Power grid most important piece of climate puzzle
CommonWealth, October 7, 2023
In an op-ed published in the nonprofit journal CommonWealth, Senior Advisor Susan Tierney and Principal Paul Hibbard call on the Massachusetts electric industry and state agencies to take the innovative and aggressive steps needed to ensure that the state’s power grid is up to the legislative mandate to eliminate climate-related emissions by mid-century. In their article “Power grid most important piece of climate puzzle,” Dr. Tierney and Mr. Hibbard paint a picture of the changes in electricity generation and consumption that will require “rapid changes in the state’s aging energy infrastructure” to support the transition to clean energy.
Noting that “[e]nsuring in advance that the grid can handle new connections and demand patterns will give potential electric technology investors the confidence to proceed,” the authors conclude by calling on regulators to engage in “more creative ratemaking … to ensure sufficient distribution capacity is built out proactively,” while also “ensuring that all consumers can have access to the vital electricity services they require.”