Close Up Radio Spotlights Economic and Energy Consultant Dr. Richard Benjamin

Gambrills, MD – Dr. Richard Benjamin is currently doing economic consulting in the realm of energy. This encompasses various sub-disciplines within energy economics.

Currently, his focus is on the development of renewable energy resources. He plans to offer a research proposal to optimize the integration of variable, renewable, energy resources on electric grid operations. The paper in which Dr. Benjamin intends to do this is titled Optimal Pacing of the Energy Transition. He plans to submit it to energy publications, with the goal that it will also be seen by politicians, academia, and especially the general public.

“It’s regarding the necessity of firming up variable and renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar, through technologies such as energy storage while maintaining enough natural-gas-fired electrical generation to ensure the reliable transition of the grid to greater renewable penetration,” explains Dr. Benjamin. “The most basic issue that the world is dealing with right now is the transition to renewable energy in hope of attaining a lower carbon footprint. The issue is regarding energy windmills and solar and having so much renewable energy being produced on the grid. With renewable energy, the issue is variability. With renewables, you need to have a backup generation available to pick up the slack that wind and solar create when you aren’t getting much energy from them. That puts more stress on fossil fuel facilities.”

“It’s not necessary that we be in a great rush that we reach a certain amount of renewable energy usage within a specific timeline,” concludes Dr. Benjamin. 

For more information, please visit his page on LinkedIn