–0056 to [2017EnergyMetering0056@ee.doe.gov]. Your response should be limited to 8 pages. Email: [2017EnergyMetering0056@ ee.doe.gov]. Include EERE–2017–OT– SUMMARY: Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 43345 0056 in the subject line of the message. Comments, data, and other information submitted to DOE electronically should be provided in PDF, Microsoft Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file format. Provide documents that are not secured, are written in English, and are free of any defects or viruses. Documents should not contain special characters or any form of encryption and, if possible, they should carry the electronic signature of the author. Or Mail to: U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave. SW., Mailstop EP–60, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, Net Metering Comments. Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number. Docket: The docket is available for review at www.regulations.gov, including Federal Register notices, comments, and other supporting documents/materials (search EERE– 2017–OT–0056). The docket Web page can be found at: https://www.regulations.gov/#!docket Detail;D=EERE-2017-OT-0056. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kate Marks, EPSA, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585– 0121. Telephone: (202) 586–9842, Email: Kate.Marks@hq.doe.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE seeks stakeholder input on information or existing studies (2012–present) assessing the costs and benefits involved in net energy metering (NEM), and the availability of data that can be used in conducting such studies. DOE expects to use this input to help inform its report on net metering cost-benefit analyses. DOE is interested in several specific types of information related to NEM cost-benefit studies, including: 1. Motivations and the policy context for conducting NEM cost-benefit studies, including the role of costbenefit analysis in driving policy decisions around NEM and related policies; descriptions of other considerations for policymakers considering NEM and related policies. 2. Categories of costs and benefits— describe relevant categories of costs and benefits and reasons for inclusion or exclusion of these categories in NEM studies. 3. Methodological issues—identify key methodological elements that can vary significantly when quantifying factors considered in the benefit-cost analysis. Key drivers that might be considered include, but are not limited E:\FR\FM\15SEN1.SGM 15SEN1 mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES 43346 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 178 / Friday, September 15, 2017 / Notices to, local policy objectives and local electricity system fundamentals. 4. Fundamental drivers and underlying market conditions—identify key drivers that establish the context for the values and cause differing outcomes among studies of cost/benefit results in a particular category, such as differing levels of excess generation capacity, transmission, or distribution system capacity, projected demand growth, level of penetration and location of distributed generation, retail prices, etc. 5. Are there specific emerging issues related to net metering cost-benefit analyses that are improving or complicating the application of benefitcost analysis? The following items are considered out of scope of the report and information on these items should not be included in the responses: 1. Costs and benefits of distributed solar generation beyond distributed solar’s impact on net metering; 2. Indirect cost/benefits (e.g., societal impacts, network effects) that go beyond what is included in existing analyses; 3. Recommendations on a. How to conduct cost/benefit analysis, b. NEM design options, c. Transitions to alternative forms of compensation. All interested parties are invited to submit in writing by the date specified in the DATES section of this RFI, comments and information on all elements listed in this SUPPLEMENTARY section. Please submit comments only and cite docket number EERE–2017– OT–0056, in all correspondence related to this case. All comments received will be posted without change to https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal and/or business confidential information provided. Do not submit to the RFI information for which disclosure is restricted by statute, such as trade secrets and commercial or financial information (hereinafter referred to as Confidential Business Information (CBI)). Comments submitted to the RFI email address cannot be claimed as CBI. Comments received through the RFI address will waive any CBI claims for the information submitted. DOE plans to publish all information received in response to this RFI. Issued in Washington, DC, on September 12, 2017. Sean Cunningham, Director, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, U.S. Department of Energy. [FR Doc. 2017–19647 Filed 9–14–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:07 Sep 14, 2017 Jkt 241001 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP17–481–000] DCP Operating Company, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Mewbourn 3 Residue East Pipeline, and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will discuss the environmental impacts of the Mewbourn 3 Residue East Pipeline involving construction and operation of facilities by DCP Operating Company, LP (DCP) in Weld County, Colorado. The Commission will use this EA in its decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity. This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested agencies on the project. You can make a difference by providing us with your specific comments or concerns about the project. Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EA. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly recorded, please send your comments so that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before October 6, 2017. If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the opening of this docket on August 2, 2017, you will need to file those comments in Docket No. CP17–481–000 to ensure they are considered as part of this proceeding. This notice is being sent to the Commission’s current environmental mailing list for this project. State and local government representatives should notify their constituents of this proposed project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern. If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. The company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if the Commission approves the project, that approval conveys with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation proceedings where compensation would be determined in accordance with state law. DCP provided landowners with a fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?’’ This fact sheet addresses a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to participate in the Commission’s proceedings. It is also available for viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). Public Participation For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available to assist you at (202) 502–8258 or FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your comments are properly recorded. (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature on the Commission’s Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for submitting brief, text-only comments on a project; (2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling feature on the Commission’s Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and Filings. With eFiling, you can provide comments in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on eRegister. If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’ as the filing type; or (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the following address. Be sure to reference the project docket number (CP17–481– 000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Summary of the Proposed Project DCP proposes to construct and operate 8.4 miles of new 20-inchdiameter pipeline in Weld County, Colorado. The Mewbourn 3 Residue East Pipeline Project would provide about 253,000 dekatherms of natural gas per day to an interconnect with Colorado Interstate Gas Company L.L.C.’s High Plains System. According to DCP, its project would transport E:\FR\FM\15SEN1.SGM 15SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 178 (Friday, September 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43345-43346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19647]


=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Costs and Benefits of Net Energy Metering: Request for 
Information

AGENCY: Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice of request for information (RFI).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Congress has directed the U.S. Department of Energy 
(DOE or Department), as part of the Grid Modernization Initiative, to 
conduct a study of the cost and benefit considerations of net metering 
to utilities (utility business perspective), ratepayers (consumer 
perspective), and the electrical grid (technical/operational 
perspective). There have been numerous studies assessing the impacts of 
net metering in states across the United States. As part of this study, 
DOE seeks stakeholder input on existing studies (2012-present) 
assessing the costs and benefits of net metering, and the availability 
of data that can be used in conducting such studies. DOE expects to use 
this input to help inform its report to Congress.

DATES: Public comments are due on or before October 30, 2017.

ADDRESSES: 
    Electronic: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments 
electronically identified by docket number EERE-2017-OT-0056 to 
[2017EnergyMetering0056@ee.doe.gov]. Your response should be limited to 
8 pages.
    Email: [2017EnergyMetering0056@ee.doe.gov]. Include EERE-2017-OT-
0056 in the subject line of the message. Comments, data, and other 
information submitted to DOE electronically should be provided in PDF, 
Microsoft Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file format. 
Provide documents that are not secured, are written in English, and are 
free of any defects or viruses. Documents should not contain special 
characters or any form of encryption and, if possible, they should 
carry the electronic signature of the author.
    Or Mail to: U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave. SW., 
Mailstop EP-60, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, Net 
Metering Comments.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number.
    Docket: The docket is available for review at www.regulations.gov, 
including Federal Register notices, comments, and other supporting 
documents/materials (search EERE-2017-OT-0056).
    The docket Web page can be found at:  https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2017-OT-0056.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kate Marks, EPSA, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 
586-9842, Email: Kate.Marks@hq.doe.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE seeks stakeholder input on information 
or existing studies (2012-present) assessing the costs and benefits 
involved in net energy metering (NEM), and the availability of data 
that can be used in conducting such studies. DOE expects to use this 
input to help inform its report on net metering cost-benefit analyses.
    DOE is interested in several specific types of information related 
to NEM cost-benefit studies, including:
    1. Motivations and the policy context for conducting NEM cost-
benefit studies, including the role of cost-benefit analysis in driving 
policy decisions around NEM and related policies; descriptions of other 
considerations for policymakers considering NEM and related policies.
    2. Categories of costs and benefits--describe relevant categories 
of costs and benefits and reasons for inclusion or exclusion of these 
categories in NEM studies.
    3. Methodological issues--identify key methodological elements that 
can vary significantly when quantifying factors considered in the 
benefit-cost analysis. Key drivers that might be considered include, 
but are not limited

[[Page 43346]]

to, local policy objectives and local electricity system fundamentals.
    4. Fundamental drivers and underlying market conditions--identify 
key drivers that establish the context for the values and cause 
differing outcomes among studies of cost/benefit results in a 
particular category, such as differing levels of excess generation 
capacity, transmission, or distribution system capacity, projected 
demand growth, level of penetration and location of distributed 
generation, retail prices, etc.
    5. Are there specific emerging issues related to net metering cost-
benefit analyses that are improving or complicating the application of 
benefit-cost analysis?
    The following items are considered out of scope of the report and 
information on these items should not be included in the responses:
    1. Costs and benefits of distributed solar generation beyond 
distributed solar's impact on net metering;
    2. Indirect cost/benefits (e.g., societal impacts, network effects) 
that go beyond what is included in existing analyses;
    3. Recommendations on
    a. How to conduct cost/benefit analysis,
    b. NEM design options,
    c. Transitions to alternative forms of compensation.
    All interested parties are invited to submit in writing by the date 
specified in the DATES section of this RFI, comments and information on 
all elements listed in this SUPPLEMENTARY section. Please submit 
comments only and cite docket number EERE-2017-OT-0056, in all 
correspondence related to this case. All comments received will be 
posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal and/or business confidential information provided.
    Do not submit to the RFI information for which disclosure is 
restricted by statute, such as trade secrets and commercial or 
financial information (hereinafter referred to as Confidential Business 
Information (CBI)). Comments submitted to the RFI email address cannot 
be claimed as CBI. Comments received through the RFI address will waive 
any CBI claims for the information submitted. DOE plans to publish all 
information received in response to this RFI.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 12, 2017.
Sean Cunningham,
Director, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, U.S. Department 
of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2017-19647 Filed 9-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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