Data and Technology Policy
UPDATE: System Maintenance for Dataport in June
By Steve Mock – In June 2023, Pecan Street Inc. will conduct a series of system updates to the core databases that power our Dataport data interface and other data tools. During this period, some of our services may be offline.
Digital Dirt Update: Using AI/ML to Advance Soil Carbon Sequestration
By Scott Hinson– Pecan Street’s Digital Dirt initiative was designed to accelerate the development of cost-effective ways to predict how land management practices can increase soil organic carbon, a promising climate solution. The next generation of high-tech sensors will surely be part of the solution, but they a still far from being something most producers can use to obtain accurate results. We see significant near-term potential for simulation models to fill this gap.
Canary Media: Smart Electric Panels in Homes Could Prevent Overtaxing the Grid
Canary Media – Utilities are worried that homes switching to electric heating, electric cooking and electric-vehicle charging will create major new strains on their power grids. And homeowners looking to go all-electric face steep costs if they need to upgrade their grid connections to handle bigger electrical loads. A new report suggests that both problems could be addressed by the latest smart electric panels.
Next Level Energy Research Requires Mountains of Data
By Steve Mock – Beyond any one analysis, there’s a bigger reason why we collect so much data. Emerging tools like artificial intelligence and machine learning have the potential to revolutionize how we generate, move, store and use critical resources like electricity and water. But to reach their potential, these tools require mountains of data.
We need energy data to combat climate change, and we need a data utility to make that happen.
Heading into COP26, how can leaders ensure energy data meets its full climate potential? Our experience with energy data has led us to the answer: support the development of a data utility staffed with data scientists, computers scientists, cybersecurity experts and domain experts that would prioritize customer privacy and protection, limit profiteering, require transparency, and advance the integration of data and computer science into our nation’s grid system.
Press Release from NYSERDA Announcing Pecan Street as Utility Data Advisor
Pecan Street, an energy and climate research and development organization was awarded $400,000 as the utility data advisor to provide dedicated support to oversee and provide guidance to NYSERDA and DPS on data sourced from the utilities, such as energy consumption, grid capacity, and distributed energy resources and the technology needed to provide data to the IEDR. Pecan Street’s team will serve as a subject matter expert on utility data systems as well as participate in the IEDR Utility Coordination Group.
Addressing an Electrification Roadblock: Residential Electric Panel Capacity
Pecan Street’s new analysis explores the opportunities for policymakers and utilities to remove a significant barrier to residential electrification. By incentivizing electric service panel upgrades for existing homes and requiring larger capacity panels for new construction, we can clear the path for full residential electrification.
Utility Dive: Energy equity depends on data, and experts say there isn’t enough of it
Utility Dive's Robert Walton recently spoke to Pecan Street Communications Director Colin Rowan about our effort to expand our volunteer research network in Detroit, MI.
Pecan Street to Develop Toolkit for Distributed Energy Resources Adoption at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(AUSTIN, TX — June 22, 2021) The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation awarded Pecan Street Inc. a $40,000 grant to bring its unique data and research capabilities to developing a Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) Toolkit for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Pecan Street will partner with Huston-Tillotson University in Austin to develop resources that support DER deployment on HBCU campuses to provide new revenue opportunities and support community resilience centers. The effort will produce an online DER planning and implementation toolkit geared towards the unique aspects of Texas HBCUs and technical support resources.
Tackling ‘Energy Justice’ Requires Better Data. These Researchers Are On It
We're pleased to see other researchers working to address equity and energy justice issues through better data collection and analysis. Pecan Street has been working to address energy sector issues through improved data availability for over a decade, and we recently launched the Center for Race, Energy & Climate Justice to improve energy outcomes for communities of color by harnessing our unique energy data.