It really is an odd feeling, to have political appointees who have substantive publications records which are worth reading. From the President to Cabinet members to White House staff to sub-cabinet appointees, the desktop is starting to feel the strain of books, articles, studies worth reading to gain perspective on those leading the government. Yesterday, President Obama threw thousands of additional pages on the stack of reading.
The Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) is the repository for the reference case analysis for US energy usage and projections. Sometimes constrained politically and bureaucratically, their analyses have often seem highly fossil-fuel friendly and undervaluing of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Considering that record, last week's announcement of the Obama Administration nominee to be the next Administrator of the EIA suggests that this pattern is about to be broken.
Richard Newell
is the Gendell Associate Professor of Energy and Environmental Economics at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment. He has published widely on the role of energy markets, economic incentives and other energy policy options, particularly those intended to spur the development of alternative energy sources and technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve efficiency.
Prior to joining the Duke faculty in 2007, Newell was senior economist for energy and environment on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers and a senior fellow at Resources for the Future,
Joining a mounting tradition of Obama appointees who actually have substantive knowledge in the arenas where they have responsibilities, check out the publications list of this several year old resume: about four page list, (more up-to-date cv) with most relevant for his new responsibilities and for bringing understanding to the opportunities and challenges before us, such as:
- Uncertain Discount Rates in Climate Policy Analysis. Energy Policy 32(4):519-529. With William A. Pizer. 2003
- The Economics of Energy Efficiency. Forthcoming in the Encyclopedia of Energy, Cutler
Cleveland, ed, Elsevier. With Adam B. Jaffe and Robert N. Stavins. 2003
- Managing Permit Markets to Stabilize Prices, Workshop on Instrument Design and Choice in Environmental Regulation, Helsinki School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland, October 2002.
- Energy Efficiency and Climate Policy: Issues and Evidence, Americans for Equitable Climate Solutions, Washington, DC, May 2002.
See
herefor 73 Richard Newell publications at RFF including the co-authored April 2009
Energy Efficiency Economics and Policy and the May 2009
Designing Cliamte Mitigation Policy.
To be clear, I am not stating here that Newell is "the" answer to all our climate and energy challenges, or that I agree with all he's written. (Okay, haven't read even half ... and, for example, I disagree with some of the CCS material in pieces he's co-authored.) Newell is, however, highly qualified for his position and his publications (okay, the ones that I've seen/read) are serious works, worth the read (if you're wonkish in these arenas), and certainly relevant to his coming employment.
NOTE: While I was planning to do a write-up, Joe Romm at Climate Progress recently did a write-up of the recent EIA forecast. To achieve the EIA forecasted growth in wind power, we'd have to basically put all the industry on furloughs most of the year.
EIA projects U.S. wind capacity rising from about 25 GW in 2008 to 66 GW in 2014 — but then to only 68 GW in 2030!
Anybody want to bet me that wind capacity will grow 2 GW from 2015 to 2030? Didn’t think so. Seriously EIA — how do you expect anyone to take you seriously?
And EIA projects solar thermal power in 2014 will be ... wait for it ... 790 MW, and in 2030 ... wait even longer and longer for it ... 860 MW. Like I said, EIA does not like renewables
Well, with Newell, perhaps they might discover the power of clean energy options and opportunities.