DeepSummary
The episode features an interview with Jigar Shah, Director of the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office (LPO), who discusses the LPO's role in advancing clean energy projects and supporting the administration's net-zero goals. He talks about the challenges of meeting increased electricity demand driven by data centers, manufacturing facilities, and electric vehicles, and the need for innovative solutions like Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), enhanced geothermal, and advanced nuclear.
Shah emphasizes the importance of deploying technologies that have been piloted for years, such as VPPs, to manage peak demand and reduce the need for new infrastructure. He also talks about the potential of enhanced geothermal and advanced nuclear to provide clean, firm power, and the challenges in commercializing these technologies at scale.
The discussion also touches on the cultural and regulatory changes needed to facilitate the energy transition, including changing norms within utilities and regulators to embrace new technologies. Shah stresses the need for a public-private partnership and the importance of making the US a hub for clean energy innovation and deployment.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office (LPO) plays a crucial role in advancing clean energy projects and supporting the administration's net-zero goals.
- Meeting the increasing demand for electricity driven by data centers, manufacturing facilities, and electric vehicles is a major challenge that requires innovative solutions.
- Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), enhanced geothermal, and advanced nuclear are among the promising technologies that could help manage peak demand and provide clean, firm power.
- Deploying technologies that have been piloted for years, such as VPPs, is essential to reduce the need for new infrastructure and manage peak demand.
- Cultural and regulatory changes are needed within utilities and regulators to embrace new technologies and facilitate the energy transition.
- A public-private partnership is crucial for the successful deployment of clean energy technologies and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
- Establishing the United States as a hub for clean energy innovation and deployment, while tying these efforts to American workers and competitiveness, is a key goal for the LPO.
- Avoiding expensive and carbon-intensive solutions like new natural gas plants and upgraded transmission infrastructure is essential, and more cost-effective and clean alternatives should be prioritized.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “For whatever reason, I think we have just decided that America can't do big things and I think we have to change that perception.“ by Jigar Shah
- “We need to get nuclear, geothermal, we need to get grid modernization going, we need to get vpps going. We need to learn again how to live in a growth environment.“ by Jigar Shah
- “I think we have mapped and remapped and mapped again. The fact that we could build 200,000 solar next week on rooftops across the country, many of which are four acres or above in size. So they're the same cost to install it on there as you install it on the ground.“ by Jigar Shah
- “If we can get people to believe that the US is the best place to do it, that they don't have to go around the world to do this, they can do it here, they can tie it to the american worker, that we can use technology and all the technology breakthroughs that we keep creating to be competitive here, right. That that would be enormous accomplishment.“ by Jigar Shah
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Episode Information
The Energy Gang
Wood Mackenzie
5/9/24
The Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office has a grandstand view of the energy transition. Where is it going next?
Jigar Shah, one of the originators of the Energy Gang, now runs the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, playing a key role in advancing clean energy projects. By helping to bridge the gap between R&D and large-scale deployment, it encourages private sector investment and supports the administration’s work to achieve its net zero goals.
Jigar was appointed Director of the LPO in March 2021 with a brief to “to rev those engines back up” after a quiet period under the Trump administration. He returns to the Energy Gang to discuss the progress he has made so far, and the goals he is working towards in the future. In particular, he talks about the hot topic of the moment in energy: how to meet increased demand for electricity driven by data centers for AI, new factories, and electric vehicles.
Much of the new load being added to the electricity system will not be flexible. Data centers mostly need to be available 24/7. So how is the grid going to manage these growing demands? Host Ed Crooks is also joined by Amy Myers-Jaffe, Director of NYU’s Energy, Climate Justice & Sustainability Lab, to discuss Jigar’s views on the solutions to these challenges.
Topics covered include Virtual Power Plants, enhanced geothermal and advanced nuclear. Those latter two are among the handful of sources of energy that we usually think about when we are discussing “clean firm power”. Geothermal in particular is generating a lot of buzz lately. What will it take to get it deployed at scale? Is it pulling ahead of advanced nuclear in the race to commerciality and large-scale deployment?
The Energy Gang will be recording live from the Global Energy Transition event in June in New York. To secure a discounted ticket, use the ENERGYGANG500 discount code. Visit https://events.reutersevents.com/energy-transition/global-energy-transition-new-york to book.
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