Podcasts about kleinman center

As renewable power grows, land use decisions will influence its environmental impact. --- Decarbonizing the electric grid will require a dramatic expansion of renewable energy by mid-century, and significantly more land dedicated to clean power. But where and how that buildout occurs will shape whether the environmental benefits of renewables are fully realized or come at a high cost to ecosystems, farmland, and communities. Grace Wu of the Spatial Climate Solutions Lab at UC Santa Barbara and Jonathan Thompson, research director at Harvard Forest, examine the tension between rapid renewable energy expansion and conscientious land use. Wu, who has co-authored recent reports on the environmental impacts of clean energy siting policies, explores strategies for minimizing impacts while ensuring energy remains reliable and affordable. Thompson, whose research quantifies the effects of land use on forest ecosystems, discusses the push-and-pull dynamic unfolding in Massachusetts, where solar development has resulted in real losses of forests and farmland, and where new siting models are emerging. The two also explore how incentives and regulations influence land use decisions, and how policy can reduce land impacts while supporting clean power development. Grace Wu is an assistant professor in the Environmental Studies program at the University of California Santa Barbara and leads the university’s Spatial Climate Solutions Lab. Jonathan Thompson is senior ecologist and research director at Harvard Forest. Related Content Has Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme Take 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/ 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.

As electrical grid operators move to fast-track gas projects, consumer and environmental advocates raise red flags. --- 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. Related Content 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.

Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, chair of global food security research network CGIAR, on adapting agriculture for climate and food security. --- 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). Related Content 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ambitious climate policies may overlook practical constraints. Kleinman Center Visiting Scholar Niall Mac Dowell explores what deliverable paths to net zero might require. --- 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. Related Content 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/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. --- 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. Related Content 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues to reshape the global order, energy security has emerged as a defining challenge for NATO and its allies. From pipeline politics to infrastructure sabotage and disinformation campaigns, the Kremlin has long used energy as a geopolitical weapon to exert influence and destabilize democracies. In response, NATO members and EU states have launched ambitious efforts to decouple from Russian fossil fuels, bolster infrastructure resilience, and reconfigure energy supply chains. Yet key questions persist: Is Europe's shift away from Russian energy a structural transformation or a temporary pivot? How is the transatlantic alliance adapting to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks, sabotage, and narrative manipulation? And as the green transition accelerates, will energy decarbonization open new fault lines—or create lasting strategic resilience? In this episode, Beyond the Headlines examines the evolving nexus of energy, security, and democratic resilience. We speak with two leading experts in transatlantic policy and law to explore how NATO and its partners are responding to a rapidly shifting energy landscape—and how Russia's use of energy as leverage is transforming global politics. Dr. Benjamin L. Schmitt is a Senior Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, where he holds joint appointments with the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, and Perry World House. His work bridges advanced research in experimental cosmology with international policy engagement on energy security, infrastructure resilience, and sanctions regimes. A former European Energy Security Advisor at the U.S. Department of State, Dr. Schmitt led diplomatic efforts to support NATO's eastern flank and counter Russian malign energy activities. He is also a Senior Fellow for Democratic Resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), an Associate of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, and a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Professor Alan Riley is a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe, Natolin, and a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council. A legal expert in European competition, trade, and energy law, he has advised governments, EU institutions, and companies on strategy and regulation surrounding energy infrastructure and security. He currently serves as an energy advisor to the Prime Minister of Moldova and sits on the Advisory Committee of the Energy Community in Vienna, applying EU energy law across Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and the Western Balkans. Professor Riley has written extensively on Nord Stream 2, foreign direct investment policy, and EU antitrust frameworks.  Produced by: Julia Brahy  

Energy Geopolitics in Transition — Dr. Benjamin Schmitt, Senior Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Kleinman Center for Energy Policy by The Wharton Current

