TVA’s Joe Hoagland: Bringing Policy and Practice Together
With over 30 years of experience in shaping the direction of the power sector, Dr. Joe Hoagland brings tremendous practical experience to his role as an adjunct professor at the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs.
This spring, he launched a new course, HBS 543: Energy Transitions. Developed to provide career perspectives, Hoagland said it could apply to policymakers and other professionals, including engineers, finance professionals, economists, lawyers, and political scientists.
“It’s fascinating how fundamental energy is to your life,” Hoagland explained. “Understanding the transitions happening in the energy market puts any professional working on any angle of the industry in a better position.”
The course aims to provide an understanding of the transitions in the energy industries and the levers that need to be pulled. It also illustrates that it can’t be done alone, as true solutions will include stakeholders’ involvement.
“I have been in the trenches, living this work. Policy theory is very important, but there is a tremendous value in learning from real-world applications of the policy, and that is what I hope to bring to my students,” Hoagland said.
Hoagland is an industry thought leader with extensive experience in strategy, research and development, implementation, and the evolving energy marketplace. He serves as vice president of innovation and research at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
Leading a team of technology professionals who conduct transformational research and manage innovation projects with an eye on TVA’s future, Hoagland is exploring cost-effective carbon reductions with new forms of generation and the electrification of the broader economy that includes advances in electric transportation, solar power/battery storage and advanced nuclear generation technologies.
Recognizing that policy underpins all the complexities of the energy industry, Hoagland sought to get involved with the Baker School and its Center for Energy, Transportation, and Environment Policy (CETEP) because of the work they are doing with policy and how they are preparing the next generation of public problem solvers.
“Complex problems only get sorted through bipartisan cooperation and input,” Hoagland said. “While issues can be polarizing, we all need to work on the solutions because energy is fundamental to our way of life.”
Hoagland’s previous leadership roles involved developing environmental policies, research and development strategies, retail regulation and utility policies, directing energy efficiency and demand response programs, and building effective stakeholder and customer relations. He has served on boards and committees for various industries and related organizations, including the Edison Electric Institute, Electricity Storage Association, and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Hoagland joined TVA in 1993. He holds a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Southern Utah University, a Master of Science, and PhD in physical chemistry from Washington State University. He has taught chemistry and physics at several community colleges.