DeepSummary
The episode discusses a new study from UC Berkeley and Energy Innovation that shows the U.S. electricity grid can reach 90% clean energy by 2035, much faster than the typical 2050 targets proposed. The study outlines exactly how this can be achieved region by region, with no new fossil fuel plants, lower rates for consumers, saving 85,000 lives, and creating 500,000 additional jobs.
The co-hosts explore what it would take to implement this accelerated timeline, including the role of policies like clean energy standards and potential incentives or negotiations with utilities and local governments. They also discuss the latest polling on American attitudes toward climate change, revealing a disconnect between those who support climate action in theory and swing voters who don't prioritize the issue.
The episode concludes by analyzing BP's recent $17 billion writedown of its oil and gas assets, seen as an acknowledgment that oil demand may have peaked. The co-hosts examine the implications for the future of the oil industry and the potential for oil majors to transition to renewable energy.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- A new study shows the US electricity grid can reach 90% clean energy by 2035, much sooner than typical 2050 targets, through rapid deployment of wind, solar and storage.
- Achieving this accelerated decarbonization timeline would require overcoming utility resistance to cheaper clean energy disrupting their business models.
- Policies like clean energy standards and/or financial incentives for utilities and communities may be needed to drive the deployment levels required.
- Polling shows public support for climate action is high in theory but lower among crucial swing voters who don't prioritize the issue.
- BP's $17 billion writedown of oil assets signals the industry acknowledging peaked oil demand, with implications for an accelerated clean energy transition.
- Mobilizing public engagement on climate change may require making clearer connections between environmental issues and tangible local impacts.
- Achieving deep decarbonization will likely require systemic changes beyond just adopting new energy technologies.
- Overcoming inertia and misaligned incentives is a crucial challenge, potentially requiring innovative solutions like direct incentives for stakeholders.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “We are going to get mostly clean by sometime soon.“ by Katherine Hamilton
- “But like, to get to 100%, we just have to tell people, get on board, we'll pay you enough money to get you on board. Not unlike how the ACA was put together with the Cornhusker kickback, that seems.“ by Jigar Shah
Entities
Person
Organization
Episode Information
The Energy Gang
Wood Mackenzie
6/19/20
Most decarbonization proposals play out over 30 years, aiming toward 2050. But a new roadmap from researchers at UC Berkeley and the policy firm Energy Innovation shows the grid can get 90% clean in just 15 years.
No new fossil fuel plants. Lower rates for consumers. 85,000 lives saved. 500,000 additional jobs. Region by region, they lay out exactly how.
Prices have fallen so quickly that our understanding of what’s possible hasn’t kept pace. And now, say researchers, we have the chance to decarbonize much earlier than many thought possible.
This week, we’ll dig into the study and its implications.
Then: pollsters say Americans are “fully bought in” to a clean energy future — and want bigger societal issues addressed with it. But among crucial swing voters, is anyone even thinking about climate? We’ll look at what the latest polling tells us.
Lastly, BP decides its assets are worth $17 billion dollars less than they thought. It’s a massive write down. Is this a tipping point? A leading indicator?
Co-hosts Katherine Hamilton, Jigar Shah and Stephen Lacey discuss.
Resources:
- UCB Goldman School of Public Policy: The 2035 Report
- Energy Innovation LLC: 2035 Data Explorer
- Greentech Media: 90% Clean Grid by 2035 Is Not Just Feasible, But Cheaper, Study Says
- Environmental Research Letters: Combining Climate, Economic, and Social Policy Builds Public Support for Climate Action in the US (Bergquist, Mildenberger & Stokes)
- WAPO Opinion: Protesters Want Justice — Including on Social, Economic and Climate Demands
- Yale Program on Climate Comm: Politics and Global Warming April 2020
- Climate 2020 Podcast: How Do You Message Climate In This Political Moment?
- Bloomberg opinion: BP Submits to Brutal Reality on the Future of Oil
- Twitter: Mark Campanale, Carbon Tracker
- Bloomberg opinion: Big Oil Can Help Renewables by Spinning Them Off
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