DailyEnergyInsider covered NARUC's "The Great Debate: Electricity Resource Options" panel discussion on the future of the energy grid including AEE CEO Nat Kreamer's remarks. Read excerpts below and the entire DailyEnergyInsider piece here. 

Everyone was a winner in a debate before an audience of state utility regulators about the future makeup of the nation’s energy mix. Representatives of a half dozen industry associations stated their case at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Annual Meeting and Education Conference in San Antonio for being part of the team that will not only wind down carbon emissions but also keep the lights on in a reliable and economical fashion...

The NARUC meeting provided a forum for discussion of the many moving parts of the rapidly changing energy landscape. Monday’s discussion was staged as an actual debate where each speaker addressed questions posed by NARUC President Nick Wagner. The questions were focused on what the energy grid was going to look like in five years and what regulatory changes would be required to keep each fuel source on the field and playing a role rather than being relegated to the bench. All of the speakers agreed that steps needed to be taken to preserve, if not expand, their role in the energy strategy...

Renewables have powered their way into a leading role in the utility industry as its production costs plummet. When combined with effective storage, it is developing a greater reputation for reliability and cost along with its obvious lack of harmful emissions. “Renewable resources are clean, resilient and reliable,” said Nat Kreamer, CEO of Advanced Energy Economy and AEE Institute, who added that renewables were still “generally misunderstood.” He called on regulators and the utility industry to move more quickly on climate change policy or else risk seeing their customers set up their own solar or wind generators and disconnect from the grid altogether...

Read the entire DailyEnergyInsider piece here.