Edison Foundation
Emile Thompson is Chair of the D.C. Public Service Commission.
More than a dozen thought leaders and decision makers took the stage at the Edison Foundation's Institute for Electric Innovation's 13th annual Powering the People event in Washington D.C. Enjoy these excerpts.
Emile Thompson: In the District, we have the most ambitious clean energy commitments. We state that by 2032, all electricity that's being used will be generated from renewable sources, and that by 2045, we will have carbon neutrality. In addition, we say that by 2041, fifteen percent of electricity that we consume within D.C. will be generated within our boundaries.
Now, we often say this, but D.C. is unique. D.C. does not have any thermal generation. It's a completely dense urban environment, with an aging building stock. So, when we start talking about these goals, affordability is front of mind to achieving each of these, and they raise very important questions, such as how we procure that energy efficiently and affordably.
How will you build enough solar in a dense urban environment to power fifteen percent of the load? Then how do you achieve carbon neutrality with an aging building stock where you need to power heating, stoves, water heaters, and other appliances?