Jennie Stephens 2013 masccc

Jennie Stephens 2013 masccc

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  The Smart GridVision & Sustainability Jennie C. Stephens, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Policy Department of International Development, Community and Environment A Smarter Grid and a Wiser Community DCU Center, Worcester, MA April 24, 2013 Transmission lines Beijing China Worcester Green Jobs Coalition Hull Wind Turbine
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  Mechanisms for University’sto Contribute to Sustainability Teaching Transdisciplinary courses/degrees teaching skills of integration, synthesis, and systems thinking – how to cope with complex interconnections, service learning Research Faculty and students conduct research that contributes to confronting sustainability challenges Campus as a Model for Society Campus Operations, demonstrating role, the campus as a microcosm of society Service within the Community Unique anchor /intermediary organizations Ability for long-term thinking, Convening Role Stephens, JC, et al. (2008). Higher Education as a Change Agent for Sustainability in Different Cultures and Contexts. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 9 (3): 317-338
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  Increasing CO2 concentrations World Energy1850-2000 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 Year EJ/year Gas Oil Coal Nuclear Hydro + Biomass Increasing global energy demand Climate Change Primarily an Energy Problem: Reliance on fossil-fuel based energy systems AIM NASA 2012 Holdren, 2006
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  Why are energysystems difficult to change? Social dynamics of energy technology innovation Socio-technical system change With graduate students at Hull Wind Turbine Wind Marris, 2008 Smart GridGeothermal Carbon Neutral, 2013
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  Health/safety Cultural Political Technical Economic Environmental Energy Technology Deployment SPEED(Socio-Political Evaluation of Energy Deployment) A framework to assess the complexity of perspectives influencing energy technology deployment: How is discourse of technologies framed? Environmental Communication Research How are emerging energy technologies talked about? What frames? What factors influence perceptions of emerging energy technologies?
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  Generation Transmission Distribution Consumptionblackhillsenergy.com Storage SMART GRID: AShared Vision of Electricity System Change Increasingly used term - incorporates multiple technologies Information Communication Technology (ICT), Renewables, Energy Storage Technology, Sensors Advanced Metering Infrastructure – Smart Meters and more…… Smart Grid A shared vision of change, but different priorities in - What technologies? - How much change ?
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  Source: FERC, 2012 SmartGrid Research: How does social and political context for Smart Grid compare regionally? What are different priorities and can they be aligned? METHODS Focus Groups Interviews Media Analysis Policy Analysis Financial Support: NSF Science, Technology & Society Program NSF-SES1127697 NSF RAPID Grant Science, Technology & Society (NSF-SES 1316442)
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  How is “SmartGrid” presented in the media? NumberofNewspaperArticles A 2007 2009 2012 1998 2002 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
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  Different Smart GridTechnologies Technologies   Examples   Transmission  and  Distribu/on   power  lines,    transformers,  voltage,  AC,  DC,  relays,   capacitors   Smart  meter   Smart  meter,  advanced  meter   Energy  Storage   ba>eries,  fly  wheels   Sensors,  informa/on  and   communica/on  technologies     sensors,  soAware,  hardware,  SCADA   Renewable  genera/on   wind,  solar,  photovoltaic   Electric  vehicles   Prius,  Tessla   Consumer  load  appliances   programmable  dishwashers,  air-­‐condi/oning   Consumer  interface  tools   websites,  apps,  cellphone  
