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Before we can successfully reduce our carbon footprint and transition to a low-carbon economy, we need to ensure that our systems are resilient enough to cope with the impacts of climate change. Otherwise, even minor disruptions or disasters will undermine our efforts to decarbonize, leaving us vulnerable to more severe consequences.
As Arshad Mansoor, president and CEO of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), eloquently stated at the recent University of North Carolina Clean Tech Summit, "Resiliency is the tip of the spear to get to decarbonization."
Founded in 1972, EPRI is an independent, nonprofit energy research and development organization that collaborates with more than 450 companies in 45 countries.
Arshad has been with the organization since 1999, holding a succession of roles of increasing responsibility. His goal is to help shape the future of clean energy.
EPRI has been doing that for 50 years. But with climate change accelerating, its role is growing increasingly complex not to mention essential, he noted.
Arshad said electricity needs to stay on during the coldest and hottest days of the year even as power systems, the climate and customer expectations change over the coming decades.
During a keynote on the second day of the summit, Arshad spoke about "A Climate-Ready Power System." In his speech and in a subsequent interview with SunCast Host Nico Johnson, he made a case for resilient and affordable decarbonization.
"We are already clearly seeing evidence the weather is changing. Now 1-in-100-year extreme events happen every year. Whether you believe in climate science or think the climate is a natural cycle, the power system, the grid — the marvel of the last century — was built based on the weather we expected in the last century. We've got to retool and develop a new grid ready for tomorrow's weather," he said.
Last year, EPRI launched a three-year initiative called the Climate READi: Power (REsilience and ADaptation initiative), which brings together global thought leaders and industry stakeholders to develop a common framework to address this challenge.
Arshad said we could comprehensively enhance resiliency — on the infrastructure and on the customer sides — if we work smart, fast and thoughtfully.
He knows his stuff: He holds five U.S. patents in power electronics and distributed energy resources, and he has published numerous papers in journals and conference proceedings, given talks, and participated in panels at leading technical forums worldwide.
Want to learn more? He’s got valuable insights to share and we invite you to join us for today's podcast.
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ABOUT THE HOST OF SUNCAST:
Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, consistently rated a top solar podcast in the clean energy sector. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.
Nico is an Investor, Executive Coach, and 16-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.
You can connect with Nico Johnson on Twitter, LinkedIn or email.
If you’ve been second-guessing your work decisions or maybe trying to reconsider how you "fit" in the renewable energy industry -> grab 20 minutes on Nico's calendar and discuss whether having him as Your personal coach might be the right next step.