Former Republican U.S. congressman Bob Inglis offers a conservative perspective on climate solutions in discussion with Penn climatologist Michael Mann. --- 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. Related Content How Identity Politics Shape U.S. Energy Policy https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/how-identity-politics-shape-u-s-energy-policy/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The European Union’s carbon border tariff arrives in January. An architect of the plan discusses its impact on trade, competition, and climate. --- 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). Related Content 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/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. --- 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). Related Content: California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/californias-low-carbon-fuel-standard/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. --- 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. 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. --- 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. Related Content The Untapped Potential of “Repurposed Energy” https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-untapped-potential-of-repurposed-energy/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two experts discuss the challenge of keeping billions of people cool while minimizing electrical grid and climate impacts. --- 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. Related Content: 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2024 set new records for extreme heat around the world in what is already the warmest decade on record. According to the World Meteorological Organization, sea-level rise and ocean heating are accelerating along with the loss of ice from glaciers. We continue to see extreme weather of all kinds wreak havoc on communities across the world. In spite of the growing disruption, countries continue to miss their self-imposed climate targets. And in November, the U.S. re-elected Donald Trump to the presidency, a move that will almost certainly slow the transition to cleaner forms of energy. And yet, the transition continues. As the year winds down, Climate One hosts Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious look back upon recent climate progress and pitfalls and revisit some of our most illuminating interviews of 2024. Guests: Karen Hao, Contributing Writer, The Atlantic Shelley Welton, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Law and Energy Policy, University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy Justin J. Pearson, District 86 State Representative, Tennessee General Assembly Aja Barber, Author, “Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change and Consumerism” Jamie Beard, founder of Project InnerSpace Mitzi Jonelle Tan, Climate Justice Activist Tzeporah Berman, Chair, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty John Morales, Hurricane Specialist, WTVJ NBC6 Miami Rob Bonta, Attorney General of California Emily Raboteau, Author, “Lessons for Survival: Mothering Against ‘the Apocalypse'” Jane Goodall, Ethologist, conservationist Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today for just $5/month. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2024 set new records for extreme heat around the world in what is already the warmest decade on record. According to the World Meteorological Organization, sea-level rise and ocean heating are accelerating along with the loss of ice from glaciers. We continue to see extreme weather of all kinds wreak havoc on communities across the world. In spite of the growing disruption, countries continue to miss their self-imposed climate targets. And in November, the U.S. re-elected Donald Trump to the presidency, a move that will almost certainly slow the transition to cleaner forms of energy. And yet, the transition continues. As the year winds down, Climate One hosts Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious look back upon recent climate progress and pitfalls and revisit some of our most illuminating interviews of 2024. Guests: Karen Hao, Contributing Writer, The Atlantic Shelley Welton, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Law and Energy Policy, University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy Justin J. Pearson, District 86 State Representative, Tennessee General Assembly Aja Barber, Author, “Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change and Consumerism” Jamie Beard, founder of Project InnerSpace Mitzi Jonelle Tan, Climate Justice Activist Tzeporah Berman, Chair, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty John Morales, Hurricane Specialist, WTVJ NBC6 Miami Rob Bonta, Attorney General of California Emily Raboteau, Author, “Lessons for Survival: Mothering Against ‘the Apocalypse'” Jane Goodall, Ethologist, conservationist Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today for just $5/month. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. --- 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. Related Content 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/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Byzantine governance structures and vested interests are slowing the greening of the U.S. electrical grid. Two grid policy experts discuss paths forward. --- 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. Related Content: The Key to Electric Grid Reliability: Modernizing Governance https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-key-to-electric-grid-reliability-modernizing-governance/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carnot Prize recipient Jacqueline Patterson explores how the clean energy transition can drive meaningful progress toward energy and climate justice. --- 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. Related Content Beyond Labor: The Expanding Scope of the Just Energy Transition https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/beyond-labor-the-expanding-scope-of-the-just-energy-transition/ Should ‘Energy Hogs' Shoulder More of the Utility Cost Burden? 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/   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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

California has the highest gas prices in the continental United States, but they are set to rise by at least 50 cents a gallon in 2025 thanks entirely to new regulations approved by the Democratic Party that controls the state. These regulations may be intended to reduce carbon emissions, but thanks to the refusal of California drivers to give up their increasingly expensive cars, importing fuel into the state will most likely raise overall emissions. On Nov. 8, three days after Election Day, the California Air Resources Board, a notionally independent agency whose appointees are controlled by the Democratic Party, is set to vote on stringent new fuel standards and apply them next year. CARB estimated this year that regulations similar to the ones being voted on Friday would raise the price of gas by 47 cents a gallon in 2025. The University of Pennsylvania's Kleinman Center for Energy Policy did its own analysis of CARB's new regulations and found that a price hike of 65 cents per gallon was more likely.

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. --- 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. Related Content 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 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Virtual power plants can help electric grid operators address supply shortages and reliability concerns, but policy support is needed. --- 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. Related Content: 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/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. --- 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. Related Content The Untapped Potential of ‘Repurposed Energy' https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-untapped-potential-of-repurposed-energy/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nvidia's director of accelerated computing, and a UPenn expert in AI and datacenters, explain why AI uses so much energy, and how its energy appetite might be curbed.---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. Related ContentShould ‘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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time-of-use electricity rates can save consumers money and optimize renewable power. But they can backfire if not carefully designed. --- 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Related Content 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.

