Please note your affiliation and years of experience in the energy and/or environmental field

I have been associated with the energy industry since 2011 and am currently working for Energy Ventures Analysis – an energy consulting firm in Arlington, VA. I am a manager at EVA’s power market advisory practice, where I focus on providing consulting services to a wide variety of clients, such as utilities, IPPs, fuel producers, investment banks, private equity firms, and traders. Additionally, I manage daily and monthly publications related to Term Power and Coal/Gas competition, analyzing fundamental drivers affecting the U.S. energy markets. I have worked on multiple projects analyzing the impact of various environmental regulations on the U.S. energy sector, as well.

Any particular achievement/interest in energy/environment you would like to mention?

At EVA, I have had the chance to work on numerous high-impact projects related to regulatory impact analysis. I was part of the team that performed the analysis for the NERC “Potential Reliability Impacts of EPA’s Clean Power Plan (Phase 1 and 2)” report. Our analysis helped NERC identify potential reliability issues that could result from various Clean Power Plan scenarios. I also presented at EPIS’s 2015 Annual Energy Market Forecasting Conference, showcasing the Aurora dispatch model’s ability to perform the Clean Power Plan analysis.

While there are a number of energy related topics I work on every day, what piques my interest is the prospect of blockchain technology in the energy market. While there are a number of potential-use cases, the decentralization of energy and the increase in a peer-to-peer energy trading market could be the game changer. With the advent of microgrids, peer-to-peer energy trading could become a reality very soon, and this could potentially limit the impact of natural and man-made disasters on the electricity grid.

In your opinion, what are the important issues facing the energy industry nowadays?

In the U.S. markets, the increasing penetration of intermittent renewable resources such as wind and solar, and the phasing out of baseload generators like coal and nuclear are causing market imbalances. California has been struggling with the “duck curve” and with more fossil-fired units exiting the market; the issue is bound to be exacerbated. The ERCOT market is exposed to the volatility of wind generation, which could potentially impact reliability. Storage technologies like batteries need to become economically viable quickly to resolve the issues arising from the growth in intermittent generation.

In terms of global issues, the 100% electrification of India is something to look out for. To provide round-the-clock reliable electricity, India’s energy infrastructure needs to grow significantly. With an ambitious target of increasing its renewable power capacity to 175 GW by 2022 to meet incremental demand, India needs to be aware of the challenges arising from drastic growth in renewable generation. It will be interesting to see India progress toward achieving 100% electrification while also adhering to its green goals. If India manages to accomplish this, it would become a leader in renewable energy and could carve a path for others to follow.

How long have you been a member of NCAC? Any particular NCAC memory you would like to share with us?

I have been an NCAC member for three years and I am currently serving on the Council. I have been to numerous lunches and field trips organized by NCAC. The most memorable of those was the trip to the National Energy Technology Lab (NETL) and the Longview Coal Plant in Morgantown, WV earlier this year. That was my first trip to a fossil-fired plant and to a HELE (High Efficiency Low Emission) unit. It was interesting to see the operation of the unit as well as to learn about the challenges faced by the plant in the era of low natural gas prices.

Despite being one of the newest, cleanest and most efficient coal plants in the country, Longview struggled financially and emerged out of bankruptcy in 2015. This clearly highlights how new and efficient CCGTs in a sub $3/MMBTU gas price era affect coal units in a competitive market.

Director, Energy, Climate Change, and Extractive Industries Program at the Inter-American Dialogue

Please note your affiliation and years of experience in the energy and/or environmental field

I have over ten years of experience working in the energy field. I am currently director of the Energy, Climate Change, and Extractive Industries Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank focused on Latin America, where I cover issues including energy policy and regulations, oil and gas markets, climate change, sustainable transport, social and environmental impacts of natural resources development, and the geopolitics of energy in the region. Before joining the Dialogue, I was New York Bureau Chief and Latin America Team Leader for Energy Intelligence Group and subsequently a manager in the energy practice at Deloitte.

