es Vienna 25/09/22
Our westernmost AEJ member Llewellyn King is moderating an online discussion on September 30 which might, should interest us. He writes:
Dear Friends,
Study after study finds that the United States must double its electricity production by 2050 in order to meet the surging demand for electricity in transportation. The anticipated load is for surface vehicles, but the aviation industry is looking at electric flight.
The National Academy of Sciences says that production must increase 170 percent by 2050 without taking any fossil fuel generation offline.
Already, signs of stress are evident. Texas flirted with blackouts this summer when ERCOT came close to demand exceeding supply. California, which is banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, also squeaked through this summer with help from its consumers.
This winter, New England will be squeezed with high gas prices and possible electricity shortages.
The Biden administration wants the electric utility industry to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 — a seemingly impossible task as coal and natural gas still account for over 50 percent of our generation, with coal at 22 percent and natural gas at 38 percent, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Can we seriously think about phasing out these fuels, especially natural gas?
To look at electric utilities and the 2050 dilemma, the United States Energy Association will hold a press briefing on Zoom on Sept. 30, 2022 at 11 a.m. Eastern Time.
The format, as with previous USEA virtual press briefings, will consist of a panel of experts taking questions from a panel of senior reporters. I organize and moderate these press briefings, and USEA Acting Executive Director Sheila Hollis gives welcoming and closing remarks.
Experts:
Jigar Shah, Director, Loan Programs Office, DOE
Robert Rowe, President, Northwestern Energy
Matthew Lind, Director, 1898 & Co., part of Burns and McDonnell
David Naylor, President, Rayburn Country Electric Cooperative
Jim Matheson, President, NRECA
Reporters:
Jennifer Hiller, The Wall Street Journal
Matt Chester, Energy Central
Robert Bolton, Utility Dive
Ken Silverstein, Forbes
Rod Kuckro, Freelance
The general audience can submit questions using the Zoom Q&A function, but those from the media will be given preference. A recording of the briefing will be available on https://usea.org
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/
Cheers, Llewellyn
Executive Producer and Host, “White House Chronicle” on PBS; Contributor, InsideSources, Forbes; Commentator, SiriusXM Radio
Email: [email protected]
Website: whchronicle.com