It's common knowledge that our energy choices impact the planet's climate, but less widely known is how climate change and its intensified storms, heat waves, droughts, and water shortages affect our energy grid. Already vulnerable, the grid can suffer catastrophic damage when a storm like Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Sandy strikes.
In an Aug. 26 article in Slate, Center for Progressive Reform Board President Rob Verchick explores these vulnerabilities and connects the dots between climate change and the grid. He writes:
From rancid food to emergency-room nightmares, communities take a punch when the lights go out. The nation's aging power grid leaves us very susceptible to such risks. And the growing intensity of floods and storms on account of climate change make things even worse.
We hear a lot about how energy policy will affect climate impacts. Less appreciated, but equally important, are the ways that climate impacts will affect energy policy.
Consider:
- Extreme weather events juiced up by global warming will knock out power plants and transmission systems across the continent.
- Rising seas and higher tides will swamp some of our most important power plants and substations on the coasts.
- Higher temperatures will slow high-voltage transmission speeds and increase outages related to sagging power lines. (And because more air conditioners will be blowing, electricity demand will jump at the same time.)
- Water shortages and warming rivers will suppress production at thermal power plants and hydroelectric dams in many parts of the country.
Verchick continues:
Making the grid climate-ready requires forward-looking policies that will spur change in technology, operations, and markets. Such reforms are barely under way, and still more are needed: If we fail to account for the climate's impact on our energy system and don't start addressing them now, we'll leave our children and grandchildren with a massive infrastructure problem—one that will affect their personal safety and economic well-being.
You can read the rest of Verchick's article on Slate's website.
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Brian Gumm | August 29, 2016
It’s common knowledge that our energy choices impact the planet’s climate, but less widely known is how climate change and its intensified storms, heat waves, droughts, and water shortages affect our energy grid. Already vulnerable, the grid can suffer catastrophic damage when a storm like Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Sandy strikes. In an Aug. 26 […]
Matthew Freeman | August 25, 2016
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Maxine A Burkett | August 10, 2016
This excerpt is drawn from a post originally published on Aug. 8, 2016, by the Wilson Center’s New Security Beat. The idea that climate change is causing migration and displacement is entering the mainstream, but experts have warned against using the term “climate refugees” to describe what we’re seeing in small islands, coastal regions, and […]
Katie Tracy | August 10, 2016
UPDATED (8/10/2016): On August 9 and 10, Center for Progressive Reform Policy Analyst Katie Tracy delivered remarks at two Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stakeholder meetings on risk evaluation, prioritization, and the revised Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). August 9 – Risk Evaluation Rule Thank you for the opportunity to present today. My name is Katie Tracy. I am […]
Evan Isaacson | August 10, 2016
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