KEMA

Tomorrow, COMPETE members will join leading energy industry stakeholders and academia at the first-ever Penn State Electricity Markets Initiative (EMI) Conference in Harrisburg, Penn. The conference will explore social, economic and environmental benefits of the state’s competitive electricity markets.

Today, COMPETE National Co-Chair Federico Peña, former Secretary of both the U.S Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Transportation, addressed more than 400 energy executives, regulators, energy buyers, and investors from across the country at the 22nd Annual KEMA Executive Forum in San Antonio, TX. Secretary Peña highlighted how competition in electricity markets is fostering innovation, including demand response services, smart meters, intelligent grids and renewable energy growth. He also discussed the findings of a KEMA white paper commissioned by COMPETE – released in Feb. 2011 – that highlights the correlation between competition and innovation.

COMPETE National Co-Chair Federico Peña, who served as U.S. Secretary of Energy and U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Clinton, will address attendees at the 22nd Annual KEMA Executive Forum at 12:30 p.m. CDT on Thursday, April 7 in San Antonio, TX. Secretary Peña will highlight how competition in electricity markets is fostering innovation, including demand response services, smart meters, intelligent grids and renewable energy growth. He will also discuss the findings of a KEMA white paper commissioned by COMPETE – released in Feb. 2011 – that highlights the correlation between competition and innovation.
 

Across the country, residents and businesses are continuing to exercise their ability to choose their electricity provider. Electricity shopping in competitive markets ensures providers are more innovative and efficient in their efforts to attract customers. As a result, consumers have access to the highest quality service at the most competitive prices. 
 

Competitive electricity markets around the United States promote and accelerate innovation and will continue to foster future innovation, according to a white paper released today by KEMA, a leading global energy consulting, testing and certification firm. The paper was commissioned by COMPETE. The white paper, along with the economic and environmental benefits of competitive markets, were topics of discussion at an event held this afternoon on Capitol Hill.
 

Next Thursday at the Capitol Visitors Center in Washington, D.C., KEMA will release a white paper
commissioned by the COMPETE Coalition exploring how competitive electricity markets promote and accelerate innovation.

Pennsylvania’s organized electricity market unleashed “astounding” competition among energy market participants and switching rates among customers in 2010. However, with only two months remaining until all remaining artificial rate caps expire on January 1, 2011, the best may very well be yet to come.
 

Electricity competition is at an important crossroads in Pennsylvania. Six months ago, rate caps expired in one Pennsylvania utility’s service area, and six months from now rate caps expire in the rest of the state. For the first time, the state’s entire retail market will be open to competitive forces.
 
But already, the success of competition is clear. Wholesale electricity prices are decreasing, and hundreds of thousands of consumers are switching power suppliers to obtain lower-cost electricity than is available from their incumbent utility suppliers.
 

Innovation and competition will play an increasingly larger role in U.S. electricity markets, predicted Chris Weston, CEO of Direct Energy. Weston kicked off KEMA’s 21^st Executive Forum with an energizing keynote address on the future of retail electricity competition in North America.

Weston comes to the U.S. market from the United Kingdom, bringing a fresh perspective to our domestic competition discussion by comparing and contrasting the U.K.’s competitive market system with ours. Personally, I have been active in the U.K.’s competitive market for the past three years and can attest to its development and the sense that the British energy market is five to seven years ahead of U.S. markets.

KEMA – a leading global energy and utility industry consultancy – will examine key business and policy issues facing retail energy markets at a two-day forum on March 30-31 near Dallas, Texas. The forum will convene key stakeholders in the U.S. retail energy industry and feature industry executives, state and federal regulators, investors and energy buyers - including several COMPETE members.

The conference – KEMA’s 21^st Executive Forum: Change through choice – will focus on the current state of retail energy competition and where it is headed in the future. Industry leaders will discuss the strategic issues facing evolving energy markets and the impact on retail customers. Participants will also explore technological innovations and advancements in renewable energy.