Energy Tradeoffs Podcast #29 – Monika Ehrman

Today’s EnergyTradeoffs.com podcast episode has me interviewing the University of Oklahoma’s Monika Ehrman about her research on “Energy Realism & Fossil Fuels.”

Monika describes and criticizes the “keep it in the ground” movement–a coalition that is looking to stop production of oil and gas on federal lands and has now gained support from all of the remaining Democratic candidates for President. She argues that the keep-it-in-the-ground movement is ignoring the economic and geopolitical impacts of cutting off oil and gas production and lays out her theory of energy realism: she argues that the energy industry and the keep-it-in-the ground movement could both benefit from more careful assessment of the science and math supporting both the economic necessity and climate risks of fossil fuel production. My recent op-ed supporting sustainable oil development rather than simple bans also supports this vision of energy policy.

The discussion builds on Monika’s recent article, “A Call for Energy Realism:  When Immanual Kant Met the ‘Keep It In the Ground’ Movement,” which was published last year in the Utah Law Review, and Monika described earlier in a guest blog here at EnergyLawProf.com.

The Energy Tradeoffs Podcast can be found at the following links: 
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Energy Tradeoffs Podcast #25 – Victoria Mandell

Another week, another EnergyTradeoffs.com podcast episode. This week, Victoria Mandell of GRID Alternatives talks with the University of Colorado’s  Sharon Jacobs about Victoria’s work on “Energy Poverty, Energy Burden and Rooftop Solar.”

Victoria and Sharon talk about why some policies that favor rooftop solar are regressive: “You have low income customers paying for high income customers to have solar on their roofs.” Victoria explains the complex interactions between equity, efficiency, and environmental goals in adding more solar energy to the grid.

Victoria has published some of her thoughts on energy poverty, rooftop solar, and the Colorado Public Utility Commission in this brief post: “Environmental and Economic Justice in Distributed Solar Energy Investment.”

The Energy Tradeoffs Podcast can be found at the following links: 
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Energy Tradeoffs Podcast #14 – Dana Harmon

This week’s EnergyTradeoffs.com podcast features the University of Texas’s David Spence interviewing Dana Harmon about her work on “Energy Poverty and the Green Transition.”

Dana describes the challenges of ensuring that low-income consumers have access to reliable energy at affordable prices. Dana and David discuss how to address these challenges as energy markets transition toward cleaner power sources, electrified transport, and increased reliance on distributed generation.

Dana is the Executive Director of the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute, which seeks to improve energy services for low-income communities and reduce the burden of paying for energy.

The Energy Tradeoffs Podcast can be found at the following links: Apple | Google

Energy Tradeoffs Podcast #7 – Michael Wara

In this week’s EnergyTradeoffs.com podcast interview, Stanford’s Michael Wara talks with David Spence about his research on “California’s Energy Transition—Decarbonization & Decentralization.”

Michael discusses the necessary tradeoffs in meeting California’s varied goals for its energy grid: the challenges of moving away from gas power plants and increasing rooftop solar and different ways to meet those challenges while limiting the costs borne by low-income ratepayers.

The interview builds on Michael’s 2017 article in the NYU Environmental Law Journal, which is titled “Competition at the Grid Edge:  Innovation and Antitrust in the Electricity Sector.” 

The Energy Tradeoffs Podcast can be found at the following links: 
Apple | Google