Avsnitt
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As electrical grid operators move to fast-track gas projects, consumer and environmental advocates raise red flags.
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The U.S. electricity grid is undergoing a dramatic transformation. As coal plants retire, wind, solar, and battery storage now dominate the pipeline of new power projects. Yet in recent months, some policymakers and grid operators have called for a new wave of natural gas plants to meet rising electricity demand from AI data centers and industrial growth.
Supporters argue that gas offers a fast, reliable solution. Critics see a costly, backward-looking move that undermines long-term climate and affordability goals. Too often missing from this debate is the voice of the consumer—the people ultimately footing the bill.
This episode explores the consumer perspective on our rapidly evolving grid with two guests with deep experience at the intersection of grid policy and public interest. Patrick Cicero is the former consumer advocate for Pennsylvania. John Quigley is a senior fellow at the Kleinman Center and former secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. Together, they discuss what the energy transition means for ratepayers—and the policies needed to ensure a clean, reliable, and equitable grid.
Patrick Cicero is chief counsel at the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project and former consumer advocate for the state of Pennsylvania.
John Quigley is a senior fellow at the Kleinman Center and a former secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection.
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Has Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme Taken Away a Country’s Ability to Reduce Emissions?
https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/has-europes-emissions-trading-scheme-taken-away-a-countrys-ability-to-reduce-emissions/
Fossil Foolishness
https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/blog/fossil-foolishness/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, chair of global food security research network CGIAR, on adapting agriculture for climate and food security.
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Global agriculture changed dramatically during the 20th century as small, traditional farms were replaced by large-scale, monoculture farming in many parts of the world. This shift led to a dramatic increase in food production, helping to feed a global population that today exceeds 8 billion.
Yet the revolution in agriculture has created a new set of challenges. Modern farming is more resource-intensive than ever, requiring substantial investments in machinery and a heavy reliance on chemical inputs like synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. These shifts have introduced new economic risks for farmers, who can struggle to keep up with rising input costs and volatile markets. Meanwhile, the widespread cultivation of bulk cash crops has often come at the expense of soil health, crop diversity, and the nutritional quality of the food we grow and consume.
On the podcast, Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda—professor of agriculture at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, cattle farmer in Zimbabwe, and board chair of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)—discusses current efforts to make agriculture more resilient and sustainable. These include the revival of traditional crops, regenerative soil management techniques, and innovations aimed at reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Sibanda also examines how such practices can support environmental and climate goals while improving farmer livelihoods and strengthening long-term food security.
Lindiwe Majele Sibanda is board chair of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
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Cooling People, Not Spaces: Surmounting the Risks of Air-Conditioning Over-Reliance https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/cooling-people-not-spaces-surmounting-the-risks-of-air-conditioning-over-reliance/
Closing the Climate Finance Gap: A Proposal for a New Green Investment Protocol https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/closing-the-climate-finance-gap-a-proposal-for-a-new-green-investment-protocol/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Ambitious climate policies may overlook practical constraints. Kleinman Center Visiting Scholar Niall Mac Dowell explores what deliverable paths to net zero might require.
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The Earth’s average temperature surpassed the 1.5°C threshold for the first time in 2024—a milestone driven in part by El Niño, but also a stark warning about our broader climate trajectory. While temperatures may moderate slightly in 2025, the world remains far from taking the decisive action needed to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change.
The obstacles to meaningful progress are complex, spanning economics, politics at local and global levels, and questions of technological scalability. The good news is that these are solvable challenges. Yet, despite our collective capacity, we’ve struggled to overcome the headwinds that continue to slow decisive climate action.
On the podcast, Niall Mac Dowell, visiting scholar at the Kleinman Center and professor of Future Energy Systems at Imperial College London, takes stock of where we are now. His work focuses on the transition to a low-carbon economy, with recent research exploring the feasibility of clean energy development projections and the role negative emissions could play in achieving net-zero goals. He shares his perspective on what it will take to move more decisively toward a sustainable energy future.
