Experts discuss alternative energy options
The Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics hosted the final California Politics Roundtable discussion of the semester on Wednesday featuring an expert panel who spoke about different sustainable energy concepts as well as California’s energy policies and legislation.
The event was titled “Forgetting Fossil Fuels: What’s Next for Alternative Energy in California?” and took place in the Ronald Tutor Campus Center.
The panel, which was hosted jointly between the Unruh Institute and the Political Student Assembly, included Dario Frommer, former California State Assembly Majority Leader from 2004-2006 and a member of the Unruh Institute’s Legislator-in-Residence program, and Ivan Penn, a Los Angeles Times writer with an emphasis in energy.
Kyla Middleton, a junior majoring in political science and the director of political content for PSA, and Ethan Bialick, a senior majoring in business administration and the co-director of the Environmental Core and Go Solar Campaign, served as moderators, while Dan Schnur, director of the Unruh Institute, oversaw the discussion. After posing several questions themselves, Middleton and Bialick gave the audience an opportunity to engage with the panel.
As worldwide energy consumption continues to soar, with most of this increase drawn from nonrenewable fossil fuels, some researchers are advocating for a transition away from these sources and toward renewable alternatives to avoid global climate change. Some of these substitutes include solar and wind power. Though both of these options produce no carbon emissions, and thus do not contribute to climate change, there are drawbacks to their implementation.
“Wind and solar are intermittent. They don’t [provide energy] consistently like a natural gas plant, nuclear plant or coal plant,” Penn said.
Penn said that this means that excessive energy production from these sources can create a blackout by surpassing the energy infrastructure’s capacity. On the other hand, conventional nonrenewable sources are often needed to provide energy when production is low, such as at night.
One potential solution to the inconsistent energy supply generated by wind and solar includes large-scale energy storage, something Frommer cites as a potential game-changer.
“Storage is termed the ‘holy grail’ [of energy],” Frommer said.
Frommer explained this is because it allows the excess energy produced during periods of low consumption to be used at a later time. Furthermore, storage can be employed at both macro and micro scales by utility companies and individual households, respectively.
“Storage also puts the consumer in a position where they can come off the grid at an affordable cost,” Frommer said — a development that can potentially revolutionize the energy industry.
Also discussed at the event were California’s energy policies and how they stand out from those of other states.
“California has historically taken bold positions on energy regulations,” Frommer said.
He cited the example of California’s mandated energy efficiency standards for appliances which set the stage for similar federal policies in the future.
“When I was in the Assembly … California became the first state to require utilities to purchase a certain percentage of their power from renewable sources,” Frommer said. “California is going alone on this program, still leading the way. And now, other states want to follow us. Even other countries have been wanting to follow our example.”
Bialick said the government should not be the primary force behind this shift.
“I’d like to see more push from people and private organizations, as opposed to the government, to make the transition to renewable energy,” he said.
Middleton stressed the importance of citizen engagement.
“It’s important for everyone to be invested in California’s energy practices so that it can continue to be a leader in energy policies,” Middleton said.
The California Politics Roundtable discussions will resume again in January.