Former PSEG CEO Ralph Izzo on Sustainable Energy and Climate Policy

For engineers, solving the climate crisis will take more than just technology and scientific research – but skills in communication, policy and leadership.

This was the central messaging of Columbia Engineering alumnus Ralph Izzo BS’78, MS’79, PhD’81, who discussed the future of sustainable energy at a recent seminar as a Silberstein Family Executive in Residence. The former CEO and chair of energy giant PSEG began his residency at the School on Feb. 17 with a student breakfast, followed by a series of one-on-one “office hour” sessions with graduate and undergraduate students. 

Created through an endowment from Alan M. Silberstein BS’69 and his wife, Carol ’69BC, the Silberstein Family Executive in Residence program recruits distinguished visitors in various fields, from business, government, and the nonprofit sector, to visit students and offer perspectives from their careers and path to executive leadership. 

In addition to meeting individually with students, Izzo led a seminar Feb. 28 to discuss the future of sustainable energy, the role of policy in creating a greener future, and steps the next generation of engineers can take to mitigate the growing climate crisis.

“I really feel so thrilled and privileged to have Izzo spending time with our students to give us his insights as a leader in the energy industry,” said Dean Shih-Fu Chang during the seminar held on the Morningside campus. “How do we take our Columbia Engineering training to not only lead big companies like PSEG, but also have an impact on government decision-making and policy, which is so critical in today's society?”

Izzo is currently a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fusion Energy Sciences Committee. His career in energy spans policy, research, and business, with diverse expertise in bringing about the next phase of clean energy.

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At the intersection of technology and policy

To start off his lecture, Izzo discussed the main issues that are affecting energy today – increased demand for electricity and the decreasing reliability of the grid. “I believe, however, that both of those issues – whether it's load growth or grid stability – have to be viewed in the context of climate change,” he said. 

Izzo did not sugarcoat the reality of our climate crisis - global temperatures are rising, and there’s a need for better carbon-free energy systems to help mitigate them. How does the U.S. progress to having more sustainable energy systems? Izzo broke down the process of the transition by reciting the changes he proposed to the U.S. administration.

“The five things that we have proposed at PSEG in the halls of Congress was, first and foremost, to be more efficient in our energy use,” said Izzo. There’s a need to grow certain parts of energy consumption, like that of data centers, as we shift from a manufacturing economy to a service-oriented economy. “Second, stop shutting down nuclear plants,” Izzo continued. “Third, as you build new energy supply, make sure it's carbon-free. Fourth, now that you've added carbon-free sources, electrify the economy. And fifth, don't leave those decisions to regulators—set a price for carbon to let the market decide what’s the right action.” 

When asked by a student what skills Izzo would recommend as someone working at the intersection of technology development and policy, he listed communication as the most significant asset to career development. “One pathway is to use your technical foundation, but put it on steroids through enhancing your communication skills,” said Izzo. “Communicating clearly on the basis of technical knowledge is a great way to influence policy.” 

“The other path is to develop a better mousetrap,” Izzo continued, using the company TerraPower, where he serves as a board member, as an example. By building a more efficient nuclear reactor and pricing carbon at $50 to $75 a ton, he said, TerraPower’s technology could make nuclear energy economically competitive. 

“Whether it's material science or AI that can make this technology more economically viable, it would be a huge way to help get us to that next step.” 

By bridging the gap between technology and policy, Izzo emphasized the importance engineers play in shaping a more sustainable humanity – whether it’s working on innovative technologies or creating energy policy.

Lead Photo Caption: Ralph Izzo with students. 
Lead Photo Credit: Brandon Vallejo