A baseline assessment of residential utility rates and compensation mechanisms that influence the value proposition of grid-interactive efficient buildings

Grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) integrate intelligent technologies, energy efficiency, and distributed energy resources that generate value to a range of stakeholders including the GEB owner, the electric grid, the environment, and society. The right combination of utility policies must be implemented to incentivize the operation and adoption of GEB-enabling technologies to fully realize this value. Utility policies vary widely across the United States due to differences in utility ownership types, regulations, and the local mix of energy generation sources. Consequently, the value proposition of GEBs also varies across the country. Limited research to date has tried to understand how this value is affected by utility policies. To address the research gap, this work surveys the current landscape of residential utility rates and distributed generation compensation mechanisms in the United States, highlighting likely interactions between utility policies and GEBs and identifying potential regions for early adoption.