Successfully Managing the Growth of Renewables with Elliot Mainzer, CEO of CAISO

This is our last podcast of 2024! We will be back in the new year with a look back at 2024 and the energy themes we will be watching in 2025.

For the last podcast of the year, we welcome Elliot Mainzer, President & Chief Executive Officer, California Independent System Operator (CAISO).

California has integrated a large share of renewables into its electricity supply. As of 2023, almost 50% of California’s power generation came from renewables. Renewable power generation includes solar (19%), hydro (15%), wind (6%), geothermal (5%), and biomass (2%). 

Jackie and Peter asked Elliot: What is your expectation for future renewables growth? What is the future of natural gas generation?  Is transmission able to keep up with the addition of new power supply? Do you expect changes under the Trump administration could speed up the permitting for new transmission projects?  Are you concerned about the pace of demand growth and what is driving the acceleration?   Is it fair to say that high renewables penetration has caused California to have expensive power prices?  Alberta is making market changes to address the growth of renewables; how did California address these issues with market design in a way that continued to create a compelling investment opportunity for renewables?  How much electricity does California currently receive from Alberta and British Columbia?

Content referenced in this podcast:

• Statement from CanREA on concerns about punitive market and transmission changes in Alberta, including a link to a Direction Letter from Minister Nathan Neudorf (December 10, 2024)
• Opinion: Alberta needs solar and wind to meet demand by Vittoria Bellissimo and Evan Wilson, December 12, 2024
• 2023 Total System Electric Generation for California (California Energy Commission) 

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