Renewables were supposed to take over the grid. Instead they’re falling short.
News Article: Renewable energy sources falling short of goals amid regulatory roadblocks - The Washington Post
Scientific Publication: Challenges of renewable energy penetration on power system flexibility: A survey - ScienceDirect
Renewable energy, like wind and solar power, is important
because it helps reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change. For years,
renewable energy supporters have hoped to build a U.S. electric grid powered by
wind, solar, geothermal, and nuclear power, with carbon-free energy flowing
into homes and businesses across the country. The article I chose from The
Washington Post discusses how government policies, slow grid connections,
and other obstacles are making it difficult for the U.S. to reach its clean
energy goals.
For renewable energy to effectively contribute to the
electricity supply, it must be connected to the power grid. However, this
process is not as simple as just installing solar panels or wind turbines. The
electricity generated needs to be transmitted through existing infrastructure,
balanced with demand, and managed to keep the grid stable. One of the main
challenges in expanding renewable energy is the interconnection queue, a
backlog of projects waiting for approval to connect to the grid. This process involves
technical studies, upgrades to existing transmission lines, and regulatory
approvals, which can take years to complete. According to a report from
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, it can now take nearly three years for a
project to get through the queue.
As wind and solar energy grow, the grid must adapt because
these sources are variable and unpredictable. Without improvements in storage
technology and grid flexibility, simply approving more renewable projects may
not be enough to solve the problem. This gap is addressed in the review from Energy
Strategy reviews, which explains that modern power systems now include
Variable Generation (VG) in addition to conventional generation units. The
level of VG penetration affects the supply mix. If VG cannot meet demand, the
system must rely on other sources to fill the gap. The review discusses how
increased variability and different ramping patterns of VG require greater
flexibility in power systems. Three key parameters that affect this flexibility
are the power output range (MW), ramp rate (MW/min), and energy level continuity
(MWh). These factors are critical for how the grid can manage fluctuations in
renewable energy supply.
The Washington Post article mainly discusses how
renewable energy growth in the U.S. is too slow. Despite wind and solar
becoming cheaper and more efficient, many problems are slowing their
development. The Energy Strategy Reviews article is insightful and
offers a deep understanding of the complexities, but its technical nature may
make it challenging for readers without an energy systems background to fully understand.
I would rate this article from The Washington Post an
8 out of 10. It’s well-researched and informative, offering strong data, expert
analysis, and possible solutions. However, it doesn’t go into detail about how
the power grid itself should adapt to handle more renewable energy. Understanding
these challenges is important for pushing better policies and innovations to
speed up the clean energy transition.
I never even considered that the grid would need to be adjusted to meet the demands of the newly introduced energy production methods! I agree that the article could have explained the actual energy issue as well, since it addresses other issues, such as the space required and imposing tariffs. I wonder how long it will realistically take to resolve all these problems and how much money and resources we will need to allocate to make it happen?
ReplyDeleteIt's a great point! But it's hard to answer because the timeline and costs will depend on government policies, technological development and investment. I believe some progress is already happening, but a full transition will likely take decades and require significant funding
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DeleteWow this really refreshing my idea about renewable energy. it is absolutely not that simple if we just build the solar cells and the wind turbine. I agree with your point, the author should talk about what is the mechanism behind the how to balance the supply from all power plant and demand from people. I think he should talk about building some battery storage system to store the electricity. It is very similar to water reservoir. When river water is too much due to rain, the reservoir stores the extra water resource. When the river water is not enough due to dry season, reservoir will release the water storage.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! If we can conduct thorough research and develop such a system, it would greatly improve efficiency and save money.
DeleteThis blog was super interesting to read! I'm curious on if you have more information on Variable Generation. I've never heard of this before, but I'm interested in its role in the power grid and what the alternative would be if it's unable to produce enough energy to meet the demands.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great point! Actually, I had never heard of it before reading this article. But I think we've all heard of this idea. Variable generation refers to energy sources like wind and solar that don’t produce a constant amount of electricity because they depend on weather conditions. When these sources can’t generate enough power, the grid usually relies on backup options like energy storage (batteries), flexible power plants
DeleteWhat kind of changes need to be made to the existing power grid? Why do projects need approval?
ReplyDeleteGreat question! Definitely it needs better storage systems, like large-scale batteries, to save extra energy when production is high. What I am thinking is because they must meet safety, environmental, and technical standards to make sure that new projects won’t harm the environment or cause instability in the power system
DeleteAfter living in US for several years, I have to say it's expected that 3 years or more are needed to get projects approved. The long time taken for regulatory approval and construction is a main obstacle for technique innovation on this land.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! I agree, If they could speed things up without cutting corners, we will see way more progress in clean energy!
DeleteI hadn't really thought about how slow grid connections could hold back renewable energy. Are there any efforts to speed up the approval process?
ReplyDeleteYeah, it’s actually a huge issue! There are definitely efforts to speed things up, like streamlining the approval process. Some places are trying to prioritize renewable projects, but it’s still a slow process
DeleteThis is such an interesting perspective critiquing our approach to renewable energy resources! The idea of a potential solution waiting up to 3 years in a queue only to possibly not be implemented seems counterproductive, especially when considering by the time it is addressed, another more effective idea could have already been places farther down the queue. I wonder how many ideas could have had a major positive impact but lost their ingenuity or potential due to the extremely long wait time to even be acknowledged.
ReplyDeleteGreat work, Xulin! This article was truly insightful, and I learned a lot from it.
ReplyDeleteThis topic was so interesting! I didn't even consider that the power grid would be impacted by newly introduced energy production methods. The article could have also explained the actual energy issue, as it addresses other concerns. I wonder what an alternative would be if it's unable to produce enough energy to meet the demands. I wish the article had gone into some more detail, but overall it does bring up an important topic!
ReplyDelete