UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Charles Zebula, president of energy supply for American Electric Power (AEP) will give the 2019 G. Albert Shoemaker Lecture in Mineral Engineering at Penn State. His talk, “Resources that will power our future,” will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, April 15, at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.
A reception will be held following the event at 3:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
About the lecture
During the last decade, there have been considerable changes to the resource mix that provide capacity and energy to the electric power grid, including changes in what are considered resources. These changes have been driven by many factors, including the availability and price of natural gas, the declining cost of renewable energy, new regulations for coal-fired power plants, corporate sustainability objectives, and the power of big data analytics. In addition, advancements in technology offer the opportunity to bring additional resources such as microgrids, batteries, transmission optimization and virtual power plants into the mix.
Zebula will discuss how this transformation of the electric power industry has led to the retirement of many baseload coal and nuclear power plants and increased the usage of natural gas, wind and solar resources. He will also explore how maintaining a balanced set of resources, while utilizing new energy technologies, will provide the best opportunity to bring capacity and energy to the market, and preserve the diversity, reliability and resiliency of the power grid.
About Charles Zebula
Zebula is the executive sponsor responsible for the competitive business segments within AEP, which include a power generation company, retail and wholesale power marketing and trading businesses, and the company’s investments and operations in contracted renewable energy assets. His career at AEP has spanned 20 years and he has been in his current position since 2013.
About the G. Albert Shoemaker Lecture series
The G. Albert Shoemaker Lecture Series in Mineral Engineering was established in 1992 by Mercedes G. Shoemaker to honor the memory of her husband, a Pittsburgh civic and industrial leader dedicated to the support of higher education. G. Albert Shoemaker, a Penn State Distinguished Alumnus, had an eminent career in the mineral industries. He was for many years a leader of the coal industry, serving as president of the Pittsburgh Coal Division of Babcock & Wilcox, and later as president of Consolidation Coal Company from 1960 to 1966. Among many civic and philanthropic activities, he served as a member of the Penn State Board of Trustees from 1957 to 1978 and as board chairman from 1970 to 1972.
For more information about the G. Albert Shoemaker Lecture Series, visit https://www.eme.psu.edu/calendar/shoemaker-lecture.