Energy Policy Now

Carnot Prize recipient Jacqueline Patterson explores how the clean energy transition can drive meaningful progress toward energy and climate justice.

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In 2009 Jacqueline Patterson became the founding director of the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program. It was a role that Patterson, who’s this year’s recipient of the Kleinman Center’s Carnot Prize, had expected to be short lived: she’d stay on just long enough to get the program underway.

By the time she did move on 12 years later, she had made significant progress in raising understanding of the connection between environmental damage and the lived experience in some of this country’s most impoverished and vulnerable communities. As an advocate for climate justice, she has worked to address the fact that environmental damage increases the economic and health burdens on disadvantaged communities, and makes it more challenging to break the cycle of poverty and marginalization.

Today Patterson serves as the executive director of The Chisholm Legacy Project, where her work empowers communities of color on the front lines of climate change, ensuring they have the resources, tools, and leadership to amplify their voices in policymaking. Her efforts focus on making the clean energy transition a genuine opportunity for justice and equity.

Jacqueline Patterson is executive director of The Chisholm Legacy Project and the 2024 recipient of the Kleinman Center’s Carnot Prize for distinguished contributions in the area of energy policy.

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Beyond Labor: The Expanding Scope of the Just Energy Transition https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/beyond-labor-the-expanding-scope-of-the-just-energy-transition/

Should ‘Energy Hogs’ Shoulder More of the Utility Cost Burden? Should ‘Energy Hogs’ Shoulder More of the Utility Cost Burden?  https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/should-energy-hogs-shoulder-more-of-the-utility-cost-burden/

Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu

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Kleinman Center visiting scholar Kirsten Jenkins explores the concept of a just energy transition, and why it must be expanded beyond its labor roots to address broad energy system injustices.

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The term “just transition” has its roots in organized labor movements, and has traditionally referred to the idea that workers in the fossil fuel economy must find security in the green energy economy of the future as well. Yet, increasingly, this understanding of what a just transition entails is viewed as overly narrow, and failing to address broad structural realities in our energy system that, if not addressed, will perpetuate a range of social, environmental, and economic inequalities.

This lack of a common definition extends to the highest levels of the global climate effort, with the United Nations acknowledging that the perception of what a just transition entails varies from country to country, potentially impacting the outcome of just transition efforts at the local level.

Kleinman Center visiting scholar Kirsten Jenkins explores the definition of the term just transition and how varying interpretations of it might limit, or enhance efforts to address broader inequalities that are inherent in our energy system. Jenkins, who is a senior lecturer in energy, environment and society at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, also discusses the need to expand just transition beyond its labor roots to a broader view on justice, and explores policies to put this broader view into practice.

Kirsten Jenkins is a visiting scholar at the Kleinman Center and a senior lecturer in energy, environment, and society within the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

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Closing the Climate Finance Gap: A Proposal for a New Green Investment Protocol https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/closing-the-climate-finance-gap-a-proposal-for-a-new-green-investment-protocol/

Climate Action in the Age of Great Power Rivalry: What Geopolitics Means for the Climate https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/climate-action-in-the-age-of-great-power-rivalry-what-geopolitics-means-for-the-climate/

 Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu

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Virtual power plants can help electric grid operators address supply shortages and reliability concerns, but policy support is needed.

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The U.S. electrical grid is under growing stress, raising concern that recent widescale power outages may signal more grid challenges to come. In recent years, electricity demand has grown at an accelerating pace while, at the same time, power supply has tightened as existing power plants have retired and grid operators have struggled to bring new sources of power online.

Yet one promising solution to the grid’s challenges may already be in place, if grid operators and regulators can figure out how to use it to full advantage. ‘Virtual power plants’ can combine small, distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar and demand response into a single, virtual whole that grid operators can deploy like a traditional powerplant. VPPs hold the promise of delivering large amounts of readily available and reliable energy services, if a number of regulatory and technological challenges can be overcome.

On the podcast Ryan Hledik, a principal with electricity market consultancy The Brattle Group, explores the potential of virtual power plants. He explains how VPPs work, discusses hurdles to their development, and considers policy solutions to speed their growth.

Ryan Hledik is a principal with electricity market consultancy The Brattle Group.

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Closing the Climate Finance Gap: A Proposal for a New Green Investment Protocol https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/closing-the-climate-finance-gap-a-proposal-for-a-new-green-investment-protocol/

The Untapped Potential of “Repurposed Energy” https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-untapped-potential-of-repurposed-energy/

Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Spence explores the rise of identity politics in the U.S. and how it has fueled bitter partisanship over the transition to clean energy.

