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Michael Craig
Associate Professor, School for Environment and Sustainability and the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan
Speaker Biography:
Michael is an Assistant Professor jointly appointed between the School for Environment and Sustainability and the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan. His ASSET Lab researches how to decarbonize energy systems while making those systems robust to climate change. He has received funding from several federal agencies, including an NSF CAREER Award. He serves on the advisory committees of several climate adaptation initiatives led by industry and national labs. His lab's research has been published in Nature Energy, Nature Climate Change, Joule, and other leading journals. Prior to his current position, he worked as a Research Engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He received his PhD in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University in 2017.
Abstract:
Decarbonizing electric power systems in the U.S. and abroad will require deployment of low-carbon technologies from households to transmission-scale power systems. At the same time, intensifying climate change will increasingly threaten reliable access to electricity. This talk will explore Michael’s work on interactions between decarbonization and climate change, from the household to bulk power system scales. Beginning at the household scale, Michael will present his recent work on accelerated degradation of rooftop solar panels and electric vehicle (EV) batteries driven by climate change. In both cases, we find technology development strongly mediates degradation outcomes, highlighting crucial interactions between technological progress and adaptation needs. Michael will then present distribution- and transmission-scale work, with an emphasis on how decarbonization actions can significantly affect adaptation needs. Specific topics will include peak demand projections under climate change and heat pump adoption uncertainty; distribution network performance and replacement needs under intensifying extreme heat; and the role of dynamic line ratings (DLRs) in mitigating climate-induced transmission investment needs. Michael will close with his work on enabling adaptation decision-making under climate uncertainty.