Effective, Efficient, and Informed Research, Development, and Demonstration for the Electricity System: Issue Paper (2026)
Chapter: Front Matter
ISSUE PAPER
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International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-60083-5
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/29348
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Suggested citation: Chhabra, M., J. Dagle, R. DeBoer, B. Heard, U. Hill, K.J. Holmes, L.L. Kiesling, G. van Welie, K. Verclas, and V. Rai. 2026. Effective, Efficient, and Informed Research, Development, and Demonstration for the Electricity System: Issue Paper. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/29348.
Authors
MOHIT CHHABRA, Senior Analyst, Regulatory and Economic Policy, Climate & Energy, Natural Resources Defense Council
JEFF DAGLE, Chief Electrical Engineer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
REBECCA DEBOER, Research Associate, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
BRENT HEARD, Senior Program Officer, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
UTOPIA HILL, Chief Executive Officer, Reactivate
K. JOHN HOLMES, Senior Scholar, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
L. LYNNE KIESLING, Director, Institute for Regulatory Law and Economics, Center on Law, Business, and Economics, Northwestern University
GORDON VAN WELIE, President and Chief Executive Officer, ISO New England (retired)
KIRSTEN VERCLAS, Senior Managing Director, National Association of State Energy Officials
VARUN RAI, Walt and Elspeth Rostow Professor, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin
CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST DISCLOSURES
The authors declare no competing interests or disclosures.
Contents
Stable, Long-Term Planning and Priorities
Innovation from the Technology Sector and Large Loads
Distributed Energy Resources and the Shifting Sources of Innovation
Seams and Hand-Offs in the Electricity Innovation Process
Advancing Innovation in the Regulated Utilities Context
Partnerships and Collaboration
The Necessity of Partnerships to Bring Innovation to Practice
Benefits from Partner Engagement and Transparency in the Funding Opportunity Announcement Process
Creating Maximum Impact from Innovation Efforts
Regulatory Innovation and Operational Experimentation
Getting the Most Out of the Existing System
