Electrify This! explores the movement to electrify everything as a strategy to decarbonize and revitalize all sectors of our economy. Featuring diverse experts,...
In this special valentine to the electric grid, Electrify This! host Sara Baldwin speaks with grid expert, Ric O’Connell of GridLab, about a topic front of mind for more people, utilities, and policymakers around the world: grid reliability. Demand for electricity is on the rise after decades of relatively flat load growth as more end-uses seek to connect to the grid. Simultaneously, the grid’s portfolio is diversifying as more utilities and states integrate more renewable energy, energy storage, and other clean energy technologies in the race to reduce climate emissions and stabilize the climate. While this transition has been underway for some time, converging factors are impacting the grid and uncertainty looms on the horizon. In this episode, we explore the myriad issues facing the grid and what policies and practices are needed to build a resilient, reliable, affordable clean grid to power the future. About the guest: Ric O’Connell is the founding executive director of GridLab, where he leads a team of experts to provide comprehensive technical grid expertise to policy makers and advocates. A recognized leader in renewable energy technology and policy, Ric has provided engineering support for more than 8 GW of utility scale solar projects worldwide. Ric also served as a consultant with Black & Veatch for 12 years where helped build a global renewable energy consulting practice and led numerous high-impact policy studies. Ric has a BSEE from Duke University and a Master’s in Renewable Energy Policy from CU Boulder.Electrifying News:2025 Renewable Energy Outlook: Full speed ahead as second Trump administration begins(Utility Dive, January 21, 2025)Uncertainty over Trump’s electric vehicle policies clouds 2025 forecast for carmakers (AP News, January 9, 2025)U.S. solar cell production resumes for first time since 2019, as solar module manufacturing sets record in Q3 (Wood McKenzie and Solar Energy Industries Association, December 2024) To dig in deeper, check out these must-read resources: Grid Lab – website: https://gridlab.orgEnergy Systems Integration Group (ESIG) website https://www.esig.energy/Surplus Interconnection Policy Explainer (Grid Lab)The Future of Operational Grid Reliability Can Be Bright with Clean Energy (Energy Innovation, Real Talk on Reliability Series) Explained: Fundamentals of Power Grid Reliability and Clean Electricity (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)Meeting Growing Electricity Demand Without Gas (Energy Innovation)What’s the impact of artificial intelligence on energy demand? (Hannah Ritchie, Sustainability by Numbers, November 2024) AI and energy: The big picture (Ben Levitt, S&P Global, December 2024)
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35:54
The State of EV Charging for Multifamily Housing
Did you know that nearly a third of households in the U.S. face an uphill climb to drive and benefit from an EV simply because they live in multifamily housing? This is not only a climate and public health issue, but also an equity issue. Research shows that access to reliable, convenient, and affordable EV charging is one of the biggest factors for consumers considering owning or leasing an EV. But are the public charging networks sufficient to meet the need for those without at-home charging? How do different cities stack up when it comes to public charging? And what actions should policymakers take to ensure a smooth road ahead? In this episode of Electrify This! host Sara Baldwin speaks with Ingrid Malmgren, Senior Director of Policy with Plug in America, to discuss the state of EV charging for people living in multifamily housing, key findings from new Energy Innovation research, and innovative approaches states and cities are taking to solving the EV charging gap. Tune in today to learn more! Guest Bio: Ingrid has over a decade of experience advancing sustainable energy and transportation electrification through research, utility regulatory proceedings, and legislative advocacy. She began to focus on EVs in 2015, working to demonstrate the benefits of EVs to consumers, the economy, the environment, and the electric grid. Before joining Plug In America, she worked as a senior analyst at Cadmus Group, a lobbyist in the Vermont Statehouse, and a transportation policy manager at Vermont Energy Investment Corporation. Electrifying News: NYC looks to kick its curbside EV-charging plans into second gear (Canary Media), 09/09/24Demand flexibility programs ‘need to evolve’ as utilities shift to winter peaking: LBNL report (Utility Dive), 10/09/24Decarbonize Your Life (Heatmap News), 09/23/24Major Ohio cities aim to cut building emissions with voluntary program (Canary Media), 09/18/24 To dig in deeper, check out these must-read resources:The State of Electric Vehicle Charging for Multifamily Housing (Energy Innovation), October 2024The Home Charging Experience (Plug In America), January 2024EV Building Codes Toolkit (Plug in America)2024 EV Driver Survey (Plug In America)The Public Charging Experience (Plug In America), May 2024U.S. Department of Transportation, Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant RecipientsThe 2030 National Charging Network: Estimating U.S. Light-Duty Demand for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (NREL), June 2023 U.S. Department of Energy, Tax Credits for EVs and Charging Infrastructure
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34:03
An Action Plan For U.S. Industrial Heat Electrification (Part 3 of 3)
In the last installment of our three-part series on industrial decarbonization, we explore industrial sector decarbonization and the role electrification can play in achieving net zero goals for a stable climate. Host Sara Baldwin speaks with Blaine Collison of the Renewable Thermal Collaborative about the barriers to electrifying industrial heat processes in the U.S., and the policy, regulatory, and market changes that could put the country on track to electrify more industries. Guest Bio:Blaine Collison is the Executive Director of the Renewable Thermal Collaborative and the Senior Vice President at David Gardiner and Associates, where he helps companies and institutions advance renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change initiatives, including industrial decarbonization. Previously he served as the managing director of marketing and partnerships at Altenex, an Edison Energy company, where he led the development of corporate sustainability services, communications, and strategic partnerships. He also served 17 years with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, with multiple roles in the Energy Star program and a decade leading the Green Power Partnership. Electrifying News: The Race to Decarbonize Heavy Industry Heats Up (Inside Climate News, May 2024) Massachusetts kicks off first pilot to shift gas utilities to clean heat (Canary Media, June 2024) How heat pumps can turn wasted energy into low-carbon whisky (Canary Media, June 2024) To dig in deeper, check out these must-read resources: Electrification Action Plan (Renewable Thermal Collaborative, 2024) Renewable Thermal Collaborative RTC Summit (Sept 30-Oct 1, 2024)
