Robert Chun’s Post

A climate scientist is voted President of an oil country Claudia Sheinbaum, a climate scientist with a doctorate in energy engineering, has been elected president of Mexico, the world's 11th-largest oil producer. This election marks a significant shift, bringing environmental expertise to the forefront of a major oil-producing nation. As professionals in the environmental sector and entrepreneurial circles, this development opens up important discussions about the potential impact on global energy policies. Ms. Sheinbaum, who has a robust track record in both politics and environmental science, has previously electrified Mexico City's public bus fleet, installed vast solar arrays, and expanded bike lanes. However, her support for controversial projects like the Maya Train corridor shows the complexity of balancing development with environmental concerns. Her presidency promises a focus on expanding renewable energy infrastructure while maintaining support for the state-owned oil company, Pemex. This dual approach underscores the challenges and opportunities in transitioning to cleaner energy sources. What are your thoughts on this significant leadership change? How do you think it will influence global energy policies and the transition to renewable energy? Want to increase your impact? Head to the MotherTree Climate Champion course --> https://lnkd.in/dzmBrKzK #ClimateLeadership #RenewableEnergy #SustainableFuture Image: Fred Ramos for The New York Times

📣 For the 2nd year running, I presented at the Center Forward Conference in Virginia for a House-Ethics Committee approved conference based on moving forward on the most contentious issues of our time, with Chiefs of Staff from both Democrat and Republican parties. Alongside lobbyists and trade association representatives from organizations like Pacific Gas and Electric Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Anheuser-Busch and others, I facilitated a session on reaching bipartisan agreement and progress on key issues in Energy Affordability and Reliability, Climate Risk Disclosures & Reporting, and the Energy Workforce of the Future and Decarbonized Infrastructure. Some of our takeaways (of the ones that I can share!): 👉 Political uncertainty is one of the biggest barriers at the moment for Corporate America to invest in renewable energy, given uncertainty around IRA tax credits extending beyond the current administration 👉 Policy incentives that support local communities for energy projects are essential, making sure that communities become proud advocates of renewable energy projects that deliver jobs and create economic ripple effects from inception 👉 There is a short term and long term tradeoff when we think about Energy Affordability & Reliability - PG&E are investing billions putting transmission lines underground to reduce wildfire risk, which is at odds with providing affordable energy to consumers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Follow us at OnePointFive (opf.degree) or me here, to get the key climate policy takeaways as they come up during this election year. #climate #climatepolicy #sustainability

Something I love about Veriten is its ability to report on energy issues in a politically agnostic way. Because they are a research, investing, and strategy firm that draws from its energy-focused network and knowledge platform they are able to bring diverse perspectives to the discussion. Something that becomes increasingly frustrating is when the #politics of it all interferes with people's ability to understand certain realities. In this instance, that there is a "disconnect between the perceived benefits of green energy policies and the reality of high #energycosts." This episode focuses specifically on how Californians are reacting to rising energy costs, with some leaving the state due to #affordabilityissues. I post this here in hopes of spurring conversation, not criticizing #greenenergy or any of the #climategoals its proponents seek to achieve. If there is any chance that California is serving as an #energy bellweather for other states, including #Texas, this is a topic we should all be following and educating ourselves and each other on. #climate #resillience #electricgrid #reliability #affordability #renewableenergy #greenhousegas #themoreyouknow #accountability #electricity

One of the issues that we have become fascinated with over the last couple of years is #power: power #availability, power #costs, power #reliability, #growth in #demand for power, and the overall #complexity of our power systems. We’ve also become extremely interested in how these power issues are meaningfully affecting states, countries and industries. With all of that in mind, we read with particular interest recent publications from today’s COBT guest, Susan Shelley, Columnist and Member of the Editorial Board for the Southern California News Group. Susan covers #local, #state and #national issues across eleven daily papers including the Los Angeles Daily News, the Orange County Register, the Riverside Press-Enterprise and the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Much of the #energytransition discussion is around #decarbonization and economic justice, extremely important and complicated topics. What is often missing is an examination of the costs of various decarbonization alternatives and the ways in which those choices could be hitting different segments of society. On today’s COBT, we greatly enjoyed discussing with Susan California’s power choices and talking about their costs and their debatable benefits.

This week I had the privilege of participating in the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference, where I witnessed first hand the exciting advancements in the state's energy transition. Alaska, the largest state in the U.S.(2.5 times the size of Texas!), is home to over 200 native tribes, vast mineral resources, and the world's third largest cargo port in Anchorage. The state's energy transition is gaining momentum with groundbreaking legislation. The "Hole Bill" (HB50) incentivizes carbon capture, leveraging Alaska's vast sequestration capacity. The "Tree Bill" (HB49) creates carbon credits for forest lands, another Alaska advantage. These bills not only pave the way for a cleaner energy future but also create jobs and enhance energy security. Siemens Energy can help Alaska in its ambitions by offering cutting edge technology and its expertise. For instance, AI driven software tools can help optimize energy management and improve efficiency of the state’s power plants. Exciting times for sustainable growth in the Last Frontier! #EnergyTransition #RenewableEnergy #Sustainability #Alaska #AI https://lnkd.in/gtbARDFx Clay Koplin Jay Byam Erin Searcy Sam Enoka Martin Tartibi Dr. Janarthanan V. Nythruva Rich Voorberg Daniel Morell Mike Dunleavy