The nation's electric grid needs to be expanded and made more reliable for our future energy demands and climate forecasts. The way we've built transmission in the past — regionally siloed with short term planning — is now suffering from reliability and capacity issues and won't work for the next century. The Department of Energy is drafting plans for national transmission corridors to help speed new construction. It's also handing out funds to build new lines and upgrade existing infrastructure to increase capacity. Meanwhile, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently passed a rule requiring utilities to work together and take a longer view on planning their transmission needs. But it will still take years to accomplish these changes. Can we build a robust national transmission system that serves our decarbonized future at the speed we need? Guests: Shelley Welton, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Law and Energy Policy, University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, Department of Energy  Danielle Fidler, Senior Attorney, Clean Energy Program, Earthjustice Pat Wood, CEO, Hunt Energy Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today for just $5/month.

The nation's electric grid needs to be expanded and made more reliable for our future energy demands and climate forecasts. The way we've built transmission in the past — regionally siloed with short term planning — is now suffering from reliability and capacity issues and won't work for the next century. The Department of Energy is drafting plans for national transmission corridors to help speed new construction. It's also handing out funds to build new lines and upgrade existing infrastructure to increase capacity. Meanwhile, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently passed a rule requiring utilities to work together and take a longer view on planning their transmission needs. But it will still take years to accomplish these changes. Can we build a robust national transmission system that serves our decarbonized future at the speed we need? Guests: Shelley Welton, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Law and Energy Policy, University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, Department of Energy  Danielle Fidler, Senior Attorney, Clean Energy Program, Earthjustice Pat Wood, CEO, Hunt Energy Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today for just $5/month.

