Spencer S. Yang, PhD

Spencer (Songhoon) Yang provides expert testimony and consulting services for renewable energy development, due diligence for electric power generation projects, electricity market analysis, litigation, and energy-related regulatory proceedings. He has extensive experience applying quantitative analysis to a broad range of business issues and challenges.

Dr. Yang has served as an energy policy advisor and a co-chair of the Renewable Energy Committee for South Korean President Moon Jae-In in developing South Korea’s Energy Transformation Plan (providing a transition to a sustainable energy system). He has also advised both US and Korean IPPs in developing renewable energy projects; he has advised major US solar QF developers on QF interconnection and PPA issues; he has evaluated solar PPAs on behalf of state regulators; he has advised private equity funds on utility mergers; and he has analyzed the benefits of adding renewable generation into a portfolio of fossil fuel generation on behalf of Airtricity, the European Investment Bank, and the California Energy Commission. He is currently an advisor to a developer of solar and storage projects in Africa and to an acquirer of renewable energy projects in the Americas. He is also a member of the Electricity Policy Review Committee in South Korea, where he is responsible for reviewing and approving national electricity policies, energy mix objectives, and integrated resource plans.   

Dr. Yang has served as both a testifying and consulting expert in a wide array of cases, including the Exelon–Constellation merger, a FERC PURPA section 210(m) proceeding on behalf of QFs located in the Entergy Balancing Authority Area, various proceedings before federal and state regulatory commissions, applications for market-based rate authority, reliability needs assessments of transmission lines, the potential impact of the retirement of nuclear generation facilities, an assessment of global nuclear power plant construction and decommissioning services, and various civil damages cases.

PhD, High Energy Physics, Columbia University

MPhil, High Energy Physics, Columbia University

MA, Physics, Columbia University

• Serving as lead economic advisor to major Korean IPPs on developing renewable energy projects in the United States.
• Provided consulting services to major Korean IPPs on solar joint venture formations, asset purchases and sales, power marketing, and PPA negotiations.
• Provided consulting services to Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of Korea on global nuclear power plant construction and decommissioning market outlook.
• Provided consulting services to major Korean conglomerates on the US renewable energy market outlook and business development opportunities.
• Provided consulting services to Korea Development Institute on electricity market reform and generation/transmission investments.
• Submitted report to the European Investment Bank on development of efficient generation portfolios for Europe that optimize European energy security and climate change mitigation.
• Provided consulting services to CEC in developing the 33% renewable energy goals, market price referent (MPR), and feed-in tariff (FiT) mechanism.
• Conducted portfolio analysis on behalf of Airtricity, EIB, and CEC on quantifying the benefits and costs of adding renewable generation into a conventional fossil fuel generation portfolio mix.
• Provided economic and risk analysis of the proposed solar PPAs on behalf of the Mississippi Public Utility Staff.
• Provided consulting services to a major US private equity fund on the Duke-Progress merger.
• Conducted reliability studies on behalf of Exelon Corporation related to the potential retirement of the Zion, Limerick, Three Mile Island, and Oyster Creek nuclear generation stations.
• Testified on behalf of Shell Trading regarding market power analysis.
• Testified on behalf of Calpine and NRG regarding certificates of public convenience and necessity to construct Houston Import Project.

• Testified on behalf of Maryland PUC Staff regarding potential market power issues associated with the proposed Exelon–Constellation merger.

• Testified on behalf of Virginia State Corporation Commission Staff regarding certificates of public convenience and necessity to construct 500-kV transmission line.