Niall Mac Dowell is Professor of Future Energy Systems at Imperial College London.
The official transcript for this episode is available on the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy website: https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/
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Closing the Climate Finance Gap: A Proposal for a New Green Investment Protocol https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/closing-the-climate-finance-gap-a-proposal-for-a-new-green-investment-protocol/
Climate Action in the Age of Great Power Rivalry: What Geopolitics Means for Climate https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/climate-action-in-the-age-of-great-power-rivalry-what-geopolitics-means-for-the-climate/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Danny Cullenward, vice chair of California’s Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee, explores the legal and policy challenges that threaten the future of the state’s carbon cap-and-trade market.
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For more than a decade, California’s cap-and-trade program has been a key component of the state’s broader efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve a net-zero carbon economy by 2045.
Yet the future of California’s cap-and-trade program is uncertain. The program is currently authorized only through 2030, and significant debate exists over whether its administrator, the California Air Resources Board, has the legal authority to extend it beyond that date.
Danny Cullenward, a senior fellow with the Kleinman Center and vice chair of California’s Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee, explores the political and legal questions surrounding the program’s future. He also explains how uncertainty about the program’s longevity could slow investments in clean infrastructure and limit the market’s effectiveness in driving down the state’s climate emissions.
Danny Cullenward is a senior fellow with the Kleinman Center, and the vice chair of California’s Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee.
The official transcript for this episode is available on the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy website: https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/
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California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/californias-low-carbon-fuel-standard/
Has Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme Taken Away a Country’s Ability to Reduce Emissions? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/has-europes-emissions-trading-scheme-taken-away-a-countrys-ability-to-reduce-emissions/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Former Republican U.S. congressman Bob Inglis offers a conservative perspective on climate solutions in discussion with Penn climatologist Michael Mann.
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Politically conservative and concerned about climate change?
In this special episode of the Energy Policy Now podcast, Penn climatologist Michael Mann talks with Bob Inglis, former Republican Congressman from South Carolina and current executive director of RepublicEN.org, about bridging the partisan climate divide.
In a wide-ranging conversation recorded live during Energy Week at Penn 2025 at the University of Pennsylvania, Mann and Inglis discuss a conservative view on climate change, how conservative messaging on climate has evolved over time, and how common solutions might be found in an era of partisan climate divide. Inglis also offers his view on carbon pricing and strategies to reign in carbon emissions in the U.S.
The conversation is moderated by Sanya Carley, faculty director of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy.
Bob Inglis is a former U.S. representative for South Carolina’s 4th congressional district. He is the executive director of RepublicanEn.org at George Mason University.
Michael Mann is director of the Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania.
Sanya Carley is the Mark Alan Hughes faculty director of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy.
Important note on the conversation: Due to a technical problem, the first two minutes of Bob Inglis’ conversation are difficult to hear (from 5:40 to 7:40). We’ve transcribed those two minutes in the show notes, below, to make it easier to follow along. A full transcript of this and all Energy Policy Now podcasts is available on the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy website.
Bob Inglis (5:40): Yeah, so for my first six years in Congress I said that climate change is nonsense. All I knew was that Al Gore was for it. And as much as I represented Greenville-Spartanburg South Carolina, that was the end of the inquiry. Okay, pretty ignorant. But that’s the way it was my first six years.
Out of Congress six years, as you just heard, doing commercial real estate law again and then, had the opportunity to run for the same seat again before, our son had just turned 18, so he was voting for the first time, and he came to me and he said, dad, I’ll vote for you. But you’re going to clean up your act on the environment. His four sisters agreed, his mother agreed. New constituency, you know. So you got to respond to those people who can change the locks on the doors to your house, you know. So, very important to respond to these people.