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Throughout American history, opposing political parties have at times set aside their differences to create “republican moments”— periods of bold, bipartisan action to address critical challenges. 

Today, such moments may seem unlikely, yet the need for collective action remains urgent. This is particularly true for accelerating the transition to a low-carbon energy system and tackling climate change.

On the podcast, David Spence of The University of Texas School of Law discusses his new book, Climate of Contempt, which explores the roots of the current political divide in this country, and how that divide has manifested in the politics of energy. Spence examines the growth of identity politics in the U.S., how even the best-intentioned of actors can stoke partisan flames, and opportunities to re-establish bipartisan dialogue to advance the clean energy transition.

David Spence is the Rex G. Baker Centennial Chair in Natural Resources Law at The University of Texas at Austin.

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The Untapped Potential of ‘Repurposed Energy’ https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-untapped-potential-of-repurposed-energy/

Comparing the 2024 Presidential Candidates’ Energy Agendas

https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/news-insights/comparing-the-2024-presidential-candidates-energy-agendas/

Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nvidia’s director of accelerated computing, and a Penn expert in AI and datacenters, explain why AI uses so much energy, and how its energy appetite might be curbed.
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Artificial Intelligence is taking off. In just under two years since the introduction of Chat GPT, the first popular AI chatbot, the global number of AI bot users has grown to one and a half billion. Yet, for the U.S. electricity grid, AI’s dramatic growth could not have come at a more challenging time. AI is energy-intensive, and its expansion is putting additional strain on an already burdened grid that’s struggling to keep pace with rising electricity demand in many regions. In addition, AI’s energy demands complicate efforts to decarbonize the grid as more electricity – generated with a mixture of carbon-free and fossil fuels – is required to support its growth. 

The podcast explores the challenges AI presents to the power grid with Dion Harris, Director of Accelerated Computing at Nvidia, and Benjamin Lee, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Pennsylvania. The two explain how and why AI leads to increased electricity use and explore strategies to limit AI’s energy impact.

Dion Harris is director of accelerated computing at Nvidia.

Benjamin Lee is a professor of electrical and systems engineering, and of computer and information Science, at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a visiting researcher at Google’s Global Infrastructure Group.

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Should ‘Energy Hogs’ Shoulder More of the Utility Cost Burden? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/should-energy-hogs-shoulder-more-of-the-utility-cost-burden/ 
Plugging Carbon Leaks with the European Union’s New Policy https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/plugging-carbon-leaks-with-the-european-unions-new-policy/

Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time-of-use electricity rates can save consumers money and optimize renewable power. But they can backfire if not carefully designed.

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A notable feature of the U.S. electricity system is the disconnect between the cost of generating electricity and the prices most consumers pay for power at any given time. Flat-rate pricing, where consumers pay the same rate for power regardless of demand, discourages efficient electricity use, leading to increased strain on the grid. As concerns about reliability, cost, and climate impacts grow, efficient electricity use is more important than ever.

Kleinman Center Faculty Fellow Arthur van Benthem explores time-varying electricity rates, where prices change with demand, as an alternative to flat rate pricing. Van Benthem, a co-author of new research on the topic explains the potential of time-varying pricing to reduce grid costs and enhance renewable energy. He also explores the potential downside to such rates, which can fail to deliver expected benefits or even backfire if not designed with a focus on simplicity and usability.

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Should ‘Energy Hogs’ Shoulder More of the Utility Cost Burden? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/should-energy-hogs-shoulder-more-of-the-utility-cost-burden/

How Can We Improve the Efficiency of Electricity Pricing Systems? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/how-can-we-improve-the-efficiency-of-electricity-pricing-systems/

Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the month of August, we’re highlighting episodes from the 2023-2024 season of Energy Policy Now. We’ll be back with new content, and a new season, on September the 10th.

Climatologist Michael Mann discusses his new book on Earth’s climate past, with insights into our climate future.

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(This episode was recorded on September 14, 2023)

Renowned Penn climatologist Michael Mann’s latest book, “Our Fragile Moment,” explores the history of climate change and the lessons it can provide into the trajectory of climate change today. The book is Mann’s response to the phenomenon of “climate doomism” which, Mann writes, misrepresents the paleoclimate record to promote climate inaction. In the book, Mann seeks to set the paleoclimate record straight, and discusses how human agency remains our greatest tool in preventing the worst impacts of climate change.

