Consulting Report
31 Jan 2024

Seeing behind the meter: How electric utilities are adapting to the surge in distributed energy resources

In collaboration with Siemens

Utility companies in North America are hurrying to keep up with historic changes taking place in the way electricity is generated, consumed, and monetized. But most companies lack the ability to measure and manage an energy economy impacted by the rapid adoption of electric vehicles, solar panels, and batteries, known as distributed energy resources, or DERs.

To better understand how electric utilities in the US and Canada are managing the rapid adoption of behind-the-meter distributed energy resources, Oxford Economics and Siemens surveyed 100 decision-makers from the industry during the fourth quarter of 2023. To complement the survey findings, two in-depth interviews were conducted with Yoh Kawanami, Director of Customer Energy Resources at Hawaiian Electric, and Michael McMaster, Solution Architect for NextGen Grid Management at Siemens.

The experts behind the research

Our Thought Leadership team produces original, evidence-based research made accessible to decision-makers and opinion leaders. Principals for this project included:

Sundus Alfi

Senior Research Manager, Thought Leadership

Edward Cone

Editorial Director and Technology Practice Lead, Thought Leadership

Zack Friedman

Managing Editor, Thought Leadership

Margaux McLoughlin

Research Associate, Thought Leadership

You might be interested in…

The Green Leap – Project bankability takes centre stage

The report argues that enhancing project bankability should become a main policy priority as part of climate investment endeavors.

Find Out More
Greenomics podcast cover
What does the critical minerals boom mean for Africa? | Greenomics podcast

As demand grows for critical minerals like cobalt, copper, and lithium, African nations are navigating opportunities and risks—from boosting local employment to managing geopolitical tensions and environmental concerns.

Find Out More
Toward a global carbon pricing system - Hinrich Foundation
Toward a global carbon pricing system

Fragmented carbon markets and the risk of carbon leakage are jeopardizing progress toward global net-zero targets. A major challenge lies in the lack of coordinated policies to align around a unified carbon price. Oxford Economics, in a study for the Hinrich Foundation, highlights how regional carbon markets could offer a practical path toward more effective global pricing.

Find Out More
US climate policy under Trump administration
Trump 2.0: US climate policy in retreat

From executive orders to federal lawsuits against state-level climate policies, the Trump administration has acted with urgency to reverse the low-carbon momentum built under President Biden.

Find Out More