And so that was step one of a three step metamorphosis. Step two was going to Antarctica with the [House of Representatives] Science Committee and seeing the evidence in the iceberg drillings. Step three was another Science Committee trip and, um, really a spiritual awakening which seems improbable, right, on a godless Science Committee trip, because we all know that all scientists are godless. Right? Well, apparently not. Because this Aussie climate scientist was showing me the glories of the Great Barrier Reef. I could see he was worshipping God in what he was showing me. You know, St. Francis of Assisi supposedly said “preach the gospel at all times. If necessary use words.” So Scott Heron, this Aussie climate scientist who’s now become a very dear friend was doing that. I could see it in his eyes, it was written all over his face. It was in his excitement about what he was showing me. He was clearly worshipping God. So I knew we shared a world view. Forty words were spoken.
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Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The European Union’s carbon border tariff arrives in January. An architect of the plan discusses its impact on trade, competition, and climate.
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On January 1, 2026, the European Union will launch its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)—the world’s first carbon tariff on imported goods. Designed to support the EU’s ambitious decarbonization goals, CBAM will impose a carbon fee on imports such as steel, aluminum, and fertilizers, while seeking to ensure the competitiveness of European industries.
In this episode, Mohammed Chahim, the European Parliament’s lead negotiator on the carbon border fee, breaks down how CBAM will work, its role in the EU’s broader climate strategy, and what it means for global trade. He also discusses how the tariff could affect exporters to the EU, including the United States, and how policymakers aim to navigate potential trade disputes.
Dr. Mohammed Chahim is a Dutch member of the European Parliament and its lead negotiator for the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
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Closing the Climate Finance Gap: A Proposal for a New Green Investment Protocol
https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/closing-the-climate-finance-gap-a-proposal-for-a-new-green-investment-protocol/
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on the Rising Prospects for a U.S. Carbon Border Fee
https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/senator-sheldon-whitehouse-on-the-rising-prospects-for-a-u-s-carbon-border-fee/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Aubrey Johnson, head of transmission planning for Midwest electrical grid operator MISO, explains the $22 billion effort to expand and modernize the grid for clean energy and reliability.
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Last year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, issued its landmark Order number 1920, with the goal of spurring the development of long distance electricity transmission lines in the United States. The order came in response to a challenging reality: the U.S. will need dramatically more transmission to accommodate growing electricity demand and an expanding fleet of clean energy resources. Despite this need, very little regional transmission development has, in fact, taken place over the past decade.
Yet there has been at least one place where grid planning has aggressively moved forward. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, is the electric grid operator for the midwestern U.S. and part of Canada. In December, MISO approved $22 billion dollars' worth of new transmission projects as the latest step in its ongoing effort to build a clean and reliable grid of the future.
One of the leaders of that effort is Aubrey Johnson, vice president of system planning and competitive transmission at MISO. He discusses the need behind MISO’s grid expansion efforts and the unique set of challenges involved in getting more than a dozen states, each with their own unique energy policy agendas, to lend their support to these projects. Johnson also explains the range of benefits that the new powerlines will offer and challenges that could lie ahead as the lines move from the planning stage to construction.
Aubrey Johnson is vice president of system planning and competitive transmission at the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO).
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Cooling People, Not Spaces: Surmounting the Risks of Air-Conditioning Over-Reliance https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/cooling-people-not-spaces-surmounting-the-risks-of-air-conditioning-over-reliance/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Grid Strategies’ Rob Gramlich discusses the dramatic increase in electricity demand from data center and manufacturing growth, and the challenges it presents for the grid.
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Electricity demand growth has returned with a vengeance in the United States due to an increase in manufacturing and, most dramatically, the growing use of AI. Across the country, technology giants are racing to build AI data centers, the largest of which will consume as much electricity as an entire mid-sized city.
Yet our electrical grid was not built with such large and immediate new sources of power demand in mind, and it has become clear that solutions are urgently needed if our grid is to successfully accommodate this new load. Adding to the challenge is the fact that forecasts of future demand have been frequently and dramatically revised upwards. The future of electricity demand looks big, but just how big remains uncertain.
