Kleinman Center for Energy Policy

David Spence explores how to rescue the U.S. energy transition from voter partisanship.Boxed lunches will be available to go following the talk!Why is the United States struggling to enact policies to reduce carbon emissions? Conventional wisdom holds that the wealthy and powerful are to blame, as the oligarchs and corporations that wield disproportionate sway over politicians prioritize their short-term financial interests over the climate’s long term health. David B. Spence argues that this top-down narrative misses a more important culprit—with critical consequences for the energy transition.Spence’s book, Climate of Contempt, offers a voter-centric, bottom-up explanation of national climate and energy

Learn more about Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) and their potential for facilitating affordable decarbonization of the power sector.Boxed lunches will be available to go following the talk!Consumers are adopting clean, flexible technologies such as smart thermostats, electric vehicles, and batteries at a rapid rate. Virtual power plants (VPPs) combine these technologies across participating customers to create a resource that can reduce, shift, or generate electricity when needed. By providing these services to the power system, VPPs can make significant contributions to grid reliability while directly compensating those consumers who participate. This presentation will introduce the concept of VPPs, describe their

Learn about the facets of Just Transition, key challenges, and opportunities, with insights from the Scottish Just Transition Commission.Boxed lunches will be available to go following the talk!There is growing consensus that responses to the climate crisis must be embedded in justice thinking, and that mitigation and adaptation approaches should not create new or entrench old injustices. Just Transitions has emerged in response.According to the International Labour Organization, Just Transition refers to greening the economy in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind. Its manifestations

Join us to explore solutions for balancing renewable growth & land use.As the U.S. accelerates its clean energy transition, land use conflicts between renewable energy infrastructure and agricultural or forested landscapes have become increasingly important. States are grappling with this challenge in various ways. In Massachusetts the installation of ground-mount solar systems has led to notable losses in forest carbon, biodiversity, and agricultural land productivity since 2010. This discussion will examine the tradeoffs involved in siting renewable energy projects in the Northeast and beyond. Join us to explore strategies for scaling solar energy responsibly, ensuring that we preserve the environmental

Accomplished alumni working in the field of energy share insights for preparing for a successful entrance into the energy sector.This event is a part of Energy Week at Penn, a week of energy-focused events across Penn’s campus.Browse and register for other Energy Week events: energyweek.upenn.eduPlease join us for a reception at the Kleinman Center following the talk!Interested in a career in the energy sector? The Kleinman Center will host a panel discussion between accomplished alumni working in the field of energy which will focus on preparing students for a successful entrance into the energy sector. Panelists will discuss their career

Join us for a lunchtime conversation with Bob Inglis and Michael Mann, moderated by Kleinman Center Faculty Director Sanya Carley.Please join the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media (PCSSM) and Kleinman Center for Energy Policy for this conversation between Bob Inglis and Michael Mann, moderated by Sanya Carley. This discussion will focus on the importance of having good faith conservative voices in the conversation over climate and sustainability.---------------Throughout his career in public service, Bob Inglis has emerged as a leading conservative voice advocating for action on climate change. As the Executive Director of republicEn.org, a community of conservatives

Explore how the Distributed Capacity Procurement model empowers utilities to scale distributed energy resources (DERs) for a resilient grid.Pier LaFarge, Sparkfund's CEO, and Paul Bonney, Kleinman Center Board Member, will discuss the Distributed Capacity Procurement (DCP) model, which empowers utilities as leaders of the energy transition to meet the unprecedented demand for electric power driven by a return of US manufacturing, data center growth and electric transportation. With their deep understanding of the grid, utilities are uniquely positioned to lead the charge on planning, siting, deploying, and dispatching distributed capacity resources (DERs) to create a more resilient, sustainable, and cost-effective

What does 'net zero' mean? Explore pledges, energy equity, fossil fuel phaseouts, renewables, and the path to a Paris-aligned future.Boxed lunches will be available to go following the talk!At COP21 in 2015, the world coalesced around what has come to be known as the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2C and pursue efforts towards 1.5C. In 2018, the IPCC published their special report on 1.5C, making it clear that a key milestone of achieving this aim is getting to “net zero”. By 2019, national pledges had started to come in. Starting with the UK,

Dive into the critical intersections of livestock production, sustainable food systems, and regenerative agriculture.Boxed lunches will be available to go following the talk!This talk, led by renowned food systems scientist and policy advocate Professor Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, delves into the critical intersections of livestock production, sustainable food systems, and regenerative agriculture. Drawing on over 25 years of leadership and research in agriculture, policy reform, and rural development, Professor Sibanda will discuss how innovative, regenerative livestock practices can drive food security, economic resilience, and sustainable development across Africa and beyond.Professor Sibanda will share insights from her work as Board Chair of

Close out Energy Week at Penn with a discussion of labor’s vision for Pennsylvania’s clean energy future.What does a worker-centered clean energy transition look like in one of the nation’s largest energy-producing states? This panel examines labor’s vision for Pennsylvania’s clean energy future—from building and launching the Union Energy coalition to shaping state policy that aligns climate action with economic security.Panelists will explore the key challenges and opportunities of organizing the emerging clean energy economy, including how to ensure strong labor standards, meaningful community benefits, and real pathways for fossil fuel workers and communities. The conversation will dig into what

Join this lunch & learn with Dr. Carolyn Kousky, Kleinman Center senior fellow and founder and executive director of Insurance for Good.Climate change is escalating the risks of many weather-related extreme events, with communities and local governments in the crosshairs and insurance markets at a breaking point. In this talk, Dr. Carolyn Kousky will explore the history of disaster insurance, the important role it plays in communities' post-disaster economic recoveries, and the current challenges facing housing markets across the US related to insurance. In spite of the challenges facing the insurance sector, private, public, and nonprofit sector actors are partnering