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. Related Content 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two experts discuss the geopolitical risks of solar geoengineering and the need for global governance frameworks to prevent conflict. --- Solar geoengineering, the deliberate modification of Earth's atmosphere to curb global warming, still seems like science fiction. However, research is progressing rapidly, and geoengineering's potential implementation has drawn the attention of the United States Congress, which has mandated a research plan to explore its human and societal impacts. On the podcast, two experts explore one of the least understood, but potentially weighty societal issues surrounding solar geoengineering, namely the potential for the technology to be the source of geopolitical tension and even war. Scott Moore, Practice Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania, and Craig Martin, a specialist in public international law at Washburn University, discuss their forthcoming research that considers the uneven distribution of benefits and risks that would result from geoengineering, and how this might lead to conflict between countries. They also explore governance frameworks to help manage geopolitical tensions, if and when solar geoengineering is implemented. Scott Moore is Practice Professor of Political Science, and Director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives, at the University of Pennsylvania. Craig Martin is a professor of law at Washburn University who specializes in public international law, in particular law pertaining to armed conflict and climate change. Related Content A New Era of Policy in Solar Geoengineering https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/a-new-era-of-policy-in-solar-geoengineering/ Advancing the Social License for Carbon Management in Achieving Net-Zero GHG https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/advancing-the-social-license-for-carbon-management-in-achieving-net-zero-ghg-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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kleinman Center senior fellow Danny Cullenward examines the integrity, effectiveness, and climate impact of voluntary carbon markets. --- Last year, an investigation by the Guardian and Corporate Accountability found that most of the world's largest carbon dioxide offset projects failed to deliver promised climate benefits. The report is among several questioning the integrity and effectiveness of voluntary carbon offset programs in achieving net-zero emissions and stabilizing global temperatures. In 2023, voluntary offset programs attracted nearly $2 billion from companies aiming to offset emissions from factory operations to air travel. However, the outcome has been a crisis of confidence in these programs. On this podcast, Danny Cullenward, a senior fellow with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, explores the integrity challenges facing voluntary offset markets and their true climate impact. He also examines why governments hesitate to regulate these markets and discusses the role voluntary offsets can and should play in global climate efforts. Danny Cullenward is a climate economist and lawyer, and a senior fellow at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. He also serves as Vice Chair of California's Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee. Related Content 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/ Will Hydrogen Energy Be Clean Energy? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/will-hydrogen-energy-be-clean-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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The EPA's methane rules for the oil and gas industry will depend on new technologies to monitor and verify climate impacts. --- In December the Environmental Protection Agency introduced regulations to limit the amount of methane that escapes into the atmosphere from the oil and gas industry. In theory, the path to reducing emissions should be relatively straightforward. Efforts will focus on stopping the routine venting of methane from wells, and on the plugging of leaks from pipelines and other infrastructure. Yet, for the new rules to be effective, emissions will need to be measured across vast and geographically dispersed oil and gas infrastructure. Likewise, data from many different monitoring technologies will need to be reconciled so that efforts to reduce climate impacts can be verified. On the podcast Arvind Ravikumar, co-director of the Energy Emissions Modeling Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, and Kleinman Center Senior Fellow John Quigley explore the new rules governing methane emissions in the U.S., and the technological challenges surrounding compliance. Arvind Ravikumar is co-director of the Energy Emissions Modeling Lab at the University of Texas at Austin. John Quigley is a senior fellow at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy and former secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Related Content Can the Global LNG Market Support U.S. Export Ambitions? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/can-the-global-lng-market-support-u-s-export-ambitions/ 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/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Natural gas market expert Anne-Sophie Corbeau explores the global outlook for LNG demand, and the potential for this demand to support the rapid expansion of U.S. LNG export capacity. --- The United States emerged as the leading global exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2023, surpassing long-standing leaders Qatar and Australia. Looking ahead, U.S. LNG exports are projected to double by the end of the decade as new export facilities are developed along the U.S. coastline. This rapid expansion has intensified concerns regarding the environmental and community impacts of extensive LNG export projects. Additionally, the swift development of LNG projects raises questions as to whether the global market for natural gas, often referred to as a “bridge fuel”, will support substantial investment and long-term operation of new LNG projects. Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a global research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, examines the future of global LNG demand and how it may support future supply additions in the U.S. She also discusses the potential for global LNG oversupply and factors that could affect the competitiveness of the U.S. industry in a potentially saturated market. Anne-Sophie Corbeau is a global research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, and a former head of gas analysis at BP. Related Content 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/ Europe Confronts the Reality of Energy System Sabotage https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/europe-confronts-the-reality-of-energy-system-sabotage/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the nation's reliance on natural gas as a fuel for electricity generation has grown, so have reliability challenges. --- Over 40% of U.S. electricity is generated by gas-fired powerplants yet, double the role the fuel played two decades ago. Yet the past few years have exposed risks arising from our growing reliance on gas-fired generation. Major power outages in Texas and the Eastern U.S. have highlighted the fact that gas generators are vulnerable to disruption of the natural gas supply networks that fuel them. And, while the electricity and natural gas systems have become increasingly interdependent, there remains surprisingly limited coordination of the planning, operation, and regulation of the two industries. This fact complicates efforts to address reliability concerns. Seth Blumsack, director of the Center for Energy Law and Policy at Penn State University, discusses the challenge of coordinating the nation's natural gas and electricity systems as gas has become the predominant fuel for generators, and a key balancing resource for intermittent renewable energy. Blumsack explains the growing interdependence of the nation's natural gas and electricity networks, and explores efforts to address reliability concerns through better coordination of the systems. Seth Blumsack is director of the Center for Energy Law and Policy at Penn State University. Related Content The Key to Electric Grid Reliability: Modernizing Governance https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-key-to-electric-grid-reliability-modernizing-governance/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canary Media senior editor Eric Wesoff explains the latest in a history of solar PV trade disputes involving the U.S. and China, and what it could mean for the growth of solar power and domestic solar manufacturing. --- In April, a coalition of U.S. photovoltaics manufacturers petitioned the Department of Commerce to impose anti-dumping tariffs on solar panels from four Southeast Asian countries. The move is the latest in a long history of solar trade disputes involving China and, more recently, Chinese PV manufacturers operating throughout Asia. Canary Media senior editor Eric Wesoff explains the foundations of the latest complaint, and how this case is substantively different from earlier trade disputes including the Auxin Solar case of 2022. He explores the competing priorities of the domestic solar manufacturing industry and solar project developers on the issue of tariffs, and how tensions within the industry create a Catch-22 for the Biden administration as it seeks to grow the solar industry through IRA incentives. Eric Wesoff is senior editor at Canary Media, and former editor in chief at Greentech Media. Related Content California's Solar Equity Challenge https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/californias-solar-equity-challenge/ The Key to Electric Grid Reliability: Modernizing Governance https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-key-to-electric-grid-reliability-modernizing-governance/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kleinman Center visiting scholar Severin Borenstein discusses California's struggle to balance residential solar growth with electricity rate equity. --- California's residential solar market is at a critical inflection point after years of strong growth. Last year the state, which has more rooftop solar than any other, lowered the net metering rate that it pays solar households for the excess electricity that they feed into the electric grid. The policy change contributed to a steep decline in residential rooftop solar installations. This could complicate the state's task of achieving 100% carbon free power in just over 20 years. Yet the reasons behind California's decision to reduce its solar subsidy are complex and reflect growing tensions over the private versus public costs of rooftop solar. These costs are particularly controversial in a state that already has among the highest electricity rates in the country, as well as aggressive targets for home electrification. On the podcast Severin Borenstein, a Kleinman Center visiting scholar and faculty director of the Energy Institute at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, discusses California's residential solar energy policies and the challenge of balancing equity, solar growth, and the pace of electrification. Borenstein also explores the lessons from California's experience that might be applied to other states where rooftop solar power growth is poised to accelerate. Severin Borenstein is a visiting scholar at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy and faculty director of the Energy Institute at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. Related Content Overcoming Economic Barriers to Electrifying Everything (podcast) https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/overcoming-economic-barriers-to-electrifying-everything/ Residential Battery Storage: Reshaping the Way We Do Electricity https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/residential-battery-storage-reshaping-the-way-we-do-electricity/   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.