Rob Gramlich, president of power sector consultancy Grid Strategies and a frequent expert witness on grid issues before Congress and regulatory agencies, explores the future of electricity demand. Gramlich discusses data from a new Grid Strategies report on the pace of demand growth, and a variety of strategies by which our electric grid might meet that demand. He also considers implications for the cost of electricity and the pace of grid decarbonization.
Rob Gramlich is president of Grid Strategies.
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Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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North America’s electricity grid faces a shortfall of power. A grid policy expert explores one region’s efforts to ensure reliability and the controversies its proposals have raised.
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In December, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, released its annual assessment of grid reliability across North America. The results were concerning.
NERC, which is the organization responsible for setting grid reliability standards, reported that electricity supply is struggling to keep up with rapidly growing demand across much of the U.S. and Canada. In several major grid regions, electricity shortfalls could occur under challenging conditions within the next one to three years.
On the podcast, Abe Silverman, assistant research scholar at the Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute at Johns Hopkins University, discusses the threat of electricity supply shortages with a focus on one area of the grid in particular, the PJM Interconnection. PJM is the largest regional grid operator in the U.S., serving 65 million people in the eastern part of the country. PJM recently announced that it, too, could face a capacity shortage as early as 2026.
To date, the grid operator has undertaken a complex set of actions to address its challenges, with more efforts on the way. Silverman explores PJM’s looming supply shortfall, and examines the steps it’s taking to shore up supply. He also explains the controversies that some of these actions have raised.
Abraham Silverman is an assistant research scholar at the Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute at Johns Hopkins University, and former general counsel for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
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An Exploration of Solar Access: How Can Tenants Benefit from Solar Financing Policies? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/an-exploration-of-solar-access-how-can-tenants-benefit-from-solar-financing-policies/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Two experts discuss the challenge of keeping billions of people cool while minimizing electrical grid and climate impacts.
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Global air conditioner use could triple by the middle of this century, driving a dramatic increase in electricity demand. This growth will place additional strain on already overburdened electrical grids and lead to significant economic and environmental challenges.
Yet these negative impacts might be substantially reduced if more attention were paid to cooling people, rather than the air around them.
Two experts at the intersection of cooling technology and building design discuss how a paradigm shift in our thinking about how we cool ourselves could make it possible for billions of people to stay comfortable in an increasingly hot world while minimizing additional electricity demand.
Dorit Aviv, director of the Thermal Architecture Lab at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design and Adam Rysanek, director of the Building Decisions Research Group at the University of British Columbia, share insights from a Kleinman Center-funded research effort into sustainable cooling. Their work focuses on the development of systems that have the potential to meet a dramatic increase in cooling demand, and do so without putting energy systems and climate into further jeopardy.
Dorit Aviv is director of the Thermal Architecture Lab at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design.
Adam Rysanek is director of the Building Decisions Research Group at the University of British Columbia.
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Cooling People, Not Spaces: Surmounting the Risks of Air-Conditioning Over-Reliance https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/cooling-people-not-spaces-surmounting-the-risks-of-air-conditioning-over-reliance/
The Untapped Potential of ‘Repurposed Energy’ https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-untapped-potential-of-repurposed-energy/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to cut support for clean power. Two guests from Bloomberg NEF weigh the likely impacts on clean energy development.
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President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to reduce federal support for clean power as soon as he takes office in January. Yet political realities may limit the extent to which incentives, such as those in the Inflation Reduction Act, may be rolled back, leaving open the possibility that the incoming president may seek surgical rather than sweeping cuts.
A more fundamental question nevertheless remains: How much would reducing federal support for clean energy actually slow its growth in the U.S.? On the podcast, two experts on clean power markets and policy explore the likely scope, and practical impacts of Trump’s stated energy positions.
