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Research @ CitiPodcast22 May 2024

E2: Gridlock—The Global Power Problem

The power grid is arguably the backbone of modern society. We’re now at a critical convergence of soaring power demand from the digital economy — driven by the rise of electric vehicles, data centers, artificial intelligence (AI), and other technological advances — and an aging grid that requires significant improvement. The International Energy Agency estimates that power lines globally will need to double in length between now and 2050, and that’s not including the old power lines that need to be replaced. Then there’s the red tape that stands in the way of new construction, the challenge of integrating renewable energy, and the need for coordinated planning to modernize the grid — all of which point to unprecedented, structural supply-and-demand shocks. 

Join Citi’s Rob Rowe, Head of the Global Strategy and Macro Group and U.S. Regional Director of Research, and Anthony Yuen, Head of Energy Strategy in Commodities Research, as they unpack the complexities of the global power problem and discuss potential solutions, including long-duration energy storage, flexible supply, demand response, and the use of AI to help model and coordinate modern power grids. 

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Rob Rowe is Head of the Global Strategy and Macro Group (GSMG) as well as the U.S. Regional Director of Research. GSMG unites all of Citi's economists with fixed income, FX, equity and commodities strategists to create a common team providing research on the world's major economies and asset classes. Rob has been with Citi for 30 years serving in various capacities. He originally joined Smith Barney Harris Upham & Company in 1989, working in investment banking, fixed income sales and research.  In addition to his managerial responsibilities, he continues to provide portfolio strategy for select clients as part of his previous role overseeing the Global Bond Portfolio Analysis team. He has written numerous articles and publications on fixed income and portfolio strategy.

image of Rob Rowe  

Anthony Yuen is a Managing Director and Head of Energy Strategy, Commodities Research at Citi. He is responsible for energy/environmental, cross-commodity, and cross-asset strategies.  He also directs energy strategy globally, from oil, natural gas/LNG and coal to power, renewables and emissions.  He has led many cross-asset projects involving the upstream, midstream, downstream, utilities, petchem, and mining sectors.  He was based in New York as the Head of Energy Strategy before coming to Asia.  Prior to joining Citi in 2011, Anthony worked at McKinsey in the Greater China region and at Constellation Commodities Group in the U.S., where he was involved in the strategies and trading functions. He previously held research and teaching positions at the University of Pennsylvania and was a faculty member of Columbia University. Widely cited in the media, he is frequently invited to speak at major organizations and conferences, including the Aspen Institute, Brookings, Carnegie Endowment, CSIS, IEA/OPEC/IEF, IIF, KAPSARC, MIT, and NREL, among others. He was a reviewer of IEA’s World Energy Outlook and World Energy Investments, and has advised the U.S, EIA.

Anthony received his bachelor’s and his master’s degrees in engineering (electrical/computer/photonics) from the University of Toronto, and his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of and was an Ambassador Lecturer for the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

image of Anthony Yuen  

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