All Conversations
Reliability and Renewables in Competitive Energy Markets (Joshua Macey, Cornell Law School)
Assisstant Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School Joshua Macey Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: June 10, 2019 Keywords: Capacity Markets, RMR Agreements, Federal Power Act, Marginal Costs “Energy market prices have declined 30-50% since 2006....
The Politics of Technology Transitions (Leah Stokes, University of California at Santa Barbara)
Assistant Professor, in the Department of Political Science, the Environmental Studies Department and the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara Leah Stokes Interviewer: David Spence, Interview Date: June 4,...
Economic Growth, Inequality & Decarbonization (Carey King, University of Texas Energy Institute)
Research Scientist & Assistant Director, University of Texas Energy Institute Carey King Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: May 24, 2019 Keywords: Decarbonization, GDP, Variable Costs, Capitalism, Energy Return on Investment (EROI) "It's not clear...
Fossil Fuels and the Risk Profile of Fracking (Daniel Raimi, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan)
Senior Research Associate, Resources for the Future & Lecturer, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan Daniel Raimi Interviewer: David Spence, Interview Date: May 22, 2019 Keywords: Fracking, Methane Migration, Induced Earthquakes, Shale...
Regional Differences in RTO Governance and Decision-making (Elizabeth Wilson, Irving Center for Energy and Society, Dartmouth University)
Director, Arthur L. Irving Institute for Environment & Society, Professor of Environmental Studies, Dartmouth University Elizabeth Wilson Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: May 16, 2019 Key Terms: RTO/ISO, pumped storage, energy imbalance...
Reliability, Decarbonization & Federal-State Conflict Over Electricity Markets (Ari Peskoe, Harvard Law School)
Director, Harvard Electricity Law Initiative & Lecturer, Harvard Law School Ari Peskoe Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: May 13, 2019 Keywords: Capacity Markets, Clean Energy, Decarbonization, Federal Power Act, Federalism, Nuclear Power, Resource...
The Distributional Impacts of Distributed Energy Resources (Shelley Welton, South Carolina School of Law)
Assistant Professor of Law, Univ. of South Carolina Shelley Welton Interviewer: David Spence, November 2, 2018 “Utilities are raising an important and fundamental question about how we want to fund the massive transition [to a green energy economy]. Net...
Studying Intensive Energy Development (Oil & Gas, Wind and Solar) in West Texas (Melinda Taylor, University of Texas School of Law)
Senior Lecturer, University of Texas School of Law Melinda Taylor Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: April 29, 2019 "Everyone is familiar with the boom of energy expansion in west Texas -- fracking and wind and solar investment. The project we are...
Long-Term Storage Needs, ‘Green Gases,’ and the Energy Transition (Todd Davidson, University of Texas Energy Institute)
Research Associate, University of Texas Energy Institute Todd Davidson Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: April 24, 2019 Keywords: Decarbonization, Energy Storage, Hydrogen Fuel, Intermittent Resources “There are times when it is really not windy, or is...
‘Public’ Utility: Steering Markets Toward Public Ends (William Boyd, UCLA School of Law and Institute of Environment & Sustainability)
Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law, & Professor, UCLA Institute of Environment & Sustainability William Boyd Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: April 18, 2019 Key Terms: Public Utility, Rates, Restructuring, Market-based Pricing “Markets are...
Energy Poverty and the Green Transition (Dana Harmon, Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute)
Executive Director, Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute Dana Harmon Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: 4/16/19 “Only 5% of the people who are eligible for federal energy poverty assistance receive that assistance. There is a need for more and...
The Politics of Siting Energy Infrastructure (David Spence, University of Texas School of Law and McCombs School of Business)
Baker BOtts Chair in law, university of texas school of law Professor of business, government & society, mccombs school of business David Spence Interviewer: Shelley Welton; Interview date: April 10, 2019"In a green transition we are going to build a lot of...
Tinkering with Energy Tradeoffs Online (Joshua Rhodes, University of Texas Energy Institute)
Research Associate, University of Texas Energy Institute Joshua Rhodes Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: 4/10/19 “In this tool we calculated the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for 12 different electricity generation technologies, in all 3,110...
