March News from Dartmouth's Irving Institute for Energy and Society

May Energy Conference, National Academies Report on the Grid, and more!

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In a country like the United States, most of us don't usually notice energy. We flip a switch and the lights come on. We open the refrigerator and pull out a cold drink. We turn a knob and our hot shower beckons. The energy that enables these modern conveniences is effectively invisible — until something breaks.

When an event like the February power grid failure in Texas happens, the enormous and life-threatening consequences of an energy system breakdown are in plain sight. One of the lessons we must take from Texas is the critical need to invest in sustainable, resilient, and equitable energy infrastructure that accounts for — and helps avoid the worst effects of — our climate-changing world.

We are so grateful to the many speakers who shared their experience and perspectives on this topic of critical infrastructure in a world being reshaped by climate change during our winter term Energy Seminar series; if you weren't able to attend, watch the recordings on our YouTube channel. And we are very excited about our inaugural conference, Investing in Our Energy Futures, May 3-5, where an incredible slate of energy experts and practitioners will discuss how we can transform our energy systems to better serve all of society. We hope to see you at this virtual event, and we look forward to continuing our work making energy and its myriad impacts on human life more visible.

~ Elizabeth J. Wilson

Registration for Investing In Our Energy Futures Virtual Conference is Open! May 3-5

Join us for three days of insights, ideas, and connections at the inaugural Dartmouth Energy Forum: Investing In Our Energy Futures conference. This virtual event will host over 30 energy experts from around the world and focus on a range of subjects, including discussions on investing to meet both increasing energy demand and climate targets, emerging technologies, and energy justice.

Elizabeth Wilson Co-Authors Report on the Future of Electric Power

At the request of Congress and the Department of Energy, the National Academies convened a committee of experts, including Irving Institute for Energy and Society Director and Environmental Studies Professor Elizabeth Wilson, to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the U.S. grid and how it might evolve in response to changes in demand, new energy sources, and future innovation. Irving Institute Advisory Board member Granger Morgan chaired the committee.

The Future of Electric Power in the United States presents an extensive set of policy and funding recommendations aimed at modernizing the U.S. electric system. The report addresses technology development, operations, grid architectures, and business practices, as well as ways to make the electricity system secure, sustainable, equitable, and resilient. Read more.

One Size Doesn't Fit All: Rose Mutiso ’08, TH’08, on Smart Energy Policy in Africa

The world is on a shared trajectory toward a decarbonized future, said Rose Mutiso ’08, TH’08 during a February talk sponsored by the Tuck Africa Club on "Climate Change in Africa: The Case for a Smart Energy Policy." How different nations and regions get there, however, must be dictated by on-the-ground realities. To improve the health, productivity, and prosperity of Africans, as well as build the climate adaptation infrastructure necessary to survive warming global temperatures, African countries will need to massively increase energy production and consumption, and some of that will have to be, in the short term, fossil fuels. Read more and watch a video of the talk here.

Elizabeth Wilson on the Grid and What Went Wrong in Texas

Elizabeth Wilson recently spoke with the Dartmouth Communications Office to answer a few questions about the US power grid in general, the Texas grid in particular, and what led to the February power shutdowns in Texas. Watch the video.

Convergence: Art and Science at the Hop

Two-day virtual arts and sciences symposium co-sponsored by the Irving Institute

Over the course of two days in February, more than 300 people from Dartmouth and around the world explored the ways that arts and sciences, in tandem, can help catalyze solutions to big challenges. Scholars and students joined artists and activists to discuss new projects at the intersections of art, science, and activism, while energizing presentations focused on strategies for interdisciplinary communication and collaboration in our classrooms and communities. Learn more and watch videos from the event.

Infrastructure for a Climate-Changing World

The need to rethink how we're investing in and reimagining our energy systems — from generation to transmission and distribution — informed the the winter 2021 Dartmouth Energy Collaborative Energy Seminar Series. A key theme throughout the series was the need to prioritize equity as well as resilience as we invest, bolster, and rebuild our vulnerable infrastructure and the communities our infrastructure serves. Read more.

Mark Your Calendars!

March 25 | The Role of Private Investors and Markets in an Equitable and Innovative Clean Energy Transition. Learn more .

March 30- April 29 | Crossroads: A month-long series co-sponsored by the Institute exploring intersections of energy, environment, housing, and racial justice. Learn more.

April 7 | "How Markets and Indigenous Territorial Conflicts Shape the Dynamics of Small Hydro Development in Chile," Sarah Kelly, Dartmouth College. Learn more.