Electrification
Pedro Pizarro is the CEO of Edison International. Hilde Tonne is the CEO of Statnett in Norway.
Coming from different parts of the world, these two CEOs engaged each other on similarities and dissimilarities of their leadership roles at large utilities. This engaging discussion at the Edison Electric Institute's 7th Annual Global Electrification Forum put together Edison International CEO Pedro Pizarro, who hails from the United States, and Statnett CEO Hilde Tonne, who hails from Norway. Enjoy excerpts from this spirited conversation.
Edison International CEO Pedro Pizarro: Statnett is the transmission system operator in Norway. Norway has one of the highest penetrations of electric vehicles and is sometimes seen as an energy battery for Europe. What do these unique features of the Norway environment mean for Statnett's mission, and how you think about developing the grid, sustainability, and helping your customers?
Statnett CEO Hilde Tonne: The electric vehicle level in Norway is immensely high. We're 5.3 million people, one-third of California, and it was announced last week that ninety percent of all new sold cars are currently electric vehicles.
Pedro Pizarro: We have some catching up to do. The U.S. is seven percent. California is twenty percent.
Hilde Tonne: What Norway did in not taxing electric vehicles worked, whereas the fossil fuel cars are highly taxed. There are almost no fossil fuel cars sold in Norway today, especially if you buy a new car.