Let’s state the obvious: coal isn’t coming back. Ask any energy utility executive in America today and they’ll tell you that the days of coal-based power are over—regardless of shifting politics—and that the time to invest in wind and solar is now. Electric utilities in conservative states like Texas and Oklahoma are at the epicenter of this great transition, where the shift from coal to renewables is already happening today.
As I describe in my book Goodbye to Deerland, the transition from coal to wind won’t happen overnight, but an honest examination of the economics will show that utilities today cannot afford to wait and hold their breath. They must act now or they risk losing out to competitors and falling behind in the market.
Goodbye to Deerland: Leading Your Utility Through the American Energy Transition is the story of a utility CEO facing the crisis of his life, and how he overcame it. It is also, more importantly, a roadmap to transform your electric utility and succeed in the fast-changing U.S. energy landscape. Something new is happening across America: a new way of powering communities, a new way of doing business, a new way of thinking.