Beia Spiller

Energy Economist at 

Resources for the Future




Organized webinars and workshops

Digging Deep: Critical Minerals, Electric Vehicles, and the Role of Innovation

March 12, 2024

As more electric vehicles (EVs) are produced and purchased, demand for the critical minerals required to create EV batteries will increase. This increased demand creates a variety of challenges, from geopolitical concerns about mineral availability to mineral price volatility. Without technological innovation, these issues could lead to higher battery costs and vehicle prices that slow down EV adoption and, by extension, emissions reductions.

On Tuesday, March 12, Resources for the Future (RFF) hosted “Digging Deep: Critical Minerals, Electric Vehicles, and the Role of Innovation.” In this webinar, we presented some of the challenges associated with critical mineral markets and how these connect to broader EV adoption. Then a panel of experts discussed the role that technological innovation could play in mitigating the challenges caused by growing EV demand; potential limits to innovation; and policies that can help support innovation and make critical mineral markets more resilient.


Panelists included: 


See more information at the workshop webpage.


Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Mandates Workshop: Research for effective, efficient, and equitable policy implementation

June 12/13 2023

California and New York recently adopted the Advanced Clean Cars II rule, requiring all new light-duty vehicle sales to be electric by 2035, and the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, which requires a ramping up of medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle sales to 75 percent by 2035. Achieving and requiring such a rapid transition to an electric transportation sector raises a number of questions, such as:

•What will happen to the used gasoline market, new vehicle sales (both electric andgasoline), and vehicle imports?

•How can we ensure that this transition will be equitable?

•What is the optimal pathway for charging station investments?

•How will this expansion of new ZEV sales affect the electricity sector, and what rulesand regulations within the electric sector can help support this transition?

There are multiple avenues to explore and lots of new research that can be done in this space to help the states effectively, efficiently, and equitably achieve their ZEV goals. To that end, we will host a two-half day virtual workshop with a group of researchers and policymakers who work closely with researchers in the ZEV space to discuss cutting-edge research on these issues, identify new researchable questions, and explore data required to answer these questions. Following the workshop, we will create a written communication summarizing the findings from the workshop and laying out a new research agenda related to the ZEV mandate.

See more information at the workshop webpage.

Read the summary report here.

Agenda

Day 1:

2pm Introduction/welcome 

2:05–2:35 Fireside chat with Richard Newell (RFF) and Chris Smith (Ford Motor Company)

2:35–3:20 Distributional and equity concerns 

Moderator: Mehri Mohebbi

Panelists: Erich Muehlegger, Regan Patterson, Suzanne Russo 

3:20–3:30 Coffee Break 

3:30–4:15 Charging station network development and investments 

Moderator: Nafisa Lohawala

Panelists: Mehrnaz Ghamami, Shanjun Li, Katalin Springel 

4:15–5:00 Electric regulatory decision making 

Moderator: Beia Spiller

Panelists: Severin Borenstein, Peter Cappers, Elizabeth Stein

5:00 Close out, summary of first day

Day 2:

11am: Welcome back

11:05–11:35 Fireside chat with Rory Christian (Chair and CEO of NY State Public Service Commission) and Dr. Barbara Kates-Garnick (Tufts University)

11:35–12:30pm Electric loads, grid impacts, and environmental outcomes

Moderator: Karen Palmer

Panelists: Debapriya (Priya) Chakraborty, Alan Jenn, Kara M. Kockelman, Steve Letendre

12:30–1 Lunch break

1–1:55 Vehicle demand and supply

Moderator: Josh Linn

Panelists: Benjamin Leard, Kenneth Gillingham, Margaret Mann, Anna Spurlock

1:55-2 Close out

Research and Policy Discussions in the Power Sector

With funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and in coordination with the Institute for Policy Integrity at NYU School of Law, I have organized a series of webinars bringing together Sloan grantees in the electricity transmission and distribution space. These webinars presented the work done by the researchers, and discuss the implications of the work for advancing policy. The webinars were held during 2021-2022. Below is a description of each with links to the associated blogs and event recordings. For more information, see the main webpage here.


