When we first hit the record button four years ago, the energy landscape looked very different.
Oil prices were above $90 per barrel. Utilities were only just starting to take distributed resources seriously as grid assets. Coal was still on the upswing globally. There was great uncertainty around a global climate deal. And Donald Trump was still two years away from announcing his presidential campaign.
For our 200th episode of The Energy Gang, we'll reflect on the biggest changes we saw coming -- and didn't see coming -- since the podcast started.
Before we reflect back, we'll start the show with a conversation about Puerto Rico. The U.S. territory is facing unspeakable devastation after Hurricanes Irma and Maria -- made worse by a bankrupt utility and an American government slow to send help. What do we know about the scope of the commonwealth’s energy problems post-hurricane?
This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
Recommended reading on Puerto Rico:
- WaPo: Hurricane Maria Has Dealt a Heavy Blow to Puerto Rico’s Bankrupt Utility
- GTM: Hurricanes Cause ‘Apocalyptic’ Devastation to Caribbean Power Grids
- GTM: Solar, Batteries and LNG Emerge as Competitors to Oil in Island Markets
- Vox: What Every American Needs to Know About Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Disaster
We'll be off for the next three weeks. If you still need to get your energy fix, subscribe to The Interchange on Apple podcasts or wherever you download your shows.