The Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) is a global, non-profit team of experts that focuses on the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of the power and natural gas sectors, providing technical and policy assistance to government officials on a broad range of energy and environmental issues. Formed by a group of veteran utility regulators, RAP has deep expertise in regulatory and market policies that promote economic efficiency, protect the environment, ensure system reliability, and fairly allocate system benefits among all consumers. We have worked extensively in the US since 1992 and in China since 1999, and have assisted governments in nearly every US state and many nations throughout the world. RAP is now expanding operations with new programs and offices in Europe, and plans to offer similar services in India in 2011. RAP functions as the hub of a network that includes many international experts, and is primarily funded by foundations and federal grants.

RAP's Mission
RAP's primary mission is to advise utility regulators and other public officials on regulatory and competitive utility policies to improve the overall economic and environmental performance of the electric and natural gas sectors. Specifically, we focus on strategies that:

• increase investment in cost-effective energy efficiency, clean distributed generation and demand response, and renewable energy;
• integrate energy and environmental regulation to improve air quality; and
• establish policies and regulations that effectively address climate change.

All RAP principals and senior associates are former regulators. Our depth of regulatory experience provides valuable context to help policymakers meet the challenges facing the utility industry and meet their energy and environmental goals. While RAP's advice to governments is always independent, we also provide educational and technical assistance to other stakeholders, including consumer and environmental groups, utilities, and business associations.

RAP's Expertise
RAP's principals, senior associates and technical advisors provide guidance on topics such as:

• energy efficiency (cost-effectiveness, program design and delivery approaches, evaluation, action plan development, energy efficiency resource standards, financing, whole-house retrofits, efficiency power plants, output-based efficiency standards for industry)
• decoupling and utility incentives
• cap and trade policy and design, and complementary policies
• carbon capture and sequestration policies
• environmental regulation
• rate design
• demand-side managements and demand response (policy, program design and delivery approaches, training)
• smart grid (policy development, advanced metering, T&D)
• renewable resources (portfolio standards, voluntary green pricing options, net metering, feed-in tariffs, integration, transmission issues)
• distributed generation and combined heat and power (interconnection, net metering, PURPA,standby rates)
• integrated resource planning
• utility resource acquisition and competitive bidding

RAP's Approach
RAP's strength lies in our ability to offer solutions that can have an immediate and practical effect. We do this typically by means of direct assistance to government officials and their staffs, in-house workshops, and policy-relevant research and reports. We also engage policymakers through discussion forums and conferences around the globe.