1. Energy Justice and the Just Transition in the Power Sector- New Research and Policy Opportunities

This panel explored research conducted by Dr. Sidortsov on the energy justice implications of repurposing underground mines for energy storage, and by Dr. Sims on the environmental justice implications of distributed solar adoption and utilization. Raya Salter's policy expertise framed the policy discussion currently being had in NY and beyond around energy justice and the just transition.

October 26, 2021. Watch event recording

Moderator: Lauren Navarro (EDF)

Panelists: Raya Salter (WE ACT), Dr. Roman Sidortsov (Michigan Technological University), Dr. Charles Sims (University of Tennessee- Knoxville).

Associated blog link.


2. Public Acceptance and Governance Topics in Energy Policy

This panel explored research conducted by Dr. Heikkila on policy conflicts and concord among key stakeholders related to the siting of energy infrastructure, by Dr. Konisky on public perception surveys and public finance research on the siting of energy infrastructure, and by Dr. Konschnik on the role of regional transmission organizations and independent systems operators in electricity markets. Dr. Wilson's policy expertise on this topic provided the framework for understanding the broader context of this research.

December 16, 2021. Watch event recording

Moderator: Dr. Elizabeth Wilson (Dartmouth)

Panelists: Dr. Tanya Heikkila (CU Denver), Dr. David Konisky (Indiana University), Dr. Kate Konschnik (Duke University), and Amanda Ormond (Western Grid).

Associated blog link


3. Energy Market Design: New Research and Policy Approaches

Energy market design is key to efficiently decarbonizing the power system. This panel focused on ongoing policy discussion on the topic and the latest research on how different market designs could affect clean energy outcomes.

February 3, 2022. Watch event recording

Moderator: Sarah Ladin (Institute for Policy Integrity).

Panelists: Catherine Hausman (Univ. of Michigan), Chiara Lo Prete (Penn State), Valerie Teeter (FERC).

Associated blog link


4. Distributed Energy Resources and Distribution Network Impacts

What are the challenges and opportunities created by Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)? How can policies help or hinder outcomes? Are there ways to improve both adoption and functionality of DERs? Find out in this conversation between leading research and policy experts.

March 4, 2022. Watch event recording

Moderator: Elizabeth Stein (Environmental Defense Fund).

Panelists: Jim Bushnell (UC Davis), Anamika Dubey (Washington State University), Alan Jenn (UC Davis), and Michelle Rosier (Minnesota Public Utilities Commission).

Associated blog link


5. Is the Price Right? Valuing and Compensating Distributed Energy Resources

This webinar brought together leading research and policy experts to discuss ways to value and compensate distributed energy resources for their services, how these different approaches affect outcomes of interest, and where the policy discussions are headed.

May 27, 2022. Watch event recording

Moderator: David Brown (University of Alberta).

Panelists: Michael Caramanis (Boston University), Beia Spiller (RFF), Burçin Ünel (Institute for Policy Integrity at NYU School of Law), and Paul Phillips (California Public Utility Commission).

Associated blog: link


Exploring Innovative Transportation Policies Workshop

July 15-16, 2020

Co-hosted with Resources for the Future and Duke's Nicholas School, this two-day virtual workshop brought together individuals from all over the US, and from different sectors, including local governments, non-governmental organizations, stakeholder and community groups, industry, and academics, to discuss innovative policy solutions to achieving a clean transportation system.

View the full forum agenda and highlights.

Read the associated blog post



On the REV agenda: The role of time-variant pricing

March 31, 2015

Co-hosted with the New York Department of Public Service and New York University’s Institute for Policy Integrity, the full-day forum, “On the REV Agenda: The Role of Time-Variant Pricing,” brought together more than 150 regulators, utility executives, academics, and other stakeholders to explore how residential time-variant pricing works, what it can accomplish, and how best to implement it.

View the full forum agenda

Read the associated blog post

Watch videos of the panels:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Attended conferences and workshops

2023


2022


2021


2020

2019

2018 / 2012

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