David Wallom: Energy Future and Climate Mitigation
This interview stood out to me for its discussion on energy and climate mitigation, and I am interested in learning about the transition to more renewable energy. I am also interested in how energy connects to almost every part of our lives. Professor Wallom talks about how all these systems —climate, infrastructure, economics, policy—are deeply intertwined. Given our current climate environment and Trump's recent executive orders, including a National Energy Emergency, I also found this interview very timely to understand what options there are for utilizing energy in the future that are more sustainable.
One of the most surprising things was Wallom's discussion on transformer infrasturuce. For example, he mentions that some of the transformers we install today are expected to still be running in 2060—even though the climate and energy demands are changing rapidly. This underscores just how far ahead we must predict, and how uncertain that future is. Additionally, the systems we have in place today in which we used predictions ot assess their viability are no longer adequate. Another surprising aspect was how Wallom framed energy efficiency as one of the most powerful tools we have.