Emily Grubert
Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame
Bio:
Dr. Emily Grubert is Associate Professor of Sustainable Energy Policy, and, concurrently, of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences at the University of Notre Dame. Her research focuses on justice-oriented deep decarbonization and decision support tools related to large infrastructure systems, with emphasis on evaluation of dynamic life cycle socioenvironmental impacts and the effects of different value systems on decision pathways. Grubert holds a Ph.D. in Environment and Resources from Stanford University, and an M.S. in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering and an M.A. in Energy and Earth Resources from The University of Texas at Austin.
Abstract:
Decarbonizing US electricity by 2035 only strands an estimated 15% of capacity-years, based on typical fuel- and technology-specific lifespans for fossil fuel-fired generators operable as of 2018. Setting explicit deadlines for closures can facilitate a just transition for workers and host communities by enabling advance planning for next steps. The fact that the generators already exist presents a major advantage in that we know where they are: policy can also define when closures will occur, enabling more explicit, community-grounded planning that can avoid some of the major deindustrialization harms observed in the coal transition to date and in historical events like the collapse of the iron and steel industry. Policy attention to distributional impacts, like concentration of stranded assets in poorer states, and efforts to avoid new construction of plants that will become stranded if built, will be important for the transition. Phasing out fossil fuels, and achieving deep decarbonization, requires attention to both supply and demand side dynamics, with potentially significant contributions available through building-level energy efficiency that could support both climate change mitigation and adaptation to climate change. In general, coordinating fossil phase-out with replacement system phase-in will require careful attention to transition issues in order to ensure that safety-critical services are fulfilled.
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