Can Grid Operators Handle Heatwaves And Climate Change?
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 17: A digital sign displays a temperature of 115 degrees Fahrenheit as a ... [+] heat wave continues to bake the Southwest United States on June 17, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Getty Images  Get used to triple-digit temperatures. But the heat and drought combined in the western United States also mean that hydro plants now produce much less electricity than before. California is required to decarbonize its grid by 2045, necessitating not just more wind and solar energy but also the expanded use of battery storage and demand response  much of which is necessary to compensate for drought conditions and the reduced output from hydropower. Green energy, in fact, needs less water than fossil fuels, making those renewables a vital part of Californias energy plan, and that of the western United States. We understand their variability, referring to wind and solar energy, says Elliot Mainzer, chief executive of the California ISO, which is the states grid operator that orders up electricity supplies and then directs those electrons to where they need to be. We are good at planning and procurement and you can get ahead of that curve. We will have to bring on more gas generation this summer. California is committed to weaning itself from natural gas, which now makes up more than a third of the states electricity. The strategy is to bring on clean energy and clean dispatch-able capacity to displace that (gas) generation.  His comments came during a discussion on Friday that was hosted by the United States Energy Association and one where this reporter served on the panel. In the case of California, it has blown past its goal of hitting 33% renewables by 2020. The aim now is to get to 60% by 2030 and to 100% by 2045. The state imports much of its carbon-heavy power from its neighbors. But those same western states are also enduring heatwaves and putting limits on the energy supplies they can export. Indeed, 11 of those states reported triple-digit temperatures in June. To boot: California has ditched all of its nuclear energy plants, which not only provided power 24-7 but also supplied carbon-free energy. Notably, climate change threatens water supplies  a critical component of electricity generation: energy, water, and food are inextricably linked. They compete for limited supplies. If the demand for energy goes up so too does the need for water. And renewables are less thirsty than other energy forms. Increasing Stress and Higher Prices  An aerial image shows solar panels part of an electricity generation plant on June 18, 2021 in Kern ... [+] County near Mojave, California. - The California ISO extended a Flex Alert asking customers to conserve electricity amid concerns of power outages during the heat wave. Much of the western United States is braced for record heat waves this week, with approximately 50 million Americans placed on alert Tuesday for "excessive" temperatures, which could approach 120 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) in some areas. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images  The World Policy Institute says that coal-and-oil-fired power plants consume twice the water as do gas-fired facilities while nuclear generation needs three times that of natural gas. Wind and rooftop solar power, it adds, use less water than competing forms of energy production. The hydroelectricity will be supplied by another fuel, says Tyler Hodge, senior economist for the Office of Energy Analysis at the U.S Energy Information Administration during the panel discussion. There will be a greater reliance on natural gas, which is reaching higher prices. Hot summer days are putting more stress on the transmission system and increasing wholesale electricity prices.  As the temperatures get hotter, we will have to ratchet down hydro, adds Leah Rubin Shen, policy director for the Advanced Energy Economy. Theres no silver bullet. It will take all the resources we have to decarbonize the grid.  The good news is that Californias investor-owned utilities are incorporating more renewable power that is putting less pressure on water resources: PG&E Corp., Edison International, and Sempra Energy have all met their goals of reaching 33% by 2020 and now have their sights on hitting 60% by 2030. Renewables are proving to be a valuable tool to combat drought and climate change. Google, for example, is locating a data center in Nevada that will be energized by a $1 billion solar farm that will work in tandem with battery storage that releases the harnessed energy when the sun is hiding. The plant will generate nearly 700 megawatts of electricity when it is finished in 2023 while the lithium-ion battery will provide 380 megawatts of power. Its a way to alleviate strain on the main grid while using clean energy and ensuring reliability. And utility regulators are laying the groundwork for continued growth, with Californias ISO chief calling distributed energy resources absolutely critical.  Consider the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar: it uses landfill gas and solar photovoltaics combined with energy storage. The goal is resiliency  to bounce back as soon as possible from a power loss. The base also needs to keep the lights on for at least 14 days in the event of a major catastrophe such as a wildfire. During last summers heatwave in California, the station had extra electricity that it shared with the neighboring community. The beauty of the microgrid is that it can incorporate a lot of resources including hydro, says Peter Asmus, research director at Guidehouse, during the discussion. Microgrids are more about the resiliency.  Extreme weather events and heatwaves are no longer hypothetical. To prepare, western grid operators say that they are in constant communication with their stakeholders and they are mobilizing their resources  including distributed assets and demand response programs. But consumers must also stand ready and start by dialing up their thermostats and using energy during off-peak times.