Preparing electricity networks for extreme climate events: learnings from California and Texas
This third ERICA webinar hosted by the Australian National University (ANU) Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions will explore the impact of extreme weather events on the electricity network.
The last six months have seen both California and Texas plunged into electricity blackouts. In California’s case, these blackouts have been intentional to avoid power infrastructure sparking fires in the drought-ridden region, and are expected to keep occurring in coming months and years. In the case of Texas, the blackout was due to an overloaded electricity system compromised by extremely cold weather.
As such weather events become more extreme and frequent under climate change, how can Australia learn from both these situations to avoid such blackouts here?
Join us to hear from experts discussing what went wrong in California and Texas, and what Australia can do to increase the resilience of its own energy infrastructure and supply. Dr Fereidoon P. Sioshansi (President, Menlo Energy Economics) and Professor Ross Baldick (Emeritus Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas Austin) will present on the recent extreme weather events that affected electricity networks in their respective jurisdictions. It will be followed by a panel discussion with Dr Elizabeth Ratnam (Senior Lecturer, ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science) and Dr Anna Bruce (Senior Lecturer, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales).
Professor Kenneth Baldwin (Director, ANU Grand Challenge - Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific) will host the event. Professor Ariel Liebman, Chair of ERICA will open the event.
Event Details
- Date:
- 20 April 2021 at 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Description
This third ERICA webinar hosted by the Australian National University (ANU) Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions will explore the impact of extreme weather events on the electricity network.
The last six months have seen both California and Texas plunged into electricity blackouts. In California’s case, these blackouts have been intentional to avoid power infrastructure sparking fires in the drought-ridden region, and are expected to keep occurring in coming months and years. In the case of Texas, the blackout was due to an overloaded electricity system compromised by extremely cold weather.
As such weather events become more extreme and frequent under climate change, how can Australia learn from both these situations to avoid such blackouts here?
Join us to hear from experts discussing what went wrong in California and Texas, and what Australia can do to increase the resilience of its own energy infrastructure and supply. Dr Fereidoon P. Sioshansi (President, Menlo Energy Economics) and Professor Ross Baldick (Emeritus Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas Austin) will present on the recent extreme weather events that affected electricity networks in their respective jurisdictions. It will be followed by a panel discussion with Dr Elizabeth Ratnam (Senior Lecturer, ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science) and Dr Anna Bruce (Senior Lecturer, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales).
Professor Kenneth Baldwin (Director, ANU Grand Challenge - Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific) will host the event. Professor Ariel Liebman, Chair of ERICA will open the event.