Watch the recording of this webinar

In recent years, parts of the U.S. electricity grid have experienced increasing impacts from weather and climate-related extreme events that have disrupted system operations, triggered emergency responses, and motivated stakeholders to make substantial changes to planning strategies. In the West, extreme heat events combined with severe drought that limits availability of hydropower have proven particularly challenging for grid operators to manage.

This webinar, hosted by the Stanford Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, presented the results of a new study evaluating the potential reliability benefits from improved coordination of electricity operations in the West under grid stress conditions created by extreme heat. This work complements earlier work on economic benefits and adds a more complete picture of potential benefits from energy market regionalization. A panel of energy experts  discussed ongoing efforts to expand cooperation in western electricity markets to contend with the growing impacts of climate change and support increasing use of renewable energy around the West.

Speakers

Stacey Crowley, Vice President, External Affairs, California Independent System Operator (CAISO)

Kathleen Staks, Executive Director, Western Freedom

Marybel Batjer, Partner, California Strategies

Mareldi Ahumada Paras, Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford Climate & Energy Policy Program