Retail Pricing: A Low-Cost Enabler of the Clean Energy Transition

The United States is making important strides toward decarbonization, facilitated by commitments to clean energy goals and declining technology costs. At the time of the writing of this article, 21 states; Washington, D.C.; and Puerto Rico have committed to 100% clean energy goals, and at least 30 states and the District of Columbia have established renewable and clean energy standards (see “The Important Role of Communications Standards”). The electric grid over the next 10–20 years will increasingly rely on clean energy resources, such as wind and solar, and flexibility from both the supply and demand sides will be needed to integrate these variable resources in a cost-effective manner.