5.7 Clean Power Plan

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From the course by University of Colorado System

Electric Utilities Fundamentals and Future

109 ratings

University of Colorado System

Electric Utilities Fundamentals and Future

109 ratings

THIS COURSE GIVES YOU THE INSIDE TRACK TO A COMPLICATED INDUSTRY. The approach of this course is truly unique in how it approaches and engages learners. It looks at the electric utility industry, which has remained critical to our quality of life, health and comfort from the eyes of numerous industry experts through on-location interviews, compelling visuals, and animation. You will benefit from having the inside track because you see some behind-the-scenes information not covered in news stories, social media or even if we are in the business ourselves. EACH WEEK YOU NOT ONLY LEARN WHAT IS CHANGING, BUT WHY. As this industry continues to unfold at an unprecedented pace, you will be armed with knowledge and insights to form informed opinions supporting decisions you will increasingly make for your energy-dependent homes and businesses. This course kicks off with animated crash course on industry history, highlighting aspects of the structure, governance, and technology that remain today, despite the passage of time. Then, throughout the modules, you will build some basics about how electricity gets to you, who watches over decisions, including setting rates. This information establishes a knowledge foundation so that when we explore some of the most critical topics, like renewable energy, smart grid, battery storage, and you can think about it from a much more analytical and critical viewpoint. YOU WILL DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK FOR MAKING SENSE OF THIS INDUSTRY THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU BEYOND THIS COURSE. This industry can get pretty complicated, and this course will help you make more sense of it. Electric Utilities Fundamentals and Future is the course for you whether you’re just curious about the industry or an industry veteran looking to grow – or, thinking about joining the industry. (Hint: now is a good time. You'll learn why in this course.) No prior education or experience required. You just need a healthy curiosity and an open mind to learn about an industry that I think a lot of us, including myself sometimes, take for granted.

From the lesson

Toward a Bright Future

Over the past four weeks together, we've learned that there is more than meets the eye in this industry. With its rich history, complex regulatory framework and dependency on natural resources we know that the decisions we make today will impact how future generations receive electricity over the next century. This module pulls together the information we've learned so far so we can think about what the future holds from a place of knowledge. We'll look at what industry insiders consider the biggest hurdles and opportunity areas and hypothesize about what shifts might occur. In this final module, armed with your newfound knowledge, I'm going to ask you to connect the dots and express your informed opinion. With that - let's jump on in!

5.1 Introduction2:55

5.2 Smart Grid10:22

5.3 Microgrids1:54

5.4 Storage3:22

5.5 Electric Vehicles3:54

5.6 Net Metering and Distributed Generation7:09

5.7 Clean Power Plan4:35

5.8 Future Models13:41

Meet the Instructors

Melissa Wood
Faculty Member
University of Colorado Denver Business School, Global Energy Management Program

One of the things to watch, because it will hold significant impact on

the future of this industry and its model, is the Clean Power Plan.

This plan was a cornerstone of the Obama administration's focus,

on mitigating climate change.

It has also has been a lightening rod.

As you may recall from a previous lesson where we touched on it,

the plan called for cutting carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired

electric plants by 32 below 2005 levels.

And states needed to meet this goal by 2030.

A really critical part of the plan,

is that the EPA plans to regulate power plant emissions under this act.

Each state has it's own specific goals to meet under the Clean Power Plan.

Almost half of the states in the US are suing.

And the case against the Clean Power Plan, is compromised of 38 separate cases.

I know you're thinking that math doesn't add up, but

the states aren't the only ones suing.

Utilities and coal companies have also issued lawsuits.

The states believe this plan is illegal and even unconstitutional, and

feel that it is a way to reorganize the US electric grid.

They also believe, it's an all out attack on the coal industry that will drive

electricity costs, sky high.

The EPA fired back saying, the plan will lead to lower residential bills.

Remember how earlier we talked about the fact,

that states had jurisdiction over electricity generation and distribution?

Well, this gets to the very heart of the controversy.

The states are protecting their authority, to regulate carbon emission for

their states.

New Jersey Environmental Protection commissioner,

sums up many of their concerns in three words, unprecedented regulatory overreach.

>> With the EPA, they're clearly looking at

increasing and more restrictive standards, specifically on coal fire generation.

But not just coal.

When you look at where regulation are on the extractive industries,

well that impacts any sort of base load power we have in this country.

And it drives cost.

One of the frustrations I think the industry has with the EPA right now,

is sort of the laundry list of regulations.

Before one is finalized, you are met with an additional regulation.

And there's no harmony between them.

And the cross counting of benefits,

counting the benefits of one regulation under the requirements of another.

And really, that is an area where I think our country is really ripe for

some reforms, and just some common sense rethinking.

That you can accomplish the same goals and achieve the same ends,

without as being disruptive to industry and business as we are right now.

because frankly, a lot of companies when they're looking at making long term

resource decision, their hands are tied.

Because you just don't know what the regulatory future looks like

in this country, because of the volume and

diversity of regulations coming at US EPA right now.

>> The EPA defends it's position saying,

carbon emissions from coal fire plants represent a huge threat to the health and

welfare of the US citizens, because of the impact on climate change.

They support their right to do this, because they have regulated

other forms of air pollution from power plants, and other sources for decades.

Now, in the other hand some states, cities, and scientists support the plan.

And they say that since pollution and emissions don't respect state borders,

that the EPA's plan will help ensure emissions are truly reduced across the US.

In February of 2016, the US Supreme Court issued a stay of the Clean Power Plan.

A legal stay means that a judicial proceeding is temporarily stopped.

They can either be temporary or indefinite.

This means that the Environmental Protection Agency is not

allowed to enforce any of the rules requirements,

until all of the lawsuits against it have been resolved.

The outcome of this controversy will have considerable impacts on all of us.

Meeting the standards would mean more renewables,

greater promotion of energy efficiency and a greater reliance on natural gas.

Of course,

you know that natural gas is not without its own controversy, namely fracking.

There's no magic bullet and the sound bites that come out of the media and

social media, just don't do this issue justice.

It's one that bears a closer look by all of us, since the impact will be so

significant.

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