Any particular achievement/interest in energy/environment you would like to mention?

I received a Fulbright Specialist grant in 2017 to teach a course on climate change and environmental policy at the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, Colombia. As part of the grant, we also organized a roundtable on the peace process with the FARC and the government’s efforts to bring electricity to rural areas that had been under FARC control as part of the peace deal. Colombia has an electrification rate of over 97% but some very remote jungle areas with sparse populations that are distant from the national grid. I documented findings of the discussion in this article: https://www.thedialogue.org/analysis/peace-in-colombias-countryside-first-turn-on-the-lights/.

In your opinion, what are important issues facing the energy industry nowadays?

I think the greatest challenge facing the industry is how to provide energy and transportation to emerging economies while addressing the threat of climate change. For Latin America, this challenge is perhaps most acute when it comes to the region’s mobility needs. Latin America is largely a region of middle income countries, with sizeable and fast-growing middle classes that enjoy improving purchasing power. As a result, demand for private light-duty vehicles is mushrooming. Demand for heavy-duty vehicles used mainly to transport commercial goods is also growing as economies expand. This contrasts sharply with developed countries like the United States and Europe where oil demand and emissions have peaked as populations are scarcely growing, most adults already own cars, and improved energy efficiency has led to declines in energy and emissions intensity. Latin America also contrasts with lower income regions, such as Africa, where electricity demand will grow exponentially in the coming years but much smaller portions of the population can afford private vehicles and car ownership is growing at a slower clip.

How long have you been a member of NCAC? Any particular NCAC memory you would like to share with us?

I just joined NCAC in 2018 as a Council Member. The events and meetings I have attended with NCAC about global energy markets and US energy policy have really helped to shape my own work on Latin America and to help me understand the broader context for energy policy debates in the region.

Please note your affiliation and years of experience in the energy and/or environmental field.

I began working in the energy field in 2012 as an Industrial Economist with the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) Office of Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels Analysis. Since 2015, I’ve worked on energy, minerals, and real estate issues with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). At the BLM, I’ve directly applied the knowledge I gained with EIA of the complex interactions between the production, midstream, and end-use sectors to rulemaking efforts, National Environmental Policy Act analyses, reports to Congress, President’s Budget projections, assessments of fiscal terms, bonding and financial capability statements, and newly developed web products on BLM.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals

Any particular achievement/interest in energy/environment you would like to mention?

I’m really excited to make a presentation on Federal onshore oil and gas resource and production issues and trends at the upcoming USAEE/IAEE North American Conference’s Government Track session, “Informing Federal Energy Resource and Petroleum Policies in an Era of Abundance”: https://www.usaee.org/usaee2018/program_concurrent.aspx#3

At EIA, I had the chance to write, edit, and shepherd numerous documents for publication. These included sections of the Annual Energy Outlook, reports to Congress on the infrastructure needed to process incremental light tight oil volumes in the United States and the impact of lifting of U.S. crude oil export restrictions, and an analysis of efforts to reduce natural gas flaring volumes in North Dakota. I later presented my research on the North Dakota flaring reduction efforts to the Bakken Flaring Alternatives and Gas Capture Conference in Denver.

Over the past two years, I have been applying the professional skills gained from my work with EIA and the BLM in recent years to pursuing a personal interest - looking at alternatives for beneficially reusing produced water from oil and gas wells. I had the opportunity to present an analysis of these alternatives at the Ground Water Protection Council’s Underground Injection Conference in Tulsa this past February (http://www.gwpc.org/events/gwpc-proceedings/2018-uic-conference), and will be further developing them for an upcoming International Petroleum Environmental Conference in Denver (https://cese.utulsa.edu/ipec-conference/). In August, I also hosted my first energy event - a great panel on the future of oil and gas and transportation sector innovations and their impact on U.S. and global energy markets and security for my alma mater, the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy.

In your opinion, what are important issues facing the energy industry nowadays?