🔌✨ Reflecting on Park City, Utah: Energizing Dialogues Shaping Our Climate Investments Journey! 🔋🏔️ What an incredible experience at the Northwestern Electricity Dialogue in Park City, Utah! As the Climate Investments National Director at Dream.Org, I found this gathering to be a pivotal convergence of energy discourse and policy shaping our climate investments. Hosted by the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and co-sponsored with the Wallace Stegner Center for Land, Resources, and the Environment at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, this dialogue convened a diverse array of influencers—regulators, policymakers, industry experts, NGOs, and academics—to delve into the crucial themes of Resilience, Reliability, and Regionality within the Western Interconnect's electricity landscape. The IRA holds paramount importance in our economic strategy, emphasizing sustainable energy solutions to combat inflationary pressures. Discussions on resilience and reliability directly align with our commitment to fostering stability and mitigating economic risks within our climate investment portfolio. My discussions were guided by Justice 40 principles and were centered on ensuring environmental justice and equity. Understanding the regional dynamics of energy distribution is pivotal in ensuring equitable access to reliable and resilient energy for all communities we serve. And then, there's the monumental Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This dialogue served as a hub for ideas echoing the Law's ambitions, especially in bolstering the grid's resilience, advancing clean energy technologies, and fostering regional cooperation—integral aspects of our climate investment initiatives. Our distinguished Keynote Speakers, Allison Clements (Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) and Stephen Wright (Board Member and Chair of the Interim Markets+ Independent Panel, Southwest Power Pool), offered invaluable insights into how these themes intersect with legislative and policy landscapes. From dissecting the nuances of resilience to emphasizing the importance of a reliable energy backbone and acknowledging regional interdependencies, these conversations are instrumental in charting actionable paths ahead. A heartfelt appreciation to the event's sponsors—Edison Electric Institute, BARKER WILKINSON LIMITED, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), and Southwest Power Pool (SPP)—for fostering an environment conducive to these critical discussions. The takeaways from this dialogue will undoubtedly inform and shape our climate investment strategies, playing a pivotal role in our mission to create a more sustainable and inclusive energy future for the Western Interconnect. #NorthwesternElectricityDialogue #InflationReductionAct #Justice40 #BipartisanInfrastructureLaw #ClimateInvestments #ResilienceReliabilityRegionality #SustainableFuture

Wasted oilfield gas ➡️ clean data centers? This is a game-changer for clean energy ☀️, showing how resourcefulness & technology can pave the way for a sustainable future! ✨ #EnergyIndustry #GasCompression #PowerGeneration #EnergyTransition #Innovation #Sustainability #WaukeshaEngine

In both the #UnitedStates and #Canada - they are dismantling our decarbonization strategy. Danielle Smith is pushing regulations to ban renewable projects in #alberta - because #commonsense #Conservative policies must balance tourism with energy - #Alberta is pushing to ban #renewables to "protect views" of the #rockies. While the #Federal pump billions into subsidies - the #state or #provincial governments are banning renewables. To understand - we can look to how large-scale agri-corporations largely exploited and channeled the tax payer supported subsidies for #European farmers into their corporations in #Europe - weakening #european #farmers' collective power and voice. Funny how somehow the #rich finds a way to #steal everything that belongs to the public. Here, there is a growing trend of #oilgasindustry acquiring agricultural real estate. #Oilandgas like #agricorporations are using regulation to consolidate their control over energy. These move further weaken the collective powers of #farmers in both #Canada and #UnitedStates while Oil and gas are acquiring farm lands in record number to build renewables because they are profitable. #commonsense policy pushed by Danielle Smith means #Albertan farmers are not allowed to profit from #renewables on their land - but #oilandgas is will. Remember going more into details. Here, The World Bank, including the World Economic Forum with the International Energy Agency (IEA) are all pushing for privatizing electric grids across the world - especially in the #GlobalSouth. In fact - it is about #knowledge. See, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory study looked at linking #SriLanka and #India’s power grids to allow for cross-border energy trade. #NREL’s cost study shows #SriLanka’s cost for electricity production will reduce by 25%. While the #transmission lines between #madurai and #anuradhapura cost between 600 to 800 USD millions, and #NREL showed $180 USD savings. But we know #NREL study does not consider #decarbonization since the savings are being off-set by cheaper #fossilfuels. So, to get the full picture - we must connect the #dots. So what about #modernization? Well - India's Ministry of power did run pilot projects across multiple states including in #puducherry, #assam, #mysore and #Naroda. In total, the installation of over 150,000 advanced meters reduced technical and non-technical power loss in the grid from 24% to 9% and increased billing efficiency by almost 5%. So, while the #NREL scope did not consider the modernization of #SriLanka’s and #TamilNadu’s power grid - we can integrate these findings into #NREL’s study. Further, #AI will further improve the payback periods. Here - #decentralization can also improve #security and create #wealth for #rural India and #srilanka - but also, a #decentralized power grid represent a #decentralization of power too! #knowledge is indeed the #greatest weapon known to our species. Its the only #weapon we hold right now!

What a great piece by The New Yorker! Delving into the intricate web of America's energy landscape, "The Holdouts in the Quest for a Better Power Grid," exposes the complexities and challenges hindering the nation's transition to a more resilient and sustainable power grid. The article shines a light on the contrasting viewpoints and entrenched interests that continue to impede progress toward a modernized energy infrastructure. With a blend of investigative journalism and insightful analysis, the piece navigates through the social barriers that confront policymakers and stakeholders alike in their pursuit of a greener, more efficient energy future, especially within power transmission.

Learn more about how EF and our partners McKinney Family Foundation and Herbert Simon Family Foundation are committed to ensuring Indiana continues its positive progress toward a clean and equitable energy future in a new blog: https://lnkd.in/gv2yMKit