United States Energy Association
United States Energy Association
The USEA Power Sector Podcast is bringing new voices and new ideas to key energy system conversations in 15-minute interviews targeting urgently needed solutions. Topics will range from when, where, and how generation and transmission should be expanded to what resources and technologies are needed to ensure distribution systems remain reliable.
USEA's Global Briefing series promotes international voices and ideas in the Energy Sector.
Subscribe for exclusive content and early access to episodes: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/us-energy-association/subscribe
USEA's Global Briefing series promotes international voices and ideas in the Energy Sector.
Subscribe for exclusive content and early access to episodes: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/us-energy-association/subscribe
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 24, 2024 • 15min
USEA Power Sector Podcast Episode 12: Former FERC Chair Jon Wellinghoff on Western Regionalization
In today’s USEA Power Sector Podcast, former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chair Jon Wellinghoff faced questions from journalist Herman K. Trabish about the importance and challenges in developing a Western regional transmission system and electricity market. The discussion covered efforts by the Southwest Power Pool and the California Independent System Operator to move from real-time markets to day-ahead markets in anticipation of full regionalization.
Jan 10, 2024 • 18min
USEA Power Sector Podcast Episode 11: Transmission Insights & FERC Order 2023
In today’s USEA Power Sector Podcast, former FERC Chair Neil Chatterjee answered questions by journalist Herman K. Trabish about expected impacts of the just-passed FERC Order 2023 to streamline transmission interconnection queues and about his expectations for FERC’s major initiative to improve regulatory guidelines governing regional transmission planning.
Jan 3, 2024 • 20min
USEA Power Sector Podcast Episode 10: Discussing Catch-22 for New Transmission Developers in California
In episode 10 of the United States Energy Association Power Sector Podcast, Three Rivers Energy Development Co-Founder Robert Mitchell, an electric transmission development pioneer, answered questions about Three Rivers’ proposed Pacific Transmission Expansion Project. He described how regulatory complexities have delayed a 2,000 MW, high-voltage, subsea transmission line that could deliver enormous offshore wind and solar resources to Los Angeles and other demand centers.
Dec 27, 2023 • 16min
USEA Power Sector Podcast Episode 9: DOE on H2 hubs
In episode 9 of the USEA Power Sector Podcast, Department of Energy, Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, Hydrogen Hubs Program Manager Crystal Farmer faced questions from journalist Herman K. Trabish about the department’s $7 billion dollar funding of clean hydrogeh hubs across the country. Farmer explained what DOE expects from its investments and how it will monitor the hubs to ensure the emergence of an emissions-free hydrogen marketplace.
Dec 20, 2023 • 16min
USEA Power Sector Podcast Episode 8: Rethinking Utility Returns on Equity to Align Utilities with Policy Goals
In episode 8 of the USEA Power Sector Podcast, Regulatory Assistance Project Senior Associate Mark LeBel faced questions from journalist Herman K. Trabish about a new paper describing performance-based regulation, a new utility business model that links compensation with how successfully utilities achieve policy goals while protecting utility financial integrity.
Dec 13, 2023 • 19min
USEA Power Sector Podcast Episode 7: How Xcel Can Reliably Reduce Reliance on Fossil Fuels
In episode 7 of the USEA Power System Podcast, Xcel Energy Vice President Alice Jackson faced questions from journalist Herman K. Trabish about how Xcel plans to reliably reduce use of traditional resources and and introduce new technologies and data analytics to meet growing electrification loads and spiking demand peaks with the resources of a 21st Century power sector.
Dec 6, 2023 • 17min
USEA Power Sector Podcast Episode 6: New Approaches to Address the Growing Use of Electricity in Buildings & How to Protect Power System Reliability & Affordability
In episode 6 of the USEA Power Sector Podcast, Brattle Group Principal Ryan Hledik faced questions from journalist Herman K. Trabish about new approaches to address the growing use of electricity in buildings. He described research in a new Department of Energy paper that shows integrating flexible distributed energy resources and energy efficiency into power system operations can affordably protect reliability without using fossil fuels.
Nov 29, 2023 • 18min
USEA Power Sector Podcast Episode 5: Why Virtual Power Plants Can Replace Natural Gas Peaker Plants
In episode 5 of the USEA Power Sector Podcast, Department of Energy Loan Programs Office Senior Advisor Jen Downing, the lead author on DOE’s just-released Virtual Power Plant, or VPP, “Liftoff Paper”, faces questions from journalist Herman K. Trabish on how VPPs composed of aggregated customer-owned distributed energy resources can replace natural gas peaker plants in protecting power system reliability during growing late afternoon and evening demand spikes and reward electricity customers for participating.
Nov 22, 2023 • 16min
USEA Power Sector Podcast Episode 4: Reliability with High Variable Renewables Penetrations
In episode 4 of the USEA Power Sector Podcast, Rocky Mountain Institute Co-founder and Chair Emeritus Amory Lovins, often called the Einstein of energy efficiency and one of the power sector’s most distinguished voices, now a member of the Stanford University faculty, faces questions from journalist Herman K. Trabish on how distributed energy resources and energy efficiency can reliably replace natural gas in the U.S. power mix.
Nov 16, 2023 • 19min
USEA Power Sector Podcast Episode 3: The Challenge of EV Charger Deployment and the Utility Role
In Episode 3 of the USEA Power Sector Podcast, Alliance for Transportation Electrification Executive Director Phil Jones faces questions from journalist Herman K. Trabish. He explains how fast rising electric vehicle penetrations are driving a too-slowly growing deployment of well-maintained charging facilities and why the opportunity to install chargers must be opened to more providers, including the nation’s electric utilities, and more viable business models.