The Energy-Water Nexus is an important and increasingly crucial issue that is getting a good amount of attention now from the Department of Energy and EPA. The energy needed to treat, transport, and safely discharge water from industries, households, and businesses is an all-important constraint that makes drought-prone regions particularly vulnerable in the United States and around the world. Ironically, the energy sector’s need for water (both for groundwater consumption and surface water withdrawals) means that it sometimes competes for scarce volumes of acceptably treated water with those same sectors that rely on their energy output for their daily lifeblood.

This era of increasing energy abundance has come with an equally important increase in water scarcity, exacerbated by weather- and climate-related factors. We need the same talent from entrepreneurs, regulators, and policymakers that we tapped to make more energy available here in the U.S. to address this water availability issue – and the climate-related factors underpinning it.

How long have you been a member of NCAC? Any particular NCAC memory you would like to share with us?

I’ve been an NCAC member for three years now, and my favorite memories are getting introduced to the group at an event by my former EIA colleague Shirley Neff, as well as every opportunity I’ve had to meet so many great professionals doing amazing work who share my passion for energy and environmental issues.

Please note your affiliation and years of experience in the energy and/or environmental field

Currently, I am working at Concentric Energy Advisors as a financial analyst for electric utilities, gas companies, and power producers. Having just graduated from GW’s Elliott School of International Affairs in May of 2018, I have two years of experience in the energy field—mostly in the academic space but more recently at consulting firms.

I was first introduced to the subject after taking an internship with a non-profit focused on sustainability. Since then, though, I have taken a keen interest in general energy economics. With the help of Michael Ratner, I wrote my thesis on the convergence of natural gas prices globally due to the shale revolution and the rise of LNG trade. Now, at Concentric, I work in financial advisory, markets & resource planning, and regulation.

Any particular achievement/interest in energy/environment you would like to mention?

When I was studying in Chile, an economist at the Universidad de Chile and I explored how the rise of electric vehicles would affect the lithium supply chain.  We worked out a research paper that would eventually be published in a letter to The Economist. We found that if the goals set out by OECD countries to increase the number of EVs on the roads are fulfilled, lithium demand for electric cars will absorb about 400,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent by 2025. However, this would require lithium production to grow by 20% each year from now until 2025, almost twice as fast as over the past decade. Although there is abundant supply, 54% of the lithium is extracted from Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, where the governments are notorious for protecting their lithium reserves. The extraction process is slow and laborious, which affects supply.

We suggest that the actual scenario will be one where lithium is scarce, which will put the spread of electric cars at risk unless manufacturers develop more efficient electric batteries.

In your opinion, what are the important issues facing the energy industry nowadays?

I think the most significant issues for the industry today revolve around China’s energy policy. The Party’s ambitions to shrink coal consumption and decrease emissions, if successful, would be one of the greatest environmental achievements of this century and a model for other countries to adopt. But how quickly can U.S. and Chinese shale gas companies make this possible?   Also, with the Chinese consuming less energy, how will this affect the global energy industry?

How long have you been a member of NCAC? Any particular NCAC memory you would like to share with us?

I have been a member since September 2017, and it has been a terrific experience. Fortunately, through the mentorship program, I have been able to talk to and meet with helpful folks that guided me through the job search process. Two in particular—Michael Ratner and Olga Chistyakova—were very supportive and gave me great advice on networking, job interviews, and career paths. I have nothing but good things to say about the leaders of the organization.

Please note your affiliation and years of experience in the energy and/or environmental field

I am the Director of Analysis, Research and Systems Engineering at Atlantic Grid Development, LLC in Silver Spring, MD. For the last 13 years, I have been researching, teaching and working on energy related issues. I started to be interested in the energy field while searching for a dissertation topic in grad school at the George Washington University, Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Department. When I read a front-page article about Cape Wind, the first US offshore wind project proposal, in the Wall Street Journal, I decided to delve into the energy field, particularly offshore wind system design and power market integration issues. It is a fascinating, challenging and complex subject to think, design and analyze both from technical and economical aspects with a holistic system perspective. 

