PODCAST Ep. 12: Emilie Nelson Advises the CAC that a System of Markets, Physics and People Will Produce a Reliable Zero-Emissions Grid
Emilie Nelson, NYISO’s Executive Vice President, has more than two decades of experience in the energy industry. She’s also a member of the Power Generation Advisory Panel to the New York State Climate Action Council (CAC).
The CAC will produce the scoping plan for a 70% renewable grid by 2030 and zero-emissions by 2040, placing Nelson in an active role for the most aggressive clean energy plan in the nation.
“It’s been called a ‘moonshot’ goal,” Nelson said, in regard to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. “New York’s grid is now around 27% renewable. We need to push that number to 70% in 10 years,” a mission she takes very seriously and is actively engaged. 
How is our organization partnering with the state to meet these ambitious steps? Through a variety of actions: making changes to our wholesale electricity markets that reward investment in clean energy, for instance, or identifying new transmission needs so more upstate-based green power can be moved downstate, where demand is highest. Finally, we’ve recently published a guide for the CAC that explains how markets and state policy can work together to reach the renewable and emissions goals.
“There is no one single thing, no magic, that will provide grid reliability,” Nelson said. “The system must function together.”
Listen now:
For more about the path to New York's 2040 grid, visit www.nyiso.com/2040grid.
