Institute for Energy Studies Speaker Series Presents: The State of Energy in Washington State

High voltage power lines silhouetted against a dramatic sky at sunset.

Event Details

When:

-

Location:

Online: Zoom

In-Person:
Academic Instructional Center West
Room 204

Price:

Free

Brought to you by:

Institute for Energy Studies, The Foundation for WWU & Alumni

Description

Check out this video to watch the The State of Energy in the State of Washington.

By 2025, the Pacific Northwest faces a power generation capacity shortfall of up to 7 GW, possibly up to 10 GW by 2030. The Washington State Legislature passed the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) in 2019 which requires that all utilities eliminate coal by 2025 and provide carbon neutral electricity by 2030. With an increasing population, increasing penetration of electric vehicles and power-hungry data centers, and the closing of 11 coal plants in the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Conca examines whether and how we can achieve a reliable electricity mix, avoid grid collapse, and still address the worst effects of climate change.

James Conca is a white Maile with short, sandy brown hair. He is smiling and wears glasses, black suit, and red tie.

Dr. James Conca, Speaker

Dr. James Conca is a Trustee of the Herbert M. Parker Foundation at Washington State University in the Tri-Cities. He has worked on nuclear and energy issues for 40 years at NASA, Washington State University, New Mexico State University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Conca has been an advisor to DOE, EPA, state and federal regulatory agencies, and to President Obama’s Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future from 2010 to 2012. He worked on the Yucca Mt and WIPP nuclear waste projects for 25 years, was a Science Contributor to Forbes on energy issues for 10 years, and is an advisor to the new WA State Legislature's bipartisan Nuclear Energy Caucus. Conca obtained a Ph.D. in Geochemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1985, a Masters in Planetary Science in 1981, and a Bachelors in Geology and Biochemistry from Brown University in 1979.

Accommodations and Other Details

Contact The Foundation for WWU & Alumni for this event if you have questions or need disability accommodations by calling (360) 650-3353 or emailing Alumni@wwu.edu

Advance notice for disability accommodations and special needs is greatly appreciated. Please indicate your special needs on the registration form.

There will be auto-captions available for the Zoom webinar.

Limited paid parking is available in the C lots at the south end of campus and in lots 6V and 7G at the north end of campus. Western provides comprehensive parking details—including lot locations, applicable fees, and campus map. Please note that parking in the C lot and 12A by Fairhaven College is free after 4:30pm on weekdays and all hours on weekends.