Atlantic Council

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The Atlantic Council, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Policy and International Affairs, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory held a dialogue with government, industry and non-governmental experts examining the US energy sector vulnerabilities and identifying potential improvements to the resilience of the energy system. The provision of sustainable, affordable and reliable supplies of energy is critical to economic growth and national security. At the same time, climate change, extreme weather events, population growth, and shifting patterns in demand pose significant challenges for the US energy system. A comprehensive understanding of these risks, costs, and effective adaptation strategies is critical to managing these uncertainties.  

This workshop sought  to identify critical vulnerabilities to the US energy system and provide specific recommendations to inform policy planning and energy technology research, development, demonstration, and deployment investments. The agenda aimed to provide a detailed review of the major challenges and needs faced by industry, the research community, and policy makers in order to better understand, and respond to, these vulnerabilities in a cost-effective manner. The participants were asked to identify vulnerabilities to their operations, adaptation actions taken or planned, and to focus on specific, actionable, recommendations where significant knowledge gaps exist and where industry has identified needs to ensure that climate vulnerabilities can be responded to in an effective manner. Proposed next steps and recommendations were identified to address these challenges and the gaps in knowledge in a concerted and coordinated fashion. 

Inputs from this workshop contributed to a report which seeks to identify significant vulnerabilities and potential responses that work to ensure energy security and system resiliency. The ability of the U.S. energy system to predict, respond, and adapt quickly to future vulnerabilities will be critical and will have a direct impact on the requirements of the current and future national energy infrastructure.

The Council will soon be publishing a report outlining the findings of the event. 

The event was held on July 24th and July 25th 2012.

Powerpoint Presentations:

• Michael Bernier: Vulnerabilities - Electric Power (PDF)
• Michelle Colley: Climate Change and Extreme Weather - Vulnerability Assessment of the US Energy Sector (PDF)
• Brent Dorsey: Effectively addressing climate risk through adaptation for the Energy Gulf Coast (PDF)
• Rich Engel: Extreme Weather Events National Security Perspective (PDF)
• Jon Freedman: Climate Change Adaption Response Technologies - Water (PDF)
• Ben Harper: Climate Change and Extreme Weather - Energy & Infrastructure Vulnerabilities (PDF)
• Mike Hightower: Climate Change and Energy Sector Security and Reliability (PDF)
• Lawrence Jones: Perspectives on Smart and Resilient Power Grids (PDF)
• Daniel Kreeger: A Look at How Industry is Responding to Climate Change from a Human Capital Perspective (PDF)
• J. Michael Kuperberg: United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) - Thirteen Agencies, One Vision (PDF)
• Joe Manous: Vulnerabilities Flood Risk Reduction and Inland Navigation (PDF)
• Brandon Owens: The Rise of Resilience (PDF)
• Lindene Patton: Climate Change Impacts on Power An Insurers Perspective (PDF)
• Gregory K. Price: Hedging Weather & Climate Change (PDF)
• Jayant Sathaye: Estimating Risk to California Energy Infrastructure From Projected Climate Change (PDF)
• Scott Sklar: Renewable Energy Overview (PDF)
• Vincent Tidwell: Climate Variability and the Western and Texas Interconnections (PDF)
• Tom Wilbanks: Adaptation in the National Climate Assessment and Beyond (PDF)
• Tom Wilbanks: Current Adaptation Activities, Challenges, and Opportunities- An Overview (PDF)
• Craig Zamuda: Climate Change and Extreme Weeather Vulnerability Assessment of the US Energy Sector (PDF) - DAY 1 - DAY 2

For additional information, contact Mihaela Carstei, Associate Director, Energy and Environment Program at 202-701-7727 or mcarstei@acus.org