Grids & Integration

Massachusetts has joined California, Hawaii, Nevada and Vermont in the club of states where solar represents 10% or more of in-state generation. Solar made up 2.4% of total generation in the United States during the first half of 2018, with solar and wind together making up slightly less than 10%.

According to a recent study, the benefits of distributed storage would well exceed its costs, making storage a cost-effective resource that utilities must employ under Massachusetts law. The benefit/cost findings may be applicable in other states, to the extent that the Massachusetts grid is representative of other grids nationwide.

In this pv magazine exclusive interview, Lauren Navarro of Environmental Defense Fund provides insights into AB 813, a bill to allow California to participate in the creation of a regional grid in the Western United States.

A set of analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists show distinct pathways for California to lower its total gas plants from 89 units today, down to 33 units. The analysis suggests a combination of 25 GW of solar, wind, storage and more.

A study by UT-Austin finds that 11 GW of solar power in Texas would be the optimal capacity to complement the state’s existing wind generation in meeting electricity demand throughout the year. While the results reflect a carbon price scenario, they may still provide near-term guidance.

GTM Research has published an analysis of the global electric vehicle infrastructure of 2030. The group sees ten times more public charges than home chargers, and in North America alone sees $13 billion in electricity related revenue due to EVs in 2030.

As a leader in the global energy transition, California is putting some of the highest levels of solar and wind on its grid in the world to date. And while the state’s grid operator has made some progress, the integration of these resources is currently limited not by physics, but by market rules and operational practices.

Green Mountain Power suggests 500 distributed Tesla Powerwalls plus two larger energy storage facilities have saved its customers $500,000 this summer during peak demand hours.

PG&E has filed an interim report on customer-sited behind-the-meter smart inverters. The utility sees strong potential benefit for the grid with this technology, but says more standardization and reliable communication protocols must be established before a broad roll-out can occur.

Utility regulator Andy Tobin of the Arizