Arizona Public Service’s Historic Shift

This week: The largest utility in one of the West’s reddest states will go carbon-free by 2050.  The power company that has poured tens of millions of dollars into electing friendly regulators and fighting renewable energy says it’s all in for zero carbon electricity — even if the exact pathway isn’t yet clear.  Wasn’t APS investing heavily in keeping the Four Corners coal plant open longer? What happened? And how will this impact the way the utility starts planning its resource mix today?  Then, Congressional Republicans say they’re getting serious about climate. They’ve got a new messaging bill. We’ll talk about what’s in it — or what’s not in it — and ask why they’re tackling the issue now? Plus, plug-in hybrids versus electric cars. Honda’s CEO says he thinks plug-in hybrids will dominate for a long time. What will the electric mobility transition look like? Will we jump straight to EVs, or will hybrids be a viable interim step for some automakers?  Resources:Greentech Media: Arizona Public Service Carbon Free Power 2050AZ Central: APS CEO says Company Won’t Spend on Political Campaigns Politico: House Republicans Caught Between Trump and Young Voters on CCAxios: Elements of the GOP PlanInside EVs: What’s Better, A Plug-in Hybrid or a Fully ElectricExtremeTech: Did Honda’s CEO Say BEVs Make No Sense? Not ExactlyThis podcast is brought to you by Energetic Insurance. Energetic’s EneRate Credit Cover policy is an easy button for commercial solar — similar to a FICO score in residential solar. This enables savvy developers and investors to quickly finance commercial solar projects and turn around portfolio refinancings more rapidly. Find out more. This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high-density, high-voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids and mission-critical markets. Find out more.