Abstract: RTE is the French Transmission System Operator, the biggest in Europe. RTE is exploring electrical pathways to carbon neutrality, fulfilling France and Europe’s ambitious targets by 2050. In this desirable future, the electricity consumption will move from 25% to 60% of the France’ final energy consumption, supplied by a mix of renewables and nuclear power plants to decarbonize industries, transport, housing. Xavier Piechaczyk will explain how the French power system has already begun to change, and what the keys to success are for the transformation ahead. He will provide highlights from comprehensive RTE studies such as "Energy pathways to 2050" and RTE's most recent Network Development Plan.

Speaker Bio: Xavier Piechaczyk is the Chief Executive Officer of RTE since 2020. He became a member of the Managing Board of RTE in 2015 and held the position of Deputy managing director in charge of RTE’s Grids, Customers and Regions department. Prior to joining RTE, he served as Advisor to the French President in charge of energy, environment, transport, housing and urban policy and held various positions in the French administration on these topics.

This seminar is also a part of the energy transition leadership seminar jointly produced by Precourt Institute for Energy and the Sustainability Accelerator.

The Stanford Energy Seminar has been a mainstay of energy engagement at Stanford for nearly 20 years and is one of the flagship programs of the Precourt Institute for Energy. We aim to bring a wide variety of perspectives to the Stanford community – academics, entrepreneurs, utilities, non-profits, and more.

Anyone with an interest in energy is welcome to join one seminar or all of them! You can enjoy seminars in the following ways:

• Attend live. The auditorium may change quarter by quarter, so check each seminar event to confirm the location. Explore the current quarter's schedule.
• Watch live in a browser livestream. Check each seminar event for its unique livestream URL.
• Watch recordings of past seminars 
  • Available on the Past Energy Seminars page and the Energy Seminars playlist of the Stanford Energy YouTube channel
• (For students) Take the seminar as a 1-unit class (CEE 301/ENERGY 301/MS&E 494)

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