At the MIT Energy Initiative's Annual Research Conference, speakers highlighted the need for collective action in a durable energy transition capable of withstanding obstacles.
To fend off the worst impacts of climate change, "we have to decarbonize, and do it even faster," said William H. Green, director of the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) and Hoyt C. Hottel Professor, MIT Department of Chemical Engineering, at MITEI's Annual Research Conference. "But how the heck do we actually achieve this goal when the United States is in the middle of a divisive election campaign, and globally, we're facing all kinds of geopolitical conflicts, trade protectionism, weather disasters, increasing demand from developing countries building a middle class, and data centers in countries like the U.S.?" Researchers, government officials, and business leaders convened in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Sept. 25-26 to wrestle with this vexing question at the conference that was themed, "A durable energy transition: How to stay on track in the face of increasing demand and unpredictable obstacles." "In this room we have a lot of power," said Green, "if we work together, convey to all of society what we see as real pathways and policies to solve problems, and take collective action." The critical role of consensus-building in driving the energy transition arose repeatedly in conference sessions, whether the topic involved developing and adopting new technologies, constructing and siting infrastructure, drafting and passing vital energy policies, or attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. Resolving conflicts There is "blowback and a social cost" in transitioning away from fossil fuels, said Stephen Ansolabehere, the Frank G. Thompson Professor of Government at Harvard University, in a panel on the social barriers to decarbonization. "Companies need to engage differently and recognize the rights of communities," he said. Nora DeDontney, director of development at Vineyard Offshore, described her company's two years of outreach and negotiations to bring large cables from ocean-based wind turbines onshore. "Our motto is, 'community first,'" she said. Her…