Any particular achievement / interest in energy/environment you would like to mention?

Since 2011, I have been working for Atlantic Grid Development to develop the first-of-its-kind offshore transmission system in the US to connect offshore wind farms and extend the onshore grid in the Mid-Atlantic region. While working at AGD, I was involved in two DOE funded research projects to help advance offshore transmission system planning and to reduce the cost of offshore wind by introducing integrated design solutions. In addition, I was a member of a study group that led the analyses of offshore wind future cost reductions in Massachusetts and New York. These studies successfully helped decision makers develop legislation in both states.

I build techno-economic system models to understand and guide the design processes, to define costs, benefits and risks including uncertainties. My dissertation “Financial Analysis and Cost Optimization of Offshore Wind Energy under Uncertainty and in Deregulated Power Markets” introduced a pioneering framework for an integrated system optimization model for offshore wind.             

In your opinion, what are important issues facing the energy industry nowadays?

The energy industry is going through a transformation in three major aspects. In broad terms, it is becoming greener, distributed and digitalized. The existing asset base in the US — the grid and generation network — is the biggest machine that mankind has ever built. Transforming it without upsetting the existing asset base and threatening the status quo and designing additions to this system from a holistic system perspective with a view towards future generations while keeping the grid secure and reliable are the biggest challenges that we are facing today.

How long have you been a member of NCAC? Any particular NCAC memory you would like to share with us?

I have been member of NCAC since 2015. I love to meet distinguished experts at the NCAC meetings and I learn something new in every discussion while sharing the same passion for energy.

Please note your affiliation and years of experience in the energy and/or environmental field.

As an Economist with the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), my area of expertise lies primarily in the international upstream oil and gas sectors. I conduct trend analysis, anticipate the impact these changes have on EIA data, and prepare short and mid-term supply forecasts with a focus on Canada, Mexico, the Americas, and non-OPEC Middle East.

Prior to the EIA, I worked as a Policy Analyst at the U.S. Department of Energy evaluating policies and programs focusing on energy efficiency and end-use analysis in buildings, manufacturing and industrial facilities, appliance standards, and transportation. I have over 10 years of experience focusing on electricity, grid infrastructure and modernization and energy efficiency. My experience also includes international trade expertise, having worked for the U.S. Commercial Service and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

I specialized in export counseling and conducted investigations to enforce U.S. antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) trade laws. I have authored multiple publications in trade journals, ranging from international energy oil and gas analysis, energy productivity, the economics of international water disputes, to statistical analysis of annual trade flows. I hold a Masters of Arts in International Economics, Energy and Environmental Policy from the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS). I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Davis.

Any particular achievement/interest in energy/environment you would like to mention?

In 2009 I worked on the Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG) program undertaken through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) aimed to accelerate the modernization of the nation’s electric transmission and distribution systems. Through these projects, the SGIG program promoted investments in smart grid technologies, tools, and techniques that increase flexibility, functionality, interoperability, cybersecurity, situational awareness, and operational efficiency.

I worked with 7 utility grant recipients to execute their projects, worth over $372 million. I provided technical smart grid and electricity regulatory analysis, conducted project site visits, managed budgets, tracked metrics, financial and invoicing analysis, developed and implemented project management systems to strengthen planning and execution. All my grant recipients successfully completed their projects.

In your opinion, what are the important issues facing the energy industry nowadays?

I believe an important issue that we are seeing a trend in states being “first movers” in implementing energy policies or technology, independent of government or national involvement. If we are not careful, it could lead to a patchwork of uncoordinated policies. Understanding how state policies vary, their market impacts, and what the federal role is in working with states to create national energy policy is an important but uncertain piece of the puzzle for the future of the energy sector.

How long have you been a member of NCAC? Any particular NCAC memory you would like to share with us?

I have been a member since 2009. My favorite memory was the roast NCAC held last year for (to?) Adam Sieminski. It was a blast hearing the all the NCAC member poems, jokes and songs dedicated to his service. Energy nerds can be fun also!