Meredith Annex is an energy economist and Head of Clean Power at Bloomberg NEF. Derrick Flakoll is Bloomberg’s Policy Expert for the US and Canada. The two analyze the incoming administration’s plans for clean power manufacturing, project development, and trade policy. They also share their insights on how these policies might unfold and what they could mean for the future pace of clean power growth in the United States.
Meredith Annex is Head of Clean Power at Bloomberg NEF.
Derrick Flakoll is Bloomberg NEFs Policy Expert for the US and Canada.
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California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/californias-low-carbon-fuel-standard/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Byzantine governance structures and vested interests are slowing the greening of the U.S. electrical grid. Two grid policy experts discuss paths forward.
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The U.S. electrical grid faces declining reliability, often attributed to a rapidly evolving energy mix, surging demand, and more frequent severe weather. Yet a deeper issue lies in the fragmented governance of the grid, where conflicting visions from federal, state, and industry-level regulators hinder progress toward a clean and reliable energy future.
Shelley Welton of the Kleinman Center and Joshua Macey of Yale Law School examine the tangled web of grid governance in the U.S., and highlight inherent conflicts of interest and clashes between state and federal regulatory priorities. They also explore potential pathways for governance reform.
Shelley Welton is Presidential Distinguished Professor of Law and Energy Policy with the Kleinman Center and Penn Carey Law School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Joshua Macey is an associate professor of Law at Yale Law School.
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Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Carnot Prize recipient Jacqueline Patterson explores how the clean energy transition can drive meaningful progress toward energy and climate justice.
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In 2009 Jacqueline Patterson became the founding director of the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program. It was a role that Patterson, who’s this year’s recipient of the Kleinman Center’s Carnot Prize, had expected to be short lived: she’d stay on just long enough to get the program underway.
By the time she did move on 12 years later, she had made significant progress in raising understanding of the connection between environmental damage and the lived experience in some of this country’s most impoverished and vulnerable communities. As an advocate for climate justice, she has worked to address the fact that environmental damage increases the economic and health burdens on disadvantaged communities, and makes it more challenging to break the cycle of poverty and marginalization.
Today Patterson serves as the executive director of The Chisholm Legacy Project, where her work empowers communities of color on the front lines of climate change, ensuring they have the resources, tools, and leadership to amplify their voices in policymaking. Her efforts focus on making the clean energy transition a genuine opportunity for justice and equity.
Jacqueline Patterson is executive director of The Chisholm Legacy Project and the 2024 recipient of the Kleinman Center’s Carnot Prize for distinguished contributions in the area of energy policy.
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Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Kleinman Center visiting scholar Kirsten Jenkins explores the concept of a just energy transition, and why it must be expanded beyond its labor roots to address broad energy system injustices.
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The term “just transition” has its roots in organized labor movements, and has traditionally referred to the idea that workers in the fossil fuel economy must find security in the green energy economy of the future as well. Yet, increasingly, this understanding of what a just transition entails is viewed as overly narrow, and failing to address broad structural realities in our energy system that, if not addressed, will perpetuate a range of social, environmental, and economic inequalities.
This lack of a common definition extends to the highest levels of the global climate effort, with the United Nations acknowledging that the perception of what a just transition entails varies from country to country, potentially impacting the outcome of just transition efforts at the local level.
Kleinman Center visiting scholar Kirsten Jenkins explores the definition of the term just transition and how varying interpretations of it might limit, or enhance efforts to address broader inequalities that are inherent in our energy system. Jenkins, who is a senior lecturer in energy, environment and society at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, also discusses the need to expand just transition beyond its labor roots to a broader view on justice, and explores policies to put this broader view into practice.
Kirsten Jenkins is a visiting scholar at the Kleinman Center and a senior lecturer in energy, environment, and society within the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
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Climate Action in the Age of Great Power Rivalry: What Geopolitics Means for the Climate https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/climate-action-in-the-age-of-great-power-rivalry-what-geopolitics-means-for-the-climate/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Virtual power plants can help electric grid operators address supply shortages and reliability concerns, but policy support is needed.