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48:13
Clean Industry Needs Electrification: Can the Grid Manage the Demand? (Part 2 of 3)
Transitioning the industrial sector to run on clean energy through electrification is a critical strategy to decarbonize one of our economy’s largest-emitting sectors. But electric utilities and the power grid must be able to meet increased demand from electrified industries. Effectively managing electrified load from industry requires new strategies and reliance on tried-and-true methods. This episode features Anna Johnson of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) to discuss industrial electrification and its implications for the grid, utilities, and states.Guest Bios: Anna Johnson is a Senior Researcher with the Industry Program for the ACEEE, where she conducts research and analysis to support industrial decarbonization efforts. Prior to joining ACEEE, Anna worked at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, in the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program as a conservation planner and communication specialist. Anna earned a PhD in geography and environmental systems from University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a BA in liberal arts from St. John’s College.Electrifying News: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $20 Billion in Grants to Mobilize Private Capital and Deliver Clean Energy and Climate Solutions to Communities Across America (U.S. EPA)Consumers may soon get access to a share of $8.8 billion in Inflation Reduction Act home energy rebates (CNBC) Biden-Harris Administration finalized the strongest-ever pollution standards for cars that position U.S. companies and workers to lead the clean vehicle future, protect public health, address the climate crisis, save drivers money (U.S. EPA)New Regulations for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Commercial Trucks & Buses (U.S. EPA)Biden administration finalizes new rules for power plants in one of its most significant climate actions to-date (CNN)Biden-Harris Administration Announces $6 Billion to Transform America's Industrial Sector, Strengthen Domestic Manufacturing, and Slash Planet-Warming Emissions (U.S. DOE)Must-read resources:Enabling Industrial Demand Flexibility: Aligning Industrial Consumer and Grid Benefits (ACEEE 2024)Electrification with Clean Power Is Key for a Growing, Competitive Industrial Sector (ACEEE 2024)Meeting Growing Electricity Demand Without Gas (Energy Innovation 2024)
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35:23
A Roadmap for the Zero-Carbon Industrial Transition (Part 1 of 3)
Did you know that industrial activity around the world is responsible for one-third of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions? In the U.S. alone, direct emissions from the industrial sector make up 23% of our total GHG emissions. The industrial sector is also essential for producing the tools and products we need for our daily lives – from food and beverage products, textiles and paper, steel and concrete, and the technologies necessary to tackle climate change, like wind turbines and batteries. Yet, despite its importance to our economy and its omnipresence in our lives, efforts to reduce industrial emissions are lagging compared with other sectors. This episode features a conversation with Jeffrey Rissman, the author of a new book, Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity. We explore the wide world of industry and the technologies, policies, and market mechanisms necessary to reduce the industrial sector’s emissions for a climate safe future. Join us for the first in a three-part series on the topic. Guest Bio:Jeffrey Rissman is the Senior Director of Industry at Energy Innovation, where he leads the company’s work on technologies and policies to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the industry sector. He is the author of Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity (2024) and coauthor of Designing Climate Solutions: A Policy Guide for Low-Carbon Energy (2018). In 2024, Jeffrey was appointed by Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm to serve on the Department of Energy’s Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee. Jeff is also the creator of the Energy Policy Simulator, an open-source computer model that quantifies the effects of various energy and environmental policies; versions of the simulator have been developed for an ever-growing list of countries and regions, in partnership with in-country government agencies or NGOs, accounting for more than 50 percent of the world’s emissions. Previously, Jeff worked on policies supporting R&D for clean energy and efficiency technologies for the American Energy Innovation Council. He holds an M.S. in Environmental Sciences and Engineering and a Masters in City and Regional Planning, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was a Research Fellow for the University of North Carolina Institute for the Environment, where he studied aircraft emissions for the Federal Aviation Administration. Jeff also holds a B.A. in International Relations with honors from Stanford University.Order the book and get a 20% discount with code CUP20: Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity To dig in deeper, check out these must-read resources: Designing Climate Solutions: A Policy Guide for Low-Carbon Energy Energy Innovation’s Industry ProgramIndustrial Technology Innovation Advisory CommitteeEnergy Policy Simulator
Electrify This! explores the movement to electrify everything as a strategy to decarbonize and revitalize all sectors of our economy. Featuring diverse experts, the show examines the most important policy, regulatory, and market issues surrounding electrification of transportation, buildings, and industry. Electrify This! helps demystify issues surrounding the transition to 100 percent clean electricity, and focuses on the challenges, scalable solutions, and what decision-makers can do to ensure the movement to electrify is equitable for all. Electrify This! is an original Energy Innovation Policy & Technology LLC® podcast hosted by Electrification Director Sara Baldwin (former host of Grid Geeks podcast). Our podcasts are accessible under the CC BY license. Users are free to copy, distribute, transform, and build upon the material as long as they credit Energy Innovation® for the original creation and indicate if changes were made.
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