Net Metering & the Value of Distributed Solar Generation (Joel Eisen, University of Richmond School of Law and Shelley Welton, University of South Carolina School of Law)
Professor of Law, Univ. of Richmond Joel Eisen Assistant Professor of Law, Univ. of South Carolina Shelley Welton Interviewer: David Spence, April 4, 2019 “Net metering got adopted because it is a simple policy. I don’t worry a lot about net metering...
Market Solutions to Reliability Challenges in Electricity Markets (Frank Wolak, Program on Energy & Sustainable Development, Stanford University)
Holbrook Working Professor of Commodity Price Studies Director, Program on Energy & Sustainable Development Stanford University Frank Wolak Interviewers: David Spence, Interview date: 4/4/19 Keywords: Energy Storage, Externalities, Intermittent Resources, Price...
Maintaining Reliability in a Distributed Energy World (Amy Stein, University of Florida Levin College of Law)
Professor of Law, University of florida Levin college of Law Amy Stein Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: March 2019 Keywords: Energy Storage, Demand Response, Transaction Cost Framework, Monopoly Control Utility, Regional Transmission Organization...
Modeling the Evolution of a Greener Grid (David Adelman, University of Texas School of Law)
Harry reasoner regents chair in law, University of Texas school of Law David Adelman Interviewer: Joshua Rhodes, Interview date: 4/3/19 “We observed that natural gas prices below $3.50 delayed entry of renewable generation into the market. Higher gas prices...
The Politics of Carbon Taxes vs. Regulation (Nathan Richardson, University of South Carolina School of Law)
Associate Professor of Law, University of South Carolina School of Law Nathan Richardson Interviewer: Shelley Welton, Interview date: March 2019 “I’d take any carbon tax today and then work from there. My faith in the ability of the Clean Air Act to effect...
The Best Route to Net-Zero Emissions (Jesse Jenkins, Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Harvard University Center for the Environment)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School of Government Fellow, Harvard University Center for the Environment Jesse Jenkins Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: 2/21/19 Keywords: Cost of Energy, Decarbonization, Resource Adequacy, Resource Planning Model...
Network Infrastructure: Permitting & Eminent Domain (Alexandra Klass, University of Minnesota School of Law)
Distinguished McKnight University Professor, University of Minnesota School of Law Alexandra Klass Interviewers: David Spence, Interview date: December 14, 2018 “In these times of uncertainty and change, how do we decide what to build? Pipelines and transmission...
California’s Energy Transition: Decarbonization & Decentralization (Michael Wara, Woods Institute for the Environment and Stanford Law School)
Senior Research Scholar, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment & Fellow, Stanford Law School Michael Wara Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: December 14, 2018 “There are issues with energy poverty in California, and they tend to be localized...
“Naïve Energy Markets” and the Boundary Between Markets and Regulation (David Spence, University of Texas School of Law and McCombs School of Business)
Baker Botts Chair in law, university of texas school of law Professor of business, government & society, mccombs school of business David Spence Interviewers: Sharon Jacobs & Shelley Welton, Interview date: 11/7/18 Key Terms: Cost of Service Ratemaking,...
The Difficulty of Siting Pipelines and Transmission Lines (James Coleman, SMU Dedman School of Law)
Associate professor of law, smu dedman school of law James Coleman Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: 11/7/18 “Right now we are wasting natural gas and wind power because we haven’t build the pipelines and power lines to bring those products to market....
Cost-Benefit Analysis, “Secret Science,” and OIRA Reviews of Rulemaking (Sheila Olmstead, University of Texas at Austin LBJ School of Public Affairs, President’s Council of Economic Advisors)
Professor of Public Affairs, LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin President’s Council of Economic Advisors, 2016-17 Fellow, Property and Environment Research Center Sheila Olmstead Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: 11/7/18 Key Terms:...
Environmental Privileging (Sharon Jacobs, University of Colorado Law School and Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources)
Associate Professor of Law at the University of Colorado Law School Board of the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources Sharon Jacobs Interviewer: David Spence, Interview date: 11/12/18 Key Terms: NEPA “Privileging certain values and goals is not a...