This week, The Buzz presents a session from our 2024 Climate Change Summit. This panel focuses on how academic institutions contribute to climate change action through research, sustainable practices, and policy advocacy. Speakers will showcase university-led initiatives and their alignment with government efforts to meet national climate goals. Attendees will learn how academic expertise can guide effective climate action, emphasizing the importance of informed government strategies in tackling environmental challenges.Speakers:Jill Thijs (Moderator) - Director of Resilience and Sustainability at NoblisWilliam Hederman - Senior Fellow at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of PennsylvaniaRichard Kauzlarich - Co-Director of the Center for Energy Science and Policy at George Mason UniversityEdward Maibach - Director of the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason UniversityKatie O'Donnell - Program Manager for the Climate and Health Institute at George Washington UniversitySubscribe on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode! For more from ACT-IAC, follow us on LinkedIn or visit http://www.actiac.org.Learn more about membership at https://www.actiac.org/join.Donate to ACT-IAC at https://actiac.org/donate.Intro/Outro Music: Focal Point/Young CommunityCourtesy of Epidemic Sound

An expert in electricity markets explains why market price signals alone will struggle to incentivize adequate investment in the flexible electricity resources needed for future grid reliability. -- In the 1990s the process of deregulation – or restructuring – of the U.S. electricity system began, leading to the introduction of competition to an industry that had for a century been dominated by vertically-integrated utility monopolies. Today, competitive markets produce two-thirds of the electricity consumed in the country. Yet concern has grown that these modern markets may not be up to the task of driving the types of investment needed to ensure that an ample and reliable supply of clean electricity will be available in the future. Kelli Joseph, a senior fellow with the Kleinman Center, offers a deep dive into the theory of competitive electricity markets and the role that market price signals play in driving investment in many parts of the United States. She explores the need to incentivize investment in flexible resources essential to the reliability of a grid that is increasingly reliant on natural gas and renewable generation, and discusses how electricity markets and policy might meet the challenges of the energy transition. Kelli Joseph is a senior fellow with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. Related Content The Key to Electric Grid Reliability: Modernizing Governance https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-key-to-electric-grid-reliability-modernizing-governance/ Coordinated Policy and Targeted Investment for and Orderly and Reliable Energy Transition https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/coordinated-policy-and-targeted-investment-for-an-orderly-and-reliable-energy-transition/ Aligning Clean Energy Policy with Grid Reliability https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/aligning-clean-energy-policy-with-grid-reliability/   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.

In conversation with Patrick Behrer, Research Economist, Development Economics, World Bank How the subtle but significant consequences of a hotter planet have already begun-from lower test scores to higher crime rates-and how we might tackle them today. In Slow Burn, R. Jisung Park draws upon vast amounts of raw data and novel economics to examine the consequences of climate change on an astonishing array of social groups and institutions. An assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, environmental and labor economist he holds positions in the School of Social Policy and Practice and the Wharton School of Business. He has spent more than a decade investigating and writing about economic inequalities and outcomes created by climate change. A Rhodes Scholar, a research affiliate at the Institute of Labor Economics, and a faculty fellow at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, Park has consulted with such organizations as the World Bank and the New York City Departments of Education and Health. Patrick Behrer is an Economist in the Sustainability and Infrastructure team of the World Bank's Development Research Group. Behrer's work focuses on the economics of air pollution, climate change, and climate adaptation. His work has focused on the impacts of air pollution and climate change on human capital formation and the relationship between agriculture and air pollution. His work leverages big data from online and administrative sources and recent advances in satellite remote sensing technology. Prior to joining the World Bank in 2021, he was a post-doctoral fellow at the Center on Food Security and the Environment at Stanford University. He received his Ph.D. in 2020 from Harvard University in Public Policy. Because you love Author Events, please make a donation to keep our podcasts free for everyone. THANK YOU! (recorded 4/17/2024)

