In 2018, Xcel Energy became the first electric company in the United States to announce a vision to be carbon-free by 2050, including a goal of reducing emissions by 80% by 2030. How has the company supported its workforce through this clean energy transition, including workers from retired coal plants? What is Xcel Energy doing to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion within its workforce? And how is the company keeping customer needs and expectations at the heart of its strategy? Ben Fowke, Executive Chairman of Xcel Energy and former EEI Chairman, joins this episode of the Electric Perspectives Global Circuit, recorded in October 2021.

The Global Circuit is brought to you by EEI International Programs as part of EEI’s Electric Perspectives podcast. For more information about EEI International Programs, visit www.eei.org/international 

The National Electric Highway Coalition (NEHC) is a collaboration among electric companies that are committed to providing electric vehicle (EV) fast charging stations that will allow the public to drive EVs with confidence along major U.S. travel corridors by the end of 2023. The NEHC is the largest such alliance of electric companies that have organized around the common goal of deploying EV fast charging infrastructure to support the growing number of EVs and to help ensure that the transition to EVs is seamless for drivers.

In this episode, Kellen Schefter, EEI’s director of electric transportation, joins Matt Forck, vice president of federal legislative affairs, Ameren, and Phil Dion, vice president and chief customer officer, American Electric Power, to discuss how the NEHC will work to achieve its goal of filling infrastructure gaps along major U.S. transportation corridors, the need to support the growth of EVs across the country, and more. Forck and Dion are two of the industry leaders who helped to spearhead the development and merger of the initial regional coalitions. Learn more about the NEHC at: http://www.electrichighwaycoalition.org/

As countries continue to develop and implement climate policy after COP26, how can we consider the complex, interconnected nature of our global systems in order to drive more effective change? What is the role of business leaders, governments, and citizens in the transition to a clean energy economy? And what are some of the disruptions or unexpected consequences of the energy transition? Dr. Roland Kupers, author of A Climate Policy Revolution: What the Science of Complexity Reveals About Saving Our Planet, joins this episode of the Electric Perspectives Global Circuit, recorded in January 2021.

The Global Circuit is brought to you by EEI International Programs as part of EEI’s Electric Perspectives podcast. For more information about EEI International Programs, visit www.eei.org/international

On this show, we are joined by UUAS Executive Director Monica Martinez and UUAS Founder and Executive Committee Chair Jared Lawrence, who also serves as the Vice President of Revenue Services and Metering at Duke Energy, to discuss the telltale signs of a utility scam, how these scams are growing more sophisticated, and more. 

For more information, visit utilitiesunited.org.

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) – more commonly known as drones – are increasingly helpful tools that support a range of electric company operations, including power line and power plant inspections, power restoration and recovery efforts, and much more.  

On this episode of Electric Perspectives, EEI’s Emily Fisher is joined by Eric Schwartz, Manager of Technology and Innovation at Florida Power and Light, and Eileen Lockhart, UAS Program Manager at Xcel Energy, to discuss the sky-high potential of drones in the industry to contribute to safety, efficiency, and resilience and the steps needed to fully realize that potential. 

The electric power industry has a long history of serving communities around the world, innovating business practices as technology evolves, and sharing lessons learned with the international community. What have electric companies learned from recent extreme weather events? How can we increase access to affordable and reliable electricity around the world? And what are some potential barriers to the net zero goals being set by countries and companies as we approach COP26? Nick Akins, Chairman, President, and CEO of American Electric Power, joins this episode of the Electric Perspectives Global Circuit, recorded in September 2021.

The Global Circuit is brought to you by EEI International Programs as part of EEI’s Electric Perspectives podcast. For more information about EEI International Programs, visit www.eei.org/international

This week is National Drive Electric Week, and we are highlighting the substantial investments America’s electric companies are making in customer programs and charging infrastructure to accelerate electric transportation and the adoption of electric vehicles. 

On this episode of Electric Perspectives, EEI’s Director of Electric Transportation Kellen Schefter is joined by Kate Staples, Manager of Electrification at Dominion Energy; Dan Francis, Director of Customer Solutions and Policy at American Electric Power; and Matt Forck, Vice President of Community, Economic Development, and Energy Solutions at Ameren, to discuss how electric vehicles are driving the clean energy transformation while providing benefits to customers and the environment.