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  How do differentactors perceive and frame Smart Grid? Extensive Focus Group Data Collection Each focus group 5-8 individuals from the same organization, 32 completed Shaded boxes represent focus groups planned – not yet occurred Minnesota   MISO Texas               ERCOT Massachusetts     ISO-­‐NE Illinois             MISO Vermont             ISO-­‐NE New  York   NYISO Large  Utilities Xcel Oncor National  Grid COM-­‐ED Green  Mountain   Power New  York  Power   Authority Municipal/Coop  Utilities Great  River   Energy Austin  Energy,   College  Station   Utilities Shrewsbury   Electric  &  Cable   Operations Energy  Services   Division  U  of  IL Burlington   Electric   Long  Island   Light  &  Power Regional  Transmission   Organizations MISO ERCOT ISO-­‐NE   MISO ISO-­‐NE   New  York    ISO State  Regulators MN  State   Energy  Office TX  Public  Utility   Commission   MA  Dept.  of  Public   Utilities   IL  Dept.  of   Commerce  &   Economic   Opportunity VT  Department   of  Public  Service New  York  State Consumer/Nonprofit Great  Plains   Institute Mass  Energy   Consumer  Alliance   Citizen's  Utility   Board,  Perfect   Power  Institute VT  Public  Interest   Research  Group   Techies/Academics UM  EE  Students TAMU  engineer   students Worcester   Polytechnic   Institute   Illinois  Institute   of  Technology   U.  of  VT SUNY Environmental  group Theodore   Roosevelt   Conservation   Partnership Conservation  Law   Foundation   Illinois  Sierra   Club VT  Energy   Investment   Corporation Environmental   Defense
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  Key Actors Priorities& Perspectives Consumers Reliability, low-rates, limited influence Government (National, State, Local) Jurisdictionally complex regulation Private Sector Accountable to shareholders Electric Utilities Maintaining reliable service, responding to consumers Technology companies Innovative & entrepreneurial Environmental advocates Low carbon shift & renewable energy Energy system researchers Technologically optimistic Key Actors’ Smart Grid Priorities Linked to Institutional Structures
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  Tension: Centralization vs.Decentralization Centralized – Supergrid with Long Distance Transmission More centralized control, advantages of scale Desertec Desertec - Eumena 2012 Decentralized Local Energy Systems More local control, more community connections, distributed power Smart Grid Enterprise 2013
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  Different Perspectives onHow Much Change in the Smart Grid Vision Radical Change Incremental Change Technological nirvana potential to solve all energy related problems Upgrades, modernization of current system Improving status quo
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  Superstorm Sandy –Oct (28-30) 2012 NASA GEOS-13 View, October 28, 2012 Cover page. Bloomberg Businessweek. November 1, 2012. $65.6 billion – estimated cost of devastation and disruption •  Highlighted vulnerability of energy systems – our increasing reliance on electricity for basic needs: communication, health, food, etc. •  Reintroduced climate change into political discourse of the 2012 Presidential election – previously conspicuously absent •  New awareness about energy infrastructure investments and climate change preparedness Shift to include climate adaptation as well as climate mitigation
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  Smart Grid andSustainability •  Smart Grid an umbrella term – shared vision ▫  Development influenced by different socio-political contexts ▫  Multiple technologies included in the vision •  Key actors motivated by different priorities ▫  Decentralization vs. centralization ▫  Incremental vs radical change •  Smart Grid has climate adaptation potential as well as climate mitigation potential ▫  Superstorm Sandy highlighted our vulnerability and dependence on electricity systems
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  Acknowledgements Tarla Rai Peterson TexasA&M Elizabeth Wilson U of Minnesota Thanks to many who have contributed and participated Financial Support NSF Grant Science, Technology and Society Program (NSF-SES 1127697) NSF RAPID Grant Science, Technology & Society (NSF-SES 1316442) Logistical Support Pamela Dunkle & Marsh Institute Clark University Research Collaborators Research Team Ria Langheim ES&P MS ‘13 Xiao Chen ES&P MS ‘13 Ryan Collins ES&P MS/MBA ‘15 Will Maxwell Econ/ES&P BA ‘15 Melissa Skubel ES&P BA’13 ES&P MS ‘14 Sophia Ran Wang ES&P MS ‘13 James Meadowcroft Carleton Andrea Parker SUNY-ESF Lauren Zeimmer ES BA’13 ES&P MS ‘14
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  Landscape for workin sustainability is changing Conventional rules, norms and relationships among actors may no longer be practical. Working together among key actors essential – trying to understand each other’s priorities Photo courtesy of Didac Ferrar Publications available upon request Email: [email protected] Website: http://wordpress.clarku.edu/ jstephens/