Energy Solutions: A Podcast From EPSA

As policymakers across the country examine how to meet ambitious climate goals, what will ensure grid reliability while reducing emissions efficiently and at the lowest cost? Experts at EPSA's Competitive Power Summit discuss how fostering a just transition means more than providing clean energy - but also managing the disproportionate cost burden being shouldered by those who can least afford it, shoring up reliability and improving our country’s energy resilience. 

Featuring ISO New England's Gordon van Welie, E3's Arne Olson, Shell's Jill Davies, Brookfield Renewable US' Stephen Gallagher, and John Moore, director of the Sustainable FERC Project at the NRDC.

In recent weeks, the nation’s electric power supply has been called into question. Expected extreme weather this summer will drive up demand, and power supplies are increasingly coming from intermittent sources that rely on favorable weather conditions to power the grid. During this episode, we highlight speakers at EPSA’s recent Competitive Power Summit and the solutions they would like to see implemented. Speakers include: Jim Robb, North American Electric Reliability Corporation; Manu Asthana, PJM Interconnection; Thad Hill, Calpine; and Devin Hartman, R Street Institute.

April is Earth Month. How do we address climate change while keeping power flowing at an affordable cost? We talk to Suedeen Kelly, who served three terms at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, about today's big energy policy questions and how competitive power markets can meet new demand from global conflict between Russia and Ukraine, rising costs and inflation, and the push for cleaner electricity. 

For more than two decades, competitive electricity markets and independent power generators have unlocked savings for consumers, enhanced reliability, improved our environment and unleashed energy innovation. But key questions must be addressed to ensure that these benefits continue to advance the energy transition. 

Next week, EPSA will host a day-long summit at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. to discuss critical issues facing competitive power today – and what it means for America’s energy future. In this episode, EPSA staff discuss what attendees can expect and dig into the issues a bit. There's still time to register at www.epsa.org.

As former chair of the Texas Public Utility Commission and eventually the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Pat Wood helped found Texas' competitive power market and introduce competition for electric generation across the United States. In this episode, he shares what it took to break up energy monopolies, the hurdles - including the Enron scandal - faced along the way, and how competitive power markets have delivered savings, choice, and technological transformation over nearly three decades.

In this episode, we look at how leaders on the global stage are addressing climate change. Our guest, Lord Gregory Barker is co-chair of the World Bank's Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition as well as executive chair of the En+ Group. He's optimistic that progress is being made on the drive to decarbonize - and that a price on carbon would really move the needle. Plus, his takeaways from COP 26.

Energy solutions require both political parties to be part of the conversation. In this episode, we talk with Utah Representative John Curtis, a Republican who founded the Conservative Climate Caucus. He shares what approaches to reduce emissions fit a conservative framework, and what's needed to forge consensus - both at home and on a global scale.

As winter approaches, electricity suppliers are working hard to ensure reliable and affordable power is on hand when customers need it. It’s a full team effort, relying on all parts of the energy production, generation and delivery chain. We check in with the Natural Gas Supply Association for the outlook on natural gas supply and prices, which are projected to be slightly higher this year - as well as how to enhance reliable electric service nationwide as we add more clean generation to the grid.

In many parts of the country, regional transmission organizations and independent system operators – RTOs and ISOs – govern the flow of electricity. Many experts say RTOs and ISOs are the foundation to get to where we want to go on climate, cost and energy security. But this episode's guest, Vince Duane, says RTOs may no longer be able to meet today's complex energy challenges. We dig in on what's needed to continue the progress these competitive models have enabled.

Guest: Vince Duane, principal, Copper Monarch, LLC and former senior vice president and general counsel, PJM Interconnection

Americans want reliable, affordable and cleaner electricity. This episode's guest, Dr. Joe Bowring, says if working properly, competitive markets will deliver those goals – but there are a lot of challenges from the pressure to subsidize power plants and new policy goals. He’s the referee – or independent market monitor – for PJM Interconnection, the nation’s largest grid operator and competitive wholesale electricity market. We discuss why subsidies to nuclear plants like those passed in Illinois drive up costs and harm market efficiency, the true impact of the Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) on energy resources in PJM, and how we can better design markets to deliver emissions reductions while keeping costs low and the lights on. 

Can conservatives learn to love climate policy? As more and more Republicans understand the need to reduce emissions, Alex Flint talks to industry and walks the halls of Capitol Hill to find and share ideas that can accelerate decarbonization – without sending America over the fiscal cliff. Hear what matters to conservatives when it comes to improving our environment, economy and energy security – and why competitive market-based solutions like a carbon price will accelerate the energy transition and could gain elusive bipartisan agreement.   

Guest: 

Alex Flint, executive director, Alliance for Market Solutions 

Host: 

Todd Snitchler, president and CEO, Electric Power Supply Association 

With February's Winter Storm Uri power outages in Texas, calls for energy conservation in California, and even threats to system reliability in New England, a changing electric grid, cyber threats and extreme weather events bring new challenges for keeping the lights on and America powered up. Jim Robb, president and CEO of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation joins Energy Solutions to share why the power system is under stress – and why it's time to recommit to reliability as the energy landscape evolves.

Hosted by Todd Snitchler, president and CEO, Electric Power Supply Association

Google, Amazon and Disney are some of America’s largest companies and innovators. They are also some of the largest buyers and users of electricity. That means finding affordable, reliable and cleaner energy is essential to their business success. And they all believe that competitive power markets will help them point their buying power at reducing carbon emissions and putting more renewable energy on the grid. Miranda Ballentine, head of the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance, joins Energy Solutions to explain why these iconic brands are speaking up about power markets – and what they need to buy more clean energy.

How can climate policy support reliable, affordable energy, American business and continued economic growth? New proposals from major U.S. energy and business trade groups show momentum for solutions that balance trade-offs by pointing market competition at decarbonization.

In this episode, we talk with officials from the American Petroleum Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to explore what’s driving their growing climate focus and the possibilities ahead.

The Biden Administration has announced new carbon emissions targets. But what will it take to decarbonize power generation - and the rest of the economy - and how fast can we get there without breaking the bank or the electric grid? 

Is a 100% renewable power system possible and what would it cost? How do we encourage the innovation needed to build the grid of the future? 

E3's Arne Olson shares research on the costs and benefits of various clean energy policy approaches such as carbon pricing or a clean energy standard. Then, you'll hear how the energy development firm Competitive Power Ventures is planning to build and invest in lower-carbon resources while providing cost-effective reliable electricity today.