America’s vast electric grid is about to go through a major evolution as it adapts to the looming electrification of transportation. In this episode of Grid Talk, we talk with Philip Jones who is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Transportation Electrification. Mr. Jones talks about the need for more generation and transmission.

“We as a nation as we electrify transportation … there’s going to be a significant increase in use, probably 15 to 20% over the next 20 years.” Jones said.  “This is a very substantial transformation.”

He also talks about managing the system across different regulatory environments.

“If we get 70; 50-60-70% of the fleet, light-duty and medium-duty electrified, we just need to have both these passive and active load management policies in place because otherwise, the system’s not going to work.”

“It’s a much more complex system to run and manage for the utility and the grid operator but it offers a lot of load for a management flexibility.”

Philip B. Jones is the president of Phil Jones Consulting LLC, where he provides consulting services to the energy industry. He serves as the Executive Director of the Alliance for Transportation Electrification.

Jones previously served as a Commissioner on the Washington State Public Utilities Commission. From 1983 – 1988 Jones served as senior legislative assistant to Senator Daniel J. Evans, the former U.S. Senator from Washington State, and staffed him on energy policy issues before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  He was responsible for a broad range of energy issues, including hydroelectric re-licensing, nuclear waste management, energy conservation and renewables, and the Bonneville Power Administration.

Jones graduated from Harvard with a degree in East Asian Studies in 1977.