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. Related Content 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is finalizing rules that will determine which new clean hydrogen projects will receive the IRA's generous 45V tax incentives, and whether those projects will deliver promised climate benefits. --- The Inflation Reduction Act provides a range of incentives for the development of clean energy resources in the United States. Highest profile among those incentives are hundreds of billions of dollars in tax credits earmarked for new wind and solar power projects. Yet the IRA's most aggressive incentives aren't directed at renewables but at clean hydrogen, which is a fuel that is viewed as crucial to decarbonizing parts of the economy that aren't readily electrified, such as steel making, air travel and shipping. Over the past few months, the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service have been developing rules to define what will qualify as clean hydrogen, and what level of financial incentive hydrogen producers should receive based on the climate impact of the hydrogen they will make. Final rules are expected this year, and will ultimately determine whether clean hydrogen delivers on its climate promise. Danny Cullenward, Vice Chair of California's Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee and a Senior Fellow at the Kleinman Center, explores the climate stakes surrounding the Treasury's 45V hydrogen production tax credit. Cullenward explains the draft clean hydrogen rules, and why certain interests would like to see those guidelines relaxed. He also explores what the final rules might mean for the pace of clean hydrogen growth, and for the ability of clean hydrogen producers to thrive after the incentives expire. Danny Cullenward is a Senior Fellow with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. He is also Vice Chair of California's Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee, and a Research Fellow with the Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy at American University. Related Content 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/ Why the IRA's Carbon Capture Tax Credit Could Increase Greenhouse Emissions (Podcast) https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/why-the-iras-carbon-capture-tax-credit-could-increase-greenhouse-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.