Please note your affiliation and years of experience in the energy and/or environmental field

I first dipped my toe into the energy and environment pool when I was a graduate student at Johns Hopkins/SAIS. I took several courses in environmental economics and did a simulated negotiation of an environmental treaty. I have been working in the energy and environmental field since about 2005, although back then, I had no idea that my career would take this direction. (My undergraduate degrees are in English and drama!) I ended up in energy and resources mainly because I really like the people who work in this field, and because I like the challenges associated with a constantly changing landscape. It can be intimidating at times, however. I am presently an attorney in the Global Energy Sector of Dentons, and I am constantly in awe of the talent that surrounds me. It is a great place to work, and gives me a platform to explore a wide variety of issues, far beyond the individual cases I handle.

Any particular achievement/interest in energy/environment you would like to mention?

There are so many exciting projects that I am working on right now that I hardly know where to begin. First, I have the pleasure of hosting a group of Canadian law students in an international energy law travel course that Dentons sponsors with the Universities of Calgary and Houston each year. The students come to Washington as part of the program and spend time visiting with prominent leaders in US energy and environmental regulation. Most of the students are people who already have worked in the energy sector before going to law school - regulators, engineers, geologists, etc.. It is exciting working with students who bring so much experience to the table. I also am working with the leaders of my practice group to launch a Smart Cities Think Tank to complement our legal and policy capabilities. We are grappling with issues that are cutting edge, but that touch the everyday lives of millions of people. Smart Cities initiatives are something that most people can be excited about and support to some degree. This allows us to bring groups that would normally oppose one another to the same table to achieve a common goal.

How long have you been a member of NCAC? Any particular NCAC memory you would like to share with us?

I think it was about 7 or 8 years ago. While I don't have a particular NCAC memory to share, I will say that what keeps me coming back is the unique, unpretentious nature of the organization and the relevance of the discussions. I once tried to someone why I liked living in Baltimore - at least at the time, no matter who you were or where in town you were from, you could come down to the Inner Harbor on a summer evening and find people from all walks of life dancing together to a local band, sharing a common interest or experience. This organization is a bit like that. We come together from a wide variety of jobs and experience in the energy industry - from FERC commissioners or other prominent government officials to students just starting out -- even lawyers are welcome! - and we gather for a very affordable lunch and talk about issues that interest us all. Rank and status doesn't matter. I find it so refreshing, and I learn so much each time!

Ho-Mu Lee, Ph.D.
Research Fellow 
Gas Policy Research Division
Korea Energy Economics Institute

Please note your affiliation and years of experience in the energy and/or environmental field.

I joined Korea Energy Economics Institute (KEEI) in 2008. KEEI is a government-affiliated energy policy think tank and has played a key role in the development of the Korean energy sector for more than 40 years. I am currently a visiting scholar at George Washington University. I was the head of the Gas Policy Research Division of KEEI (2014-2017) and a full-time member of the Korean delegation to UN climate change negotiations (2010-2014).

Any achievement or interest in the energy/environment space you would like to mention?

The Korean domestic gas market is still under tight regulation, even though its deregulation has been debated for more than 25 years. Korea is almost 100% dependent on foreign gas (solely in the form of LNG), which keeps us concerned about supply security. A more flexible and liquid international LNG market, largely facilitated by US LNG, has rekindled our interest in loosening the government’s grip on our gas market. Presentations and discussions in the circle of NCAC members help me understand how a deregulated gas market may function and how US LNG will lead the change of the global gas market.

In your opinion, what are the important issues facing the energy industry nowadays?

It is certain that we will burn less fossil fuel and use more low- and zero-carbon energy sources, but few of us are certain how fast that transition will be. I think our ability to predict the pace will have huge implications for whether the transition will be smooth or rough, and how much it will cost us. For example, if it is much faster than many of us presume, investors will get more hesitant about putting their money into even indispensable large-scale fossil-fuel projects, destabilizing global energy supply. I am afraid that costs of the transition could be high to my country, Korea, because of our energy-intensive industries, so we must pay more attention to sensing the pace and getting resilient to any change of that pace.

