David Rapson
Description: David Rapson is a Chancellor’s Leadership professor in the Economics Department and co-director of the Davis Energy Economics Program at UC Davis. Beyond his academic roles, Professor Rapson also serves as an economic policy advisor and senior research economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. In this episode we talk about economics of electrification, focusing primarily on electric vehicles and grid infrastructure. Additionally we explore why all students should study economics and the role of the Federal Reserve. We hope you enjoy
Websites: David Rapson
Publications:
The Electric Ceiling: Limits and Costs of Full Electrification
Low Energy: Estimating Electric Vehicle Electricity Use
Resources:
Davis Energy Economics Program
Show Notes:
[01:20] Intro, how he got into economics and to UC Davis
[05:50] Similarity between consulting work and policy work
[07:47] Narrowing of thought in academia
[10:44] What is economics?
[12:30] Best economic model
[17:17] Why the EV wave isn’t so simple
[21:00] Is California’s electric grid ready for full electrification?
[24:40] Decentralized grid model/ economies of scale
[27:00] Nuclear Energy
[29:45] How much of our electricity is generated from coal?
[30:35] Environmental difference between coal and natural gas?
[31:40] Negative incentives to move away from coal?
[37:25] How policy leads to changes in incentives
[38:50] How do economists weigh in environmental and ethical issues of supply chain of EVs
[41:45] In an oversimplified, ideal world, what would you change?
[46:07] How would we go about pricing carbon emissions?
[48:50] Why carbon tax is not federally legal
[50:50] Professor Rapson’s role at the Fed and what the Federal Reserve is
[52:55] Working at Fed during banking crisis with Silicon Valley Bank
[54:40] Direct impacts on society of Fed
[58:00] How can we be smart consumers?
[1:00:35] Best medication practices?
[1:02:24] Advice to students broadly?
[1:04:00] DEEP