Thread by @AnnaBrockway

Personal news: this week, I am formally filing my dissertation and graduating from my PhD at @ERGBerkeley. My dissertation focuses on how we can better plan for the future of our #electricity systems given the existing and emerging stressors that they are facing.

Today, electric power systems must rely on increasing amounts of renewables, power new loads like heating & transportation, and keep the lights on even as #climatechange makes that more difficult. And policymakers, regulators, & the public are holding electricity systems to ...

... goals of operating safely, reliably, cost-effectively & sustainably & serving users equitably. These new realities increasingly require accounting for technical needs alongside policy goals & critically evaluating how we plan & make decisions in the electric sector today.

My dissertation is structured around bridging technical & policy considerations in two key areas of power system planning: (1) integrating new technologies & loads on electric distribution grids & (2) adapting to climate change. 2 of 4 chapters are published; 2 are in process.

Published chapter 1 of 2:
Inequitable access to distributed energy resources due to grid infrastructure limits in California
nature.com/articles/s4156…
Available open access: escholarship.org/uc/item/6pc2k2…
Accompanying OpEd: utilitydive.com/news/californi…

Published chapter 2 of 2:
Weathering adaptation: Grid infrastructure planning in a changing climate
Open access: doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.…
Accompanying OpEd: sfchronicle.com/opinion/openfo…
PDF link to OpEd for non-subscribers: drive.google.com/file/d/13HOIwX…

I am incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to do my graduate work @ERGBerkeley, where I was welcomed into a vibrant, supportive, & collaborative research community. cc: @NatureAtCal @energyathaas @Berkeley_EECS @UCBERC

Countless others were instrumental in making this journey possible: dedicated & thoughtful practitioners from orgs working on energy systems who I had the great fortune to work with & learn from, & mentors & teachers who guided me through all of the steps it took to get here.

What’s next? These key challenges need attn now & will require deep collaboration within the electricity sector & its stakeholders. I'm joining #ClimateAdaptation & Resiliency Planning @SCE, which is leading efforts to incorporate #climatechange into long-term electricity plnning

#Climatechange will have widespread impacts on #electricitysystems & everyone who relies on them. There’s so much work ahead, and I’m honored & humbled to contribute to these important efforts. #energytwitter (Imptly: this will stay a personal account, usual disclaimers apply.)