Michael Mann is Presidential Distinguished Professor in the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Earth and Environmental Science, and director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media. He is also a Faculty Fellow at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy.

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The Net-Zero Governance Conveyor Belt https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-net-zero-governance-conveyor-belt/  

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Accelerating Climate Action https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/accelerating-climate-action/  

Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the month of August, we’re highlighting episodes from the 2023-2024 season of Energy Policy Now. We’ll be back with new content, and a new season, on September the 10th.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse discusses the prospects for bipartisan U.S. carbon border fee legislation, and the need to protect the Biden administration’s clean energy and climate achievements.

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(This episode was recorded on March 15, 2024, during Penn Energy Week)

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has a reputation as an advocate for strong climate policies in Congress. The Rhode Island Democrat gained national attention over a decade ago when he gave the first of more than 290 “Time to Wake Up” climate speeches to date on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Many of the speeches were delivered at times when the prospects were bleak for significant leadership from Washington on climate and clean energy issues.

Yet the past three years have been very different. Through the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and, most pointedly, the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress has made concrete steps to grow domestic clean energy and improve the nation’s climate resilience. Recently, Senator Whitehouse reintroduced a bill that would levy the first carbon border fee on goods imported to the U.S., and effectively reward American industry for its leadership in energy efficiency and emissions reductions.

On the podcast, Whitehouse discusses his plan for a carbon border adjustment. He also considers an upcoming election that will prove critical for continued progress, and that could jeopardize the full realization of recently passed energy and climate laws and the fate of the Biden administration’s related regulatory accomplishments.

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Advancing the Social License for Carbon Management in Achieving Net-Zero GHG Emissions https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/advancing-the-social-license-for-carbon-management-in-achieving-net-zero-ghg-emissions/

Coordinated Policy and Targeted Investment for an Orderly and Reliable Energy Transition https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/coordinated-policy-and-targeted-investment-for-an-orderly-and-reliable-energy-transition/  

Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two experts discuss the geopolitical risks of solar geoengineering and the need for global governance frameworks to prevent conflict.
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Solar geoengineering, the deliberate modification of Earth’s atmosphere to curb global warming, still seems like science fiction. However, research is progressing rapidly, and geoengineering’s potential implementation has drawn the attention of the United States Congress, which has mandated a research plan to explore its human and societal impacts.

On the podcast, two experts explore one of the least understood, but potentially weighty societal issues surrounding solar geoengineering, namely the potential for the technology to be the source of geopolitical tension and even war.

Scott Moore, Practice Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania, and Craig Martin, a specialist in public international law at Washburn University, discuss their forthcoming research that considers the uneven distribution of benefits and risks that would result from geoengineering, and how this might lead to conflict between countries. They also explore governance frameworks to help manage geopolitical tensions, if and when solar geoengineering is implemented.

Scott Moore is Practice Professor of Political Science, and Director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives, at the University of Pennsylvania.

Craig Martin is a professor of law at Washburn University who specializes in public international law, in particular law pertaining to armed conflict and climate change.

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Advancing the Social License for Carbon Management in Achieving Net-Zero GHG https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/advancing-the-social-license-for-carbon-management-in-achieving-net-zero-ghg-emissions/

Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kleinman Center senior fellow Danny Cullenward examines the integrity, effectiveness, and climate impact of voluntary carbon markets.
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Last year, an investigation by the Guardian and Corporate Accountability found that most of the world’s largest carbon dioxide offset projects failed to deliver promised climate benefits. The report is among several questioning the integrity and effectiveness of voluntary carbon offset programs in achieving net-zero emissions and stabilizing global temperatures.

In 2023, voluntary offset programs attracted nearly $2 billion from companies aiming to offset emissions from factory operations to air travel. However, the outcome has been a crisis of confidence in these programs.

On this podcast, Danny Cullenward, a senior fellow with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, explores the integrity challenges facing voluntary offset markets and their true climate impact. He also examines why governments hesitate to regulate these markets and discusses the role voluntary offsets can and should play in global climate efforts.

Danny Cullenward is a climate economist and lawyer, and a senior fellow at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. He also serves as Vice Chair of California’s Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee.

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Will Hydrogen Energy Be Clean Energy? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/podcast/will-hydrogen-energy-be-clean-energy/

Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.