Graduation Date: December 2011
Degree(s): M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering—Atmosphere/Energy; B.S. Environmental
Studies, Energy Management & Design (Sonoma State University))
As a MAP Fellow James worked on several projects while at RMI. As a member of the Electricity Practice he focused on achieving the goals of RMI's Next-Generation Utility (NGU) initiative, which strives to revolutionize the electric power industry by driving an economically viable shift from the current legacy fossil fuel-based model toward a sustainable and environmentally benign model, without sacrificing reliability. James first conducted policy research related to the regulatory environment around renewables and distributed generation, specifically with regard to the mechanisms by which these technologies are incentivized. He also researched and analyzed the inadequacies of current rate structures with regard to the proper distribution of costs across a utility's ratepayers, and how principles of cost causation may be applied to produce innovative and equitable electricity tariffs.
James' primary work at RMI consisted of helping lead an NGU modeling effort in which the economic effect of high penetrations of solar generation is examined. This project consisted of modeling the generator dispatch, and resultant costs, for a hypothetical utility under several solar penetration scenarios, and then evaluating the changing value proposition for both the utility and a marginal customer-generator in the context of a variety of existing and alternative rate structures. James also contributed to RMI's consulting work, writing the section of a briefing book given to participants at an RMI-led utility roundtable in which he detailed the past and future drivers of the proliferation of distributed generation and renewables in California. The work James did will be used to produce a whitepaper and presented at conferences, and also to inform additional work that NGU is conducting under funding from the DOE's SunShot Initiative.
"It was a great opportunity to get out of the bubble that exists around Stanford and get some real-world experience in the energy field, putting the knowledge I'd gained in the classroom to the test. The travel budget was also great, in that it allowed me to get out and participate in some professionally-oriented conferences that I would not have otherwise been able to attend. These were enormously useful in allowing me to hear about issues from additional perspectives, and to network with others in the industry."
James Sherwood
"In our work at RMI, we are challenged to understand very big problems in the utility sector. In general, we have found that the more people we can have with the more diverse knowledge and backgrounds, the more creative solutions we can develop. MAP Fellows, including James, have made important impacts in this way, and we hope to continue bringing in MAP fellows to advance our work at RMI and to help expose more students to the clean energy sector."
Graeme Hoste, Analyst
Rocky Mountain Institute