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The U.S. electrical grid is under growing stress, raising concern that recent widescale power outages may signal more grid challenges to come. In recent years, electricity demand has grown at an accelerating pace while, at the same time, power supply has tightened as existing power plants have retired and grid operators have struggled to bring new sources of power online.
Yet one promising solution to the grid’s challenges may already be in place, if grid operators and regulators can figure out how to use it to full advantage. ‘Virtual power plants’ can combine small, distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar and demand response into a single, virtual whole that grid operators can deploy like a traditional powerplant. VPPs hold the promise of delivering large amounts of readily available and reliable energy services, if a number of regulatory and technological challenges can be overcome.
On the podcast Ryan Hledik, a principal with electricity market consultancy The Brattle Group, explores the potential of virtual power plants. He explains how VPPs work, discusses hurdles to their development, and considers policy solutions to speed their growth.
Ryan Hledik is a principal with electricity market consultancy The Brattle Group.
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The Untapped Potential of “Repurposed Energy” https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-untapped-potential-of-repurposed-energy/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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David Spence explores the rise of identity politics in the U.S. and how it has fueled bitter partisanship over the transition to clean energy.
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Throughout American history, opposing political parties have at times set aside their differences to create “republican moments”— periods of bold, bipartisan action to address critical challenges.
Today, such moments may seem unlikely, yet the need for collective action remains urgent. This is particularly true for accelerating the transition to a low-carbon energy system and tackling climate change.
On the podcast, David Spence of The University of Texas School of Law discusses his new book, Climate of Contempt, which explores the roots of the current political divide in this country, and how that divide has manifested in the politics of energy. Spence examines the growth of identity politics in the U.S., how even the best-intentioned of actors can stoke partisan flames, and opportunities to re-establish bipartisan dialogue to advance the clean energy transition.
David Spence is the Rex G. Baker Centennial Chair in Natural Resources Law at The University of Texas at Austin.
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Comparing the 2024 Presidential Candidates’ Energy Agendas
https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/news-insights/comparing-the-2024-presidential-candidates-energy-agendas/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
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Nvidia’s director of accelerated computing, and a Penn expert in AI and datacenters, explain why AI uses so much energy, and how its energy appetite might be curbed.
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Artificial Intelligence is taking off. In just under two years since the introduction of Chat GPT, the first popular AI chatbot, the global number of AI bot users has grown to one and a half billion. Yet, for the U.S. electricity grid, AI’s dramatic growth could not have come at a more challenging time. AI is energy-intensive, and its expansion is putting additional strain on an already burdened grid that’s struggling to keep pace with rising electricity demand in many regions. In addition, AI’s energy demands complicate efforts to decarbonize the grid as more electricity – generated with a mixture of carbon-free and fossil fuels – is required to support its growth.The podcast explores the challenges AI presents to the power grid with Dion Harris, Director of Accelerated Computing at Nvidia, and Benjamin Lee, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Pennsylvania. The two explain how and why AI leads to increased electricity use and explore strategies to limit AI’s energy impact.
Dion Harris is director of accelerated computing at Nvidia.
Benjamin Lee is a professor of electrical and systems engineering, and of computer and information Science, at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a visiting researcher at Google’s Global Infrastructure Group.
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Should ‘Energy Hogs’ Shoulder More of the Utility Cost Burden? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/should-energy-hogs-shoulder-more-of-the-utility-cost-burden/
Plugging Carbon Leaks with the European Union’s New Policy https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/plugging-carbon-leaks-with-the-european-unions-new-policy/Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
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Time-of-use electricity rates can save consumers money and optimize renewable power. But they can backfire if not carefully designed.
