Back On The Grid

PJM is dead. Long live PJM. If you already know about capacity markets, skip to the secret ending at 26:15. Otherwise, hope you enjoy the episode! And to future me listening back - remember VRR curve for demand. Timestamps: 00:00-Intro 02:00-Hello and Goodbye 03:10-Fundamentals Start Here 05:10-Restructuring the Market 06:15-Basic NERC Reliability Standard 07:15-Market Power and Price Caps 10:00-P...

Nuclear fusion, space-based solar, and other cool changes are on the horizon. But what has stayed the same over the past decade? This short reflection is the last episode of the show before I graduate with my masters focused on the electric power industry.  Timestamps: 0:00-Intro 00:30-Nuclear Fusion vs SMRs 01:30-Natural Hydrogen 02:15-Solar Power From Space 03:50-Selling Electricity Directly to...

Is Demand Response a wholesale electricity sale? Not really under the FPA. But should it allowed to bid into wholesale markets? This week we'll explore EPSA, a supreme court case that decided federal authority over DR participating in wholesale electricity markets. Background to start, but for juicy parts on EPSA, skip to Scalia's dissent around 5 mins into this episode. Market manipulation discus...

Should power plants be allowed to retire whenever they want? And what the heck is demand response--wholesale, retail, or something else? This episode will start exploring reliability must run (RMR) power plant designations and touch on the Sierra Club's lawsuit focused on two coal power plants receiving RMR payments while not having their supply included in PJM's capacity market. Also, is the grid...

If the grid was Goldilocks, what type of battery would it want? This episode is a bit denser than usual and explores some basic differences between flow, iron-air, and lithium ion batteries; plus the basics of how batteries participate in markets. Also covers some technical stuff towards the end. Listen at your own peril--you may become a flow stan. Timestamps: 00:00-Intro 01:00-What Type of Energ...

When someone mentions oil, you probably think of cars, ships, planes, or plastic. But what about electric power? This episode explores where and why oil is used for electricity in the United States through a few case studies and will get you up to speed on some basic industry terms. Timestamps: 0:00-Intro 01:00-What States Use Oil for Electric Power? 04:30-Petroleum Basics 07:00-Crude Oil Characte...

If someone asked you why it’s so hard to decarbonize the electricity sector, what would you say? Maybe you think we haven’t found the right combination of technologies yet. Maybe you’d argue that we lack the political will to change. Or maybe it’s the economic or social sides of the equation. How about all of the above? This episodes explores several influential papers on technological lock-in, wi...

This podcast is a primer on electricity markets in the United States for people who don’t have time to read 200 page reports (though you totally should). We'll start with what's on your bill, look at wholesale auctions for electricity + bilateral trading, and wrap with some market issues like fraud, supply chains, and stranded assets. Recommended reading to add wrinkles to your brain: http...

Data center growth, REC accounting concerns, and behind-the-meter nuclear contracts. What the heck is going on with big tech companies and carbon emissions these days? Works Referenced – check em’ out! Rhodium Group, Taking Stock 2024: US Energy and Emissions Outlook , July 2024, https://rhg.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Taking-Stock-2024_US-Energy-and-Emissions-Outlook.pdf Princeton REPEAT Lab,...

The Supreme Court eliminating Chevron deference has been made out to be a huge deal. But what is it exactly and who cares? Today we’ll take a look at the original oil refinery case that created Chevron deference in the 1980s, the fishing observer case that eliminated it last month, and some practical implications for our energy system – including a FERC ruling that may decide the future of many so...

I was asked during an interview recently what my most controversial opinion on energy was. And while I would like to think I have more than one controversial opinion, because otherwise what’s the fun, I’d like to dive more into the answer I gave, which was about the ramp rates of nuclear power. Key questions: how does solar PV fit into power grids with a lot of nuclear? And conversely, how does nu...

There’s this idea that hydropower is dead in the U.S. Little capacity is being built. There’s a bunch of environmental concerns. The works. But is that really true? Here's what’s going on with hydroelectric power plants in the United States. Sources and recommended reading: Improving Fish Migration at Hydropower Dams Bipartisan Infrastructure Act Funding for Hydropower U.S. Hydropower Market R...

The near-term future of nuclear power projects in the U.S. may hinge on Georgia's new units at nuclear plant Vogtle, which is estimated to cost over $30 billion . This episode explores cost concerns related to nuclear fission from a public service commission perspective, methods to uprate existing nuclear plants, and my perception of risk comparing small modular reactors (SMRs) versus conventi...

This episode is about my experience supporting the solar renewable energy credit program in MA in 2016. Timestamps and recommended reading below. Timestamps: 00:00-Intro 00:30-Why has Massachusetts invested over $10 billion into solar PV? 01:20-Where does Massachusetts get its electricity from? 03:00-Solar PV Incentives Overview 03:40-How does Net Energy Metering Work? 04:40-Solar Renewable Energy...

How does the electricity grid work? What are the barriers to making it cleaner? And who has the power to decide? Hi, I’m Nick Sorokin, a master’s student at Duke University studying energy and the environment. And welcome to my new show, Back on the Grid. There was a time when I worked in clean energy, but now, I'm all washed up. This weekly show is my journey to learn new things about the ele...