Clean energy transition, offshore wind the focus of ISO-NE CEO’s podcast appearance

The impending retirement of the Mystic Generating Station, once New England’s largest fossil fuel plant, and the development of Vineyard Wind 1, which will be the region’s largest renewable project, was the launching point for ISO New England CEO Gordon van Welie’s recent appearance on The Codcast, a weekly podcast produced by CommonWealth Beacon.

“There is something symbolic about a 1,600-megawatt gas-fired combined cycle retiring and an 800 megawatt offshore wind farm coming on line. And there’s another one in the works called Revolution Wind,” van Welie told host Bruce Mohl. “The change on the New England system has been underway for about a decade now, but I think it is an opportune time to sort of talk about how this change is unfolding.”

The half-hour conversation centered on New England’s energy future, with van Welie detailing the four pillars he sees as crucial to a reliable clean energy transition. Much of the discussion focused on the development of offshore wind, forecasting future consumer demand for electricity, and the potential for great retail demand response in the region.

The Codcast is available on the CommonWealth Beacon website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.