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A notable feature of the U.S. electricity system is the disconnect between the cost of generating electricity and the prices most consumers pay for power at any given time. Flat-rate pricing, where consumers pay the same rate for power regardless of demand, discourages efficient electricity use, leading to increased strain on the grid. As concerns about reliability, cost, and climate impacts grow, efficient electricity use is more important than ever.
Kleinman Center Faculty Fellow Arthur van Benthem explores time-varying electricity rates, where prices change with demand, as an alternative to flat rate pricing. Van Benthem, a co-author of new research on the topic explains the potential of time-varying pricing to reduce grid costs and enhance renewable energy. He also explores the potential downside to such rates, which can fail to deliver expected benefits or even backfire if not designed with a focus on simplicity and usability.
Related Content
Should ‘Energy Hogs’ Shoulder More of the Utility Cost Burden? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/should-energy-hogs-shoulder-more-of-the-utility-cost-burden/
How Can We Improve the Efficiency of Electricity Pricing Systems? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/how-can-we-improve-the-efficiency-of-electricity-pricing-systems/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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For the month of August, we’re highlighting episodes from the 2023-2024 season of Energy Policy Now. We’ll be back with new content, and a new season, on September the 10th.
Climatologist Michael Mann discusses his new book on Earth’s climate past, with insights into our climate future.---
(This episode was recorded on September 14, 2023)
Renowned Penn climatologist Michael Mann’s latest book, “Our Fragile Moment,” explores the history of climate change and the lessons it can provide into the trajectory of climate change today. The book is Mann’s response to the phenomenon of “climate doomism” which, Mann writes, misrepresents the paleoclimate record to promote climate inaction. In the book, Mann seeks to set the paleoclimate record straight, and discusses how human agency remains our greatest tool in preventing the worst impacts of climate change.
Michael Mann is Presidential Distinguished Professor in the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Earth and Environmental Science, and director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media. He is also a Faculty Fellow at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy.
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The Net-Zero Governance Conveyor Belt https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-net-zero-governance-conveyor-belt/
The Prospects for Pennsylvania as a RGGI Member https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-prospects-for-pennsylvania-as-a-rggi-member/
Accelerating Climate Action https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/accelerating-climate-action/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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For the month of August, we’re highlighting episodes from the 2023-2024 season of Energy Policy Now. We’ll be back with new content, and a new season, on September the 10th.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse discusses the prospects for bipartisan U.S. carbon border fee legislation, and the need to protect the Biden administration’s clean energy and climate achievements.---
(This episode was recorded on March 15, 2024, during Penn Energy Week)
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has a reputation as an advocate for strong climate policies in Congress. The Rhode Island Democrat gained national attention over a decade ago when he gave the first of more than 290 “Time to Wake Up” climate speeches to date on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Many of the speeches were delivered at times when the prospects were bleak for significant leadership from Washington on climate and clean energy issues.
Yet the past three years have been very different. Through the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and, most pointedly, the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress has made concrete steps to grow domestic clean energy and improve the nation’s climate resilience. Recently, Senator Whitehouse reintroduced a bill that would levy the first carbon border fee on goods imported to the U.S., and effectively reward American industry for its leadership in energy efficiency and emissions reductions.
On the podcast, Whitehouse discusses his plan for a carbon border adjustment. He also considers an upcoming election that will prove critical for continued progress, and that could jeopardize the full realization of recently passed energy and climate laws and the fate of the Biden administration’s related regulatory accomplishments.
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The Key to Electric Grid Reliability: Modernizing Governance https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-key-to-electric-grid-reliability-modernizing-governance/
Advancing the Social License for Carbon Management in Achieving Net-Zero GHG Emissions https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/advancing-the-social-license-for-carbon-management-in-achieving-net-zero-ghg-emissions/
Coordinated Policy and Targeted Investment for an Orderly and Reliable Energy Transition https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/coordinated-policy-and-targeted-investment-for-an-orderly-and-reliable-energy-transition/
Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Visa fler
