Can the nation’s electric grid withstand increasing threats and is 100% renewable energy realistic? Those are some of the questions tackled in this episode of Let’s Clear the Air with Rob Gramlich, an expert with decades of experience on economic policy related to electric transmission and power markets.
He is the Founder and President of Grid Strategies LLC, where he provides economic policy analysis for clients on electric transmission and power markets in pursuit of low cost decarbonization. Gramlich is also the co-founder of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid, the WATT Coalition, and the Future Power Markets Forum.
With the nation’s electric grid getting a lot of attention in this summer of extreme weather, Gramlich provides perspective on grid reliability and the proposed move to renewables.
Among the topics Adam and Andrew discuss with Gramlich in this episode:
- While solar electric generation and battery storage have increased recently, power grids continue to need gas to meet baseline demand and for backup generation.
- Our dependence on the grid is increasing while vulnerability on the grid is growing at the same time. Better interregional transmission is the best insurance policy for reliability.
- Increasing demands on electricity to power EVs, data centers, semiconductor manufacturing and artificial intelligence.
- Complete power generation with renewables will be difficult. Gramlich sees the realistic target more like 60-80% renewable energy supplemented with nuclear.
- How many areas of the country scored poorly on a regional report card on transmission planning and development.
Resources
- Rob Gramlich bio – Grid Strategies
- C-SPAN – Washington Journal Show-Rob Gramlich on U.S. Electrical Grid Reliability
- Catalyst Podcast (Canary Media) – Understanding the transmission bottleneck, Rob Gramlich interview
- Newsweek – America’s Power Grid Can’t Handle Joe Biden’s Green Energy Plans
- Reuters – US needs power highways from the Plains to spread wind, solar benefits
- Americans for a Clean Energy Grid
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