Physical attacks on critical European energy infrastructure have risen since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, threatening energy security and the pace of the low-carbon transition. --- Sabotage of critical energy infrastructure has been on the rise, most prominently in Europe, where multiple attacks have targeted subsea electric transmission cables and natural gas pipelines, including Nordstream, since the start of the war in Ukraine.    These disruptions come at a time of upheaval in the energy system, as nations push forward with the construction of expansive carbon-free energy infrastructure, spanning renewable generation and electric transmission networks. Simultaneously, European countries have raced to develop new LNG import terminals and pipelines to replace natural gas that had been supplied by Russia. Yet, until recently relatively little public attention has been paid to the challenge that physical sabotage presents to energy security and climate goals. Benjamin Schmitt, a senior fellow with the Kleinman Center, explores the daunting task of protecting vast networks of often remote infrastructure from everything from hostile nations to small bands of rogue actors. He also discusses why culprits can be so difficult to identify, and how threats to energy infrastructure might undermine public support for the expansive projects needed to transition to a low-carbon energy system in Europe, the US, and elsewhere. Benjamin Schmitt is a Senior Fellow here at the Kleinman Center whose research has focused on the physical security on the energy system.  Related Content 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/ America's Electric Power Transmission Crisis https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/americas-electric-power-transmission-crisis/   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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local opposition to clean energy projects slows the transition to a low carbon energy system. A legal expert explores how a national policy of “repurposed energy” could speed things up. --- Clean energy infrastructure projects often face opposition from communities where they would be built, a fact that stands in the way of efforts to rapidly lower energy-sector carbon emissions.  Alexandra Klass, a professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, explores how “repurposed energy”, which directs clean energy projects to abandoned fossil fuel sites and marginal agricultural lands, can effectively counter local opposition and accelerate clean energy development.  She also discusses key provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that support the development of clean energy in legacy energy communities, and offers recommendations for policy to support repurposed energy nationwide. Alexandra Klass is the James G. Degnan professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, and a visiting scholar at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy.  Her recent work has focused on repurposed energy and policy recommendations to make it reality.  Related Content A New Era of Policy in Solar Geoengineering  https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/a-new-era-of-policy-in-solar-geoengineering/ Ammonia's Role in a Net-Zero Hydrogen Economy https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/ammonias-role-in-a-net-zero-hydrogen-economy/ The CO2 Transportation Challenge  https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/the-co2-transportation-challenge/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Each fall, the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy hosts a student blog competition, where students from any field of study can showcase their creativity, innovation, and passion for energy policy and sustainability. This year, we welcomed audio submissions, and we're featuring our first-place audio blog here. This year's winner is Benjamin Chen, a junior majoring in economics and minoring in computer science and environmental management. Ben's winning audio blog is titled “Corporate Disclosure Law on Energy Policy”. Benjamin Chen is a junior majoring in economics at the University of Pennsylvania.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A national network of CO2 and biomass transportation infrastructure, spanning pipelines to rail routes, will be needed to support the permanent removal of atmospheric CO2. Can the network be economically built? --- In December the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory published Roads to Removal: Options for Carbon Dioxide Removal in the United States, which explores pathways to permanently remove carbon dioxide from Earth's atmosphere. The report provides a granular, county-by-county look at the potential for atmospheric carbon to be captured and stored across the U.S., and highlights the fact that the best places for carbon to be captured, and stored, are frequently not the same. On the podcast, two report authors explore the need to develop a nationwide, multi-modal transportation network to move carbon dioxide and a related climate commodity, biomass, at scale, and potentially over great distances, to permanent geologic storage sites. Pete Psarras is a research assistant professor in chemical and biomedical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Hélène Pilorgé is a research associate whose work focuses on carbon management. The two explore the geography of carbon removal and storage, the challenging logistics of a future, multi-modal carbon transportation network, and how that network might be most economically built. Pete Psarras is a research assistant professor in chemical and biomedical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and a researcher with the University of Pennsylvania's Clean Energy Conversions Laboratory. Hélène Pilorgé is a research associate with the University of Pennsylvania's Clean Energy Conversions Laboratory. Related Content A New Era of Policy in Solar Geoengineering https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/a-new-era-of-policy-in-solar-geoengineering/ Ammonia's Role in a Net-Zero Hydrogen Economy https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/ammonias-role-in-a-net-zero-hydrogen-economy/ Why the IRA's Carbon Capture Tax Credit Could Increase Greenhouse Emissions (Podcast) https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/why-the-iras-carbon-capture-tax-credit-could-increase-greenhouse-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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cary Coglianese, director of the Penn Program on Regulation, explores AI's potential to help regulators keep pace with energy sector growth and climate-tech innovation. --- The ongoing transition to a cleaner energy system has positive implications for climate, energy security and equity. Yet the same transition poses myriad challenges for regulators, who are faced with an energy system that is more complex and distributed than ever, and where rapid innovation threatens to outpace their ability to tailor rules and effectively monitor compliance among a growing number of regulated entities. Cary Coglianese, director of the Penn Program on Regulation, discusses the role that AI can play in optimizing regulation for an increasingly dynamic and innovative energy sector. Coglianese explores the role that AI might play in the development of rules and in measuring regulatory effectiveness. He also examines challenges related to AI energy consumption and bias that must be addressed if the technology's potential as a regulatory tool is to be realized. Cary Coglianese is director of the Penn Program on Regulation and a professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania. Related Content Gender Baseline Assessment of Energy Compacts https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/gender-baseline-assessment-of-energy-compacts/ How Effective Are Vehicle Exhaust Standards? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/how-effective-are-vehicle-exhaust-standards/   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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ari Peskoe, director of Harvard Law School's Electricity Law Initiative, discusses FERC's pending reforms to the electric transmission development process in the U.S., and legal challenges they'll likely face. Description Nearly two years ago, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission proposed a set of regulatory reforms to speed a much-needed expansion of the nation's network of long distance electric transmission lines. FERC's final rules, which are likely to arrive this year, are expected to substantially update the framework under which transmission lines are planned and paid for, and pave the way for the growth of clean energy. Yet FERC's reforms come at a time when the future of the electric grid has become the focus of fierce partisan debate, and legal challenges to FERC's proposed rules are expected. Ari Peskoe, director of Harvard Law School's Electricity Law Initiative, explores the need for a rapid expansion of the nation's transmission infrastructure, and why the industry's existing framework for transmission development has not been able to deliver the necessary pace of development. He discusses FERC's proposed rules to govern transmission planning and the sharing of transmission costs, and how a final order might endure expected legal challenges. Ari Peskoe is director of Harvard Law School's Electricity Law Initiative. Related Content Aligning Clean Energy Policy with Grid Reliability (podcast) https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/aligning-clean-energy-policy-with-grid-reliability/ Wholesale Electricity Justice https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/wholesale-electricity-justice/  America's Electric Power Transmission Crisis (podcast) https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/americas-electric-power-transmission-crisis/   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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Danny Cullenward | Senior Fellow with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania

