1 / 9

John N. Moore Senior Attorney Environmental Law and Policy Center

As global climate change persists, the Midwest aims to be a wind power haven. Coal is declining as renewables rise. The region needs federal policies to support this transition. Coal is expected to decrease up to 120 GW by 2040, driven by EPA regulations, low gas prices, and the push for cleaner energy sources. Efficient transmission planning is crucial to reducing coal power delivery and promoting renewables. Wind power can benefit farmers and the economy. It's time to align government policies with the reality of a changing energy landscape.

verar
Download Presentation

John N. Moore Senior Attorney Environmental Law and Policy Center

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Expanding and Modernizing the Electrical Grid: Essential Infrastructure for the Midwest’s Clean Energy Future John N. Moore Senior Attorney Environmental Law and Policy Center Chicago  Des Moines  Sioux Falls  Jamestown (ND) Minneapolis  Madison  Columbus  Washington

  2. The Situation • Global climate change hasn’t gone away, even if Washington has. • Coal is on the way out. • Most renewable energy is either carbon free or low carbon. • The Midwest still can be the “Saudi Arabia” of wind power, IF we can free it in a responsible way. • Time to align federal policies with reality.

  3. Coal Ramping Down, Wind/Renewables Up • Coal retirements expected to be 30 to 120 gigawatts (GW) by 2040. • Based on all the EPA rules, low demand, and low natural gas prices. • High range depends on real and perceived impact of carbon regulation. 

  4. Even Electric Power Research Institute Believes It • Why? • Air rules • Low natural gas prices • Energy efficiency/price-responsive demand • Uprates to nuclear plants • More solar • Potential carbon regulation

  5. Midwest Wind Growth Even More Pronounced

  6. Federal Policy Not Aligned with Reality Source: Environmental Law Institute

  7. Key – Don’t Provide Lifeline for Coal Need to site new backbone transmission in ways that minimize delivery of coal power, especially to eastward load centers. Recognize that much large-scale transmission planning will seek to maximize use of new lines for all generation. = lower power prices = higher power prices

  8. PS - Wind Turbine Income Is Good for Farmers ELPC study 2010

  9. But If You Don’t Build It, Will Lose It Upper Midwest Wind Transmission Development Initiativ

More Related