Getting Clean Energy Built: How Resource Planning Decisions Are Made

We'll be joined by Dr. Brent Nelson of Ascend Analytics who will provide an orientation to US power markets and regulatory processes, explaining how decisions about our electricity supply gets made and who makes them. We'll discuss the implications of load growth (including from datacenters but also from other drivers of electrification) and how the electricity system gets funded and paid for.

About our speaker: Dr. Nelson leads the long-term power market forecasting practice at Ascend Analytics, advising clients on emerging market dynamics and strategic long-term investment strategy. His knowledge spans wholesale markets, financial modeling, emerging technologies, and energy systems analysis. Prior to joining Ascend, Dr. Nelson was an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Northern Arizona University, while also holding a collaborative appointment at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL), focusing on energy systems analysis and decarbonization. He also worked for the US Department of Energy from 2014-2016, focusing on R&D and commercialization strategy for energy efficiency and load flexibility. He has extensive experience in energy technology and energy system modeling, with a focus on understanding market opportunities for emerging technologies. Dr. Nelson holds PhD and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from GeorgiaTech and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley.