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Public Utilities

Report
The Adoption of New Smart-Grid Technologies
A smart grid for the United States could have large-scale benefits. There are technological, economic, and regulatory barriers, but new policies or changes to policy could help overcome them.
Jan 15, 2015
Journal Article
Sustaining Critical Social Services During Extended Regional Power Blackouts
This article outlines and estimates the incremental cost of a strategy that uses small distributed generation, distribution automation, and smart meters to keep a set of critical social services operational during a prolonged power outage that lasts for days or weeks and extends over hundreds of kilometers.
Jul 1, 2012
Report
Measuring Consumer Preferences for Postal Services in Europe
Different market segments have varying postal service needs, according to RAND Europe research conducted for the European Commission. All consumers value parcel services, reliability, and low levels of loss, but big businesses value letter services more than small or medium businesses or the public.
Jan 16, 2012
Report
Characterizing the U.S. Industrial Base for Coal-Powered Electricity
Coal-fired electricity generating units (EGUs) provide about 46 percent of the electricity generated in the U.S., yet most of the existing coal-fired electricity fleet is 25–45 years old. Can the industry maintain the capability to design, construct, and operate coal-fired EGUs within reasonable cost, schedule, performance, environmental, and quality expectations?
Oct 27, 2011
Report
Near-Term Opportunities for Integrating Biomass into the U.S. Electricity Supply
Biomass is an increasingly important source of electricity, heat, and liquid fuel. One near-term option for using it to generate electricity is to cofire biomass in coal-fired electricity plants. Factors to consider are plant-site modifications, changes in operations, costs, and logistical issues with delivering biomass to the plant.
Jul 29, 2011
Journal Article
Informed Public Preferences for Electricity Portfolios with CCS and Other Low-Carbon Technologies
Public perceptions of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and other low-carbon electricity-generating technologies may affect the feasibility of their widespread deployment.
Sep 1, 2010
Research Brief
Natural Gas and Israel's Energy Future: Planning Amid Deep Uncertainty
Israel must control future electricity demand. It can build a secure energy infrastructure in which natural gas provides up to 40 percent of electric power generation but only by taking measures to limit supply disruptions.
Dec 22, 2009
Report
Natural Gas and Israel's Energy Future: A Strategic Analysis Under Conditions of Deep Uncertainty
Israel must employ strategic alternatives to make the best use of domestic and imported natural gas. This report explores natural gas-utilization and supply-infrastructure strategies in the face of uncertainty.
Dec 10, 2009
Periodical
RAND Review: Vol. 32, No. 3, Fall 2008
The cover story offers 12 suggestions for the new U.S. president; other pieces discuss education and health in China and India, health policy models, the U.S. Postal Service mailbox monopoly, a green U.S. Army, and political reform in the Arab world.
Dec 14, 2008
Research Brief
How Would Relaxing the Mailbox Rule Affect Public Safety and Security?
This research brief assesses the potential public safety and security implications of relaxing the U.S. Postal Service's Mailbox Rule, finding that doing so could have a moderate negative impact.
Nov 5, 2008
News Release
Easing Restrictions on Deliveries to Postal Mailboxes Could Hurt Efforts to Keep Mail Safe
Allowing private courier services to deliver items into mailboxes could hamper efforts by the U.S. Postal Service to safeguard the nation's mail.
Oct 23, 2008
Report
The Role of the United States Postal Service in Public Safety and Security: Implications of Relaxing the Mailbox Monopoly
The United States Postal Service has a statutory monopoly to deliver mail to mailboxes, but there are arguments to relax that monopoly. This study assesses the public safety concerns of doing so and makes recommendations to address these concerns.
Oct 7, 2008
News Release
Major Progress in Technology Needed for 25 Percent Renewable Energy Use to Be Affordable
Dramatic progress in renewable energy technology is needed if the United States desires to produce 25 percent of its electricity and motor vehicle fuel from renewable sources by 2025 without significantly increasing consumer costs.
Jun 24, 2008
News Release
RAND to Review Renewable Energy Study and Will Issue Corrected Version
December 5, 2006 News Release: RAND to Review Renewable Energy Study and Will Issue Corrected Version
Dec 5, 2006
News Release
RAND Study Says Communities Can Learn Lessons from Worker Exposure to Anthrax in Washington
RAND Study Says Communities Can Learn Lessons from Worker Exposure to Anthrax in Washington
Feb 22, 2005
Report
Los Angeles City Contracts Need More Transparency
L.A.'s port, airport, and Department of Water and Power together contract for more than a billion dollars worth of goods and services annually; these activities could be made more transparent and efficient, thus improving public trust.
Jan 14, 2005
Journal Article
In Their Own Words: Lessons Learned from Those Exposed to Anthrax
The authors evaluated perceptions of workers at the US Postal Service Brentwood Processing and Distribution Center and US Senate employees regarding public health responses to the anthrax mailings of October 2001.
Dec 31, 2004
Journal Article
Critical Infrastructures Will Remain Vulnerable: Neighbourhoods Must Fend for Themselves
Critical infrastructures in the US will remain vulnerable to a variety of attacks, both physical and cyber, into the foreseeable future.
Jan 1, 2004
Journal Article
Determining Optimal Pollution Control Policies: An Application of Bilevel Programming
This paper presents two optimization models for hazardous waste capacity planning and treatment facility locations.
Jan 1, 1999
Journal Article
An Evaluation of Economists' Influence on Electric Utility Rate Reforms
This paper traces the role economists played in getting data, analyzing data, and evaluating alternative rate structures.
Jan 1, 1982

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RAND Topic:
Public Utilities

Topic Synonyms:
Utilities

Research conducted by

RAND Social and Economic Well-Being