The Future of Energy Usage
Karsten Barde is a Director of Policy & Regulatory Strategy for National Grid’s electric & gas utility businesses in New York and Massachusetts. Karsten helped lead clean energy innovation in the utility industry for twelve years, developing business strategy and policy, and launching new initiatives in electric transportation, grid modernization, distributed generation, building decarbonization, and the future of gas. He previously served as a manager in National Grid’s New Energy Solutions group and spent three years at Pacific Gas & Electric supporting Energy Procurement and Smart Grid teams with implementation of state energy and climate policy.
Courtney Eichhorst is a Principal Program Manager for the Future of Heat in National Grid’s Transformation Office. Courtney has held roles in regulatory and strategy, where she helped lead the development of decarbonization strategies and innovative regulatory models, including outcome-based performance incentives. She earned her MBA from Boston University, with a focus in Energy and Environmental Sustainability, and BS in Economics from Purdue University.
Sandy Grace is Vice President of US Policy and Regulatory Strategy for National Grid. Throughout her career in the energy and infrastructure industry, Sandy has held roles focusing on policy development, legislative and regulatory strategy, as well as transmission and microgrid investment opportunities. She spent nearly a decade in private law practice on complex commercial litigation and regulatory matters, representing and advising some of the nation’s largest energy companies on issues ranging from mergers and acquisitions, compliance, federal funding opportunities, and participation in wholesale energy markets.
Climate change is one of the most challenging crises of our time. The states in which we serve, New York and Massachusetts, have both committed to net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 (at least eighty-five percent below the 1990 level of emissions). As part of attaining this goal, state and local policymakers are taking important steps to enable future electrification of end uses, especially as it relates to heating in the building sector.
For this deep decarbonization in the building sector to occur, significant new electric grid investments will be needed, as will planning for the long-term future of gas distribution networks, which will play a critical role in supporting the energy transition.
As this work progresses, it is essential that policymakers and stakeholders recognize the integrated nature of today's energy system, which is comprised not only of diverse sources of generation but various delivery systems carrying molecules and electrons, which together form an interconnected system of systems. And, in recognition of this interconnected system of systems, plan for the future of our energy usage in an integrated manner.