New research raises doubt around the climate benefits of the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture and storage for fossil fuel powerplants. --- The Inflation Reduction Act earmarks billions of dollars of incentives for carbon capture and storage from coal and gas-fired powerplants. Ideally, the incentive will provide a path for fossil generators to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as the electric grid transitions to cleaner resources and to net zero. Yet recent research calls into question the climate impact of the IRA's carbon capture tax credit, known as 45Q. The report, co-authored by a former deputy assistant secretary for the Department of Energy's Office of Carbon Management, finds that 45Q could lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions by incentivizing coal and gas generators to extend their working lives and maximize their output. The result could be billions of dollars of taxpayer money spent with no climate benefit. Emily Grubert, report co-author and now an associate professor of sustainable energy policy at the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame, examines the costs and climate impacts of carbon capture and storage under the IRA. Grubert explains how the 45Q tax credit could lead to unintended climate impacts. She also discusses the need for robust review of proposed carbon capture projects, and strong regulatory guardrails, if 45Q and CCS are to deliver climate benefits. Emily Grubert is an associate professor of sustainable energy policy at the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame, and former deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Carbon Management at the U.S. Department of Energy. Related Content Are Those Who Most Benefit from the IRA Aware It Exists?  https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/research-projects/are-those-who-most-benefit-from-the-ira-aware-it-exists-guidance-for-stakeholders-and-policymakers/ What Impact Will the IRA Have on Consumer Energy Costs? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/what-impact-will-the-ira-have-on-consumer-energy-costs/ Agricultural Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act and Beyond https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/news-insights/agricultural-provisions-of-the-inflation-reduction-act-and-beyond/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent electric grid emergencies highlight the need for better communication, and coordination, between energy policymakers and grid operators. --- In early November the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, convened its annual technical conference on the reliability of the electric grid. In most years the conference attracts little attention beyond electricity industry insiders. But recently, and this year in particular, grid reliability has become a focus of national concern following a narrowly avoided, potentially widespread grid outage in the Eastern US last winter. A recent report from the FERC and the nation's grid reliability regulator, NERC, warns that similar outages are increasingly likely this coming winter. At the root of reliability concerns is the energy transition itself, in which fossil fuel powerplants, and coal plants in particular, are rapidly retiring and not being quickly replaced with clean sources of power. Also concerning has been the performance of natural gas-fired generators, a large number of which have failed to operate in severe weather conditions. While these resources can provide reliable electricity supply, they won't do so by simple chance. Detailed and deliberate grid planning, and coordination between the policymakers who set clean energy goals and the grid operators who are responsible for reliability, is essential if future reliability is to be ensured. On the podcast Kelli Joseph, a senior fellow with the KIeinman Center for Energy Policy, explores this disconnect between electricity policy and reliability. She also discusses the nation's looming challenges to grid reliability and resilience, and how coordination between policymakers and the operators of the electric grid might be achieved. Kelli Joseph is a senior fellow with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, and a senior fellow in electricity market design and clean energy transition with the World Resources Institute. Related Content Ammonia's Role in a Net-Zero Hydrogen Economy https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/ammonias-role-in-a-net-zero-hydrogen-economy/ Energy Transition Puts Grid Reliability to the Test (Podcast) https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/energy-transition-puts-grid-reliability-to-the-test/ The Net-Zero Governance Conveyor Belt https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-net-zero-governance-conveyor-belt/   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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brazilian economist and IPCC lead author Roberto Schaeffer examines what constitutes a “fair share” of emissions reductions under the Paris climate process, and how fairness is defined. -- This December, at COP 28 in Dubai, countries will consider the results of the first “global stocktake,” which is a global report card that compares real climate commitments and actions with the level that's in fact needed to achieve global net zero and avoid the worst of climate outcomes. Following COP, countries will be expected to intensify their efforts to reduce their climate impacts and keep the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement in sight.  As they consider their future commitments, countries will grapple with their capacity to reduce emissions, whether that level is in fact “fair” in a global sense, and what the climate implications of their efforts may be. Roberto Schaeffer, a professor of energy economics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, explores paths to deliver the dual imperatives of fairness, and maximum carbon reductions, in the global climate context. Schaeffer is a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Reports, and a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize. His work focuses on frameworks to maximize individual country contributions to the global climate effort. Roberto Schaeffer is a professor of energy economics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Related Content The Net Zero Governance Conveyor Belt https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-net-zero-governance-conveyor-belt/ East Meets West: Linking the China and EU ETS's https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/east-meets-west-linking-the-china-and-eu-etss/ 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.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.