Chinese battery manufacturer CATL is developing a new type of EV battery that does not use cobalt or nickel, the expensive, hard-to-find minerals typically found in EV batteries. CATL did not provide details about the makeup or costs of the new battery. Tesla has considered using a CATL cobalt-free lithium-iron-phosphate battery in its Chinese vehicles, although it is unclear if this is the same battery CATL just announced. CATL provides batteries for Tesla, Volkswagen, Daimler, Honda, and Toyota, among other EV makers. Source: Reuters
Record 25.3 GW of windpower capacity under construction across U.S. The U.S. wind industry installed 2.5 GW of new capacity in the second quarter of 2020, a record for Q2 additions, despite delays caused by the pandemic. The 2.5 GW installed was more than three times the 736 MW added in Q2 2019, stated the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) in its latest Wind Powers America quarterly report. The increase brought total US wind capacity to nearly 110 GW. The U.S. is currently experiencing a boom in installations prompted by the looming expiration of the $0.0015/kWh production tax credit, the primary federal incentive available to the wind industry. It expires at the end of the year. Source: AWEA
Rolling blackouts in California have power experts stumped. Managers of the electric system argue that a lack of power prompted the decision to enact blackouts, though demand this weekend fell short of the state’s peak years. As temperatures began to rise in California on Friday and again on Saturday, the manager of much of the state’s electric grid called on utilities to cut power to hundreds of thousands of customers. But the rolling blackouts on those days left some of the state’s energy experts bewildered. They said that the utilities had plenty of power available and that the blackouts weren’t necessary. The grid’s capacity may be tested in coming days as temperatures are forecast to reach into the triple digits again in some places. “They set it up like this is a historic event,” said Bill Powers, a San Diego engineer who provides expert testimony on utility matters before the state’s regulators. “This should not have triggered blackouts.” Source: The New York Times
Here’s a link to the California ISO’s briefing on system operations for yesterday and here’s the Monday and Tuesday outlook:
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PG&E is just “Flexing it’s Power” to get rate payers ready for higher rates and more blackouts when the wind picks up. PG&E is a private company whos only purpose is to make money by selling and distributing electricity and natural gas. Distribution is over 80 % of it’s tarrif it charges customers since cheap electricity is produced by Solar, Wind, Geothermal and burning it’s own natural gas. The cloud cover from the reminants of the tropical storm has raised humidity and lowered the output on it’s solar so people are using more air conditioning and yet their home solar is not meeting the demand for it. This cloud cover has made me reduce the hours I can run my off grid system to my air conditioning and I have switched over to on-grid power for much of the day. The threat of “Black outs” has also caused me to increase my reserves on my 8,000 amp hour battery system so if we are blacked out, I will still have enough reserve power for refrigeration, lights and fans.
PG&E was ONLY FOLLOWING THE MANDATE called for by the ISO. PG&E customers have much to complain about in regards to pg&e BUT this isn’t one of them. this is on the California Idependent Service Operator. the ISO called for blackouts with 8.9% of available total power. blackouts, according to the CA-ISO guidelines, should NOT occur until that reserve power is at 8.0%.
EVERYDAY pg&e is required to purchase power equal to 15% of capacity of their system. the power was BOUGHT & PAID FOR already and the ISO command didn’t allow for it’s use. instead it was bought and wasted UNUSED! this WASTED $$$s of the pg&e ratepayers. the ISO response to the poor decision making was: just because you have reserve capacity doesn’t mean you have to use it. WHAT AN ABSURD RESPONSE. it is purchased for a purpose…and this weekend was that purpose
Shadows of Enron. Plenty of power but rolling blackouts because they can and profit. Or bringing about a false shortage so they can push through more FF peaker plants and profit.
Update: August 19, 2020. Smoke from fires around the San Francisco Bay Area, Started by lightning two days ago, has reduced solar output by 25% on roof top systems and the heat contiues to drive up usage. The tiered tarrif system, based on usage, will put everyone into tier TWO and the prices for electricity just shot up 20% on the day. At least PG&E will NOT be blamed for these fires but will profit from them. They are going to the PUC for a 3% rate increase on electricity again to help pay for energy storage in areas that they have to shut off elelctricy, for safety, from falling transmision lines durring wind events and fires to form isolated micro grids in areas to support customers refrigeration and medical needs. These could also be called upon when energy is in short supply, from the ISO, durring peak periods. The rate payers will pay for them and the utility will profit from them because they can charge the storage units at the lowest cost and sell it at the peak cost. This is exactly what they forbid homeowners to do with their battery systems who are on “Time-of-Day” metering. I am having a Tesla Glass Solar Roof installed and they are NOT offering me the Battery system as part of it because of the PG&E restrictions on it’s usage. Go Figure?