How long have you been a member of NCAC? Any NCAC memory you would like to share with us?

This is my second year with NCAC. I am still very grateful to those who invited me to NCAC. Personally, this year’s technical tour to Morgantown, West Virginia is the most memorable. I learned a lot, interacted a lot and enjoyed a lot. Especially, the insightful discussion at Longview Power Plant and the wonderful dinner in an Italian restaurant were unforgettable.

Please note your affiliation and years of experience in the energy and/or environmental field

Currently I’m an independent consultant.  I’m CEO & President of Energy Unlimited in McLean, Virginia, with thirty years of experience focusing on energy markets, half of it in the world of consulting, and the rest in financial services and physical trading.  The two energy crises of the 1970s helped lead me to a B.S. in geology with the goal of becoming a wildcatter. 

But after oil prices crashed, the angels sang louder to me about the beauty of economics, so I garnered an M.S. from the Colorado School of Mines. 

My career began in the financial services industry in New York City, where I advised institutional clients on hedging and trading and risk management as a fundamental commodity analyst.  I attended OPEC meetings as an observer.  My strong intellectual curiosity then led me to become a practitioner in the physical energy space, leading power trading as Vice President at companies in ERCOT and the Western Electric Coordinating Council, as well initiating a natural gas storage arbitrage desk and deal structure desk in Houston for a rapidly growing company. 

More recently, my consulting career has been with the marquee firms of IHS-CERA (where I led Power, Gas, Coal and Renewables advisory services for the Americas), Energy Ventures Analysis, and Andersen. 

Any particular achievement/interest in energy/environment you would like to mention?

One of my interests is the intersection of power and natural gas markets and the evolution of various power technologies and policies.  A lot of D.C. folks know me vis-à-vis my work in natural gas; I’m the principal author of Fueling the Future with Natural Gas: Bringing It Home.  I’ve been blessed with an exciting and varied career across the various energy commodities.

In your opinion, what are important issues facing the energy industry today?

I’ve spent most of my career as a neutral and unbiased observer of markets, economics, technologies, and policies to help a wide variety of clients make strategic decisions or participate in the commercial activities of the energy industry.  Keeping energy markets competitive and efficient during the transition to a low CO2 emissions profile is paramount to the health and advancement of the global energy industries, as well as to solving global energy poverty.  Working together and sharing dialogue and best practices between the traditional and emerging technologies is key for advancement.   

How long have you been a member of NCAC? Any particular NCAC memory you would like to share with us?

It’s nearly ten years as an NCAC member.  For me, it’s always been about the people.  NCAC’s former president, Mark Lively, stands out as an exceptionally welcoming and friendly force.  I’ve finally joined my first NCAC committee and hope to become more involved, especially after my triplet daughters graduate from high school.

Please note your affiliation and years of experience in the energy and/or environmental field. 

American Petroleum Institute; 14 years

Any particular achievement/interest in energy/environment you would like to mention?

Interest in future disruptive battery technology and its impact on electricity generation and liquid fuels consumption 

Interest in better understanding the inverse relation in Washington, D.C. of expertise in all forms of energy and policymakers/policymaking irrespective of political bias

In your opinion, what are important issues facing the energy industry today?

1. Cost-effective ways to manage climate change
   
2. Continuing improvements in lithium-ion battery technology
   
3. Financial viability of investments required for the development of large conventional offshore oil and gas projects
   
4. Finding and retaining younger STEM-educated professionals to replace retiring baby boomers 
5. Cybersecurity
   

How long have you been a member of NCAC? Any particular NCAC memory you would like to share with us? 

12 years; the 2009 trip to Oil City, PA to commemorate Colonel Edwin Drake drilling the first successful commercial well

Any other thoughts?

A question: Where did the proponents of peak oil go? They were quite vocal ten years ago.