Regulatory Sandboxes and Other Processes to Expedite Utility Adoption of Advanced Grid Technologies - CleanTechnica

The article discusses the challenges faced by electricity grids due to load growth, aging infrastructure, dynamic operational demands, and severe weather events. Advanced grid technologies offer solutions to these challenges, but traditional regulatory frameworks often restrict utilities from innovating quickly. Regulatory sandboxes provide a structured environment where utilities can pilot new technologies and business models under modified rules, enabling faster testing and scaling. A recent report by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity, documents examples of such sandboxes across the U.S., highlighting their role in accelerating the adoption of advanced grid technologies like energy storage, smart distribution circuits, and dynamic line rating. The report also emphasizes that sandboxes help utilities trial new customer programs, workforce development strategies, and resilience and cybersecurity measures. It identifies regulatory and industry barriers to innovation and shows how sandboxes, alongside other innovation tools, can help overcome these obstacles. Beyond technological advancements, sandboxes foster valuable relationship-building, dialogue, and openness to experimentation among utilities and