ON THE LONG LIST of things standing in the way of the green energy transition, utilities are up at the top. So says a recent report from the nonprofit Energy and Policy Institute, whose executive director, David Pomerantz, sat down with journalist David Roberts to discuss the details. You can hear the full, unedited exchange on Roberts’ podcast, Volts.
David Roberts: Gas and electric utilities are major lobbyists. What are they pushing for?
David Pomerantz: They’re often the same company. But the gas utility sector is united in its aggressive political effort to stave off electrification of new buildings. They see that as an existential threat. Electric utilities not only have a role to play in the energy transition, but really the very central role. I wish more of them would get religion on that.
Roberts: So, an exclusively gas utility is destined for the trash bin of history and knows it, but some electric utilities seem hostile to distributed renewables like rooftop solar and the installation of transmission lines to move power between regions.
Electric utilities make money when they build stuff. If people are putting solar panels on their roof or adopting efficiency technologies to use less electricity, the utilities don’t get to build as much stuff and they make less money—so they are opposed. Now, there are absolutely some electric utilities that have figured customers—that they’re good for everyone.
