# With Great Power: Why dynamic rates are gaining momentum

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2024-05-28
- Length: 24m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum

## Summary

Ahmad Faruqui, a former principal at The Brattle Group and pioneer of dynamic electricity pricing, explains the evolution of time-of-use (TOU) and dynamic rates to host Brad Langley. Faruqui details how the California energy crisis and the subsequent rollout of smart meters enabled early pilots, but customer confusion and poor rate design led to initial failures. He argues that electric vehicles (EVs) and heat pumps are now driving adoption, provided utilities design rates that emphasize savings rather than peak penalties. Faruqui advocates for offering customers choices between opt-in and opt-out structures to ensure successful adoption and revenue stability for utilities.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum#t=0) Introduction: Catalyst and GridX Crossover
- [1:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum#t=110) California Energy Crisis and Smart Meter Rollout
- [3:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum#t=200) Early Pilot Failures and Customer Confusion
- [5:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum#t=301) The EV Revolution and Heat Pump Challenges
- [9:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum#t=541) DERs, Load Growth, and the Duck Curve
- [12:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum#t=734) Barriers to Utility Adoption of Dynamic Rates
- [14:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum#t=882) Customer Communication and Opt-In vs. Opt-Out
- [18:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum#t=1081) Recipe for Good Rate Design and Success Stories
- [21:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum#t=1288) Future of Rates and Grid Democratization

## Topics

- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- GridX (company)
- The Brattle Group (company)
- PG&E (company)
- PSE&G (company)
- Puget Sound Energy (company)
- Oklahoma Gas and Electric (company)
- smart meters (tool)
- electric vehicles (product)
- heat pumps (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Renewable Energy Policy with Ari Gerstman](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2023-05-02-renewable-energy-policy-with-ari-gerstman) (The Amp Hour)
- [Managing Energy At The Edge: Navigating The Modern Grid With Itron](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2024-09-05-managing-energy-at-the-edge-navigating-the-modern-grid-with-itron) (Over the Air)
- [Preparing the Energy Grid for EVs with IoT | Itron's Nick Tumilowicz | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2023-08-29-preparing-the-energy-grid-for-evs-with-iot-itrons-nick-tumilowicz-internet-of-th) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [Energizing the Future: Real-Time Precision in Renewable Energy Management](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2024-01-30-energizing-the-future-real-time-precision-in-renewable-energy-management) (Moore's Lobby)
- [197. This Smart Charger = More EVs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-10-22-197-this-smart-charger-more-evs) (The Next Byte Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-28-with-great-power-why-dynamic-rates-are-gaining-momentum. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.