PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) announced the publication of a book compiling more than 40 first-hand accounts of power company sustainability efforts, Silicon Valley case studies, regulatory considerations and perspectives from investors and environmental advocates in considering the economic, environmental and social tradeoffs that companies face in pursuing sustainability in the electric power industry.
The book, Sustainable Electricity II: A Conversation on Tradeoffs, provides a broad view of the competing demands among electric utility stakeholders, shareholders, regulators and customers, which make sustainable electricity complex and challenging for the industry and society. It offers a window into the actions of both companies and stakeholders, and the balance required to produce electricity sustainably in diverse markets and circumstances.
“The challenge of balancing conflicting sustainability priorities is not new, but the need for tangible solutions is pressing,” said EPRI Senior Technical Executive Jessica Fox. “This book comes during a significant industry transition to new energy system operations and business models. It can help advance an informed conversation regarding which tradeoffs are acceptable, particularly when an ‘everyone wins’ scenario is elusive.”
Edited by Fox and EPRI Senior Project Manager Morgan Scott, the book grew out of discussions of EPRI’s Energy Sustainability Interest Group, a global collaborative examining corporate-level electric power industry sustainability issues and challenges.
As more investors include corporate sustainability performance in their decisions, electric utilities are considering integrated sustainability strategies as a business imperative.
“We've learned the value of real-life stories in demonstrating how we're working to achieve balance among our stakeholder groups, including the tradeoffs involved in providing sustainability information” said Rick Smith, contributing author and director of Environmental Strategy and Analysis at Ameren Corporation. “The stories shared demonstrate the importance of creativity, innovation, and planning in resolving the many challenges facing electric power companies.”
EPRI in 2016 released Sustainable Electricity: Case Studies from Electric Power Companies in North America to provide insights in the actions and processes for advancing sustainable electricity in North America. It includes case studies on how companies have balanced competing priorities, and highlighted best practices for achieving measurable goals.
Print and digital versions of the current book can be purchased electronically through Springer Press or Amazon.com.
More information on EPRI’s sustainability research is available at www.epri.com/sustainability.
About EPRI
The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. An independent, nonprofit organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, affordability, health, safety and the environment. EPRI members represent 90% of the electric utility revenue in the United States with international participation in 35 countries. EPRI’s principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lenox, Mass.