Catherine Hausman, an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan, dives deep into the complexities of electricity transmission costs and their environmental impact. She reveals how insufficient transmission infrastructure affects renewable energy deployment in the Midwest, leading to increased consumer prices and emissions. Hausman discusses the power dynamics of companies potentially losing revenue from new transmission lines and their influence on policies that hinder progress. The conversation is both enlightening and engaging, sprinkled with whimsical book recommendations and lighthearted debates.
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insights INSIGHT
Transmission and Emissions
Building more transmission lines is crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Renewable energy sources are often located far from population centers, necessitating transmission.
insights INSIGHT
Cost of Transmission Failures
Failing to build sufficient transmission capacity leads to higher electricity generation costs.
This results in using more expensive power plants and burning more fuel than necessary.
question_answer ANECDOTE
2022 Costs
In 2022, transmission constraints in the central US caused an estimated $2 billion in excess costs.
This was partly due to curtailing wind power and high natural gas prices.
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In 'Project Hail Mary', Ryland Grace, a high school science teacher, awakens on a spaceship with no memory of how he got there or his mission. He soon discovers that he is the sole survivor of a desperate mission to save Earth from a microorganism called the Astrophage, which is threatening to cause a new ice age. As Ryland regains his memories, he encounters an alien named Rocky, and together they work to solve the scientific mystery and save their respective home planets. The story blends science, humor, and heart, exploring themes of survival, discovery, and unlikely friendships[1][3][5].
Dog Man
A Tale of Two Kitties
Dav Pilkey
Golden Hill
Francis Spufford
Francis Spufford's "Golden Hill" is a historical fiction novel set in 18th-century New York. The story follows a mysterious Englishman who arrives in the city with a large sum of money and a secret past. He navigates the complexities of colonial society, encountering diverse characters and engaging in various schemes. The novel explores themes of identity, ambition, and the moral ambiguities of the era. Spufford's writing is known for its wit and sharp observations of human nature.
In this week’s episode, host Daniel Raimi talks with Catherine Hausman, an associate professor at the University of Michigan, about the costs of not building new electricity transmission lines, particularly in the Midwestern United States. Hausman discusses the benefits of additional electricity transmission for consumer electricity prices, emissions reductions, and electrification of the economy; the companies that may gain or lose revenue if more transmission is built; and how companies that stand to lose revenue from more transmission are preventing the construction of new transmission.
References and recommendations:
“Power Flows: Transmission Lines, Allocative Efficiency, and Corporate Profits” by Catherine Hausman; https://www.nber.org/papers/w32091
“Transmission Impossible? Prospects for Decarbonizing the US Grid” by Lucas W. Davis, Catherine Hausman, and Nancy L. Rose; https://www.nber.org/papers/w31377
“Dog Man” books; https://pilkey.com/series/dog-man
“Golden Hill: A Novel of Old New York” by Francis Spufford; https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Golden-Hill/Francis-Spufford/9781501163883
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir; https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/611060/project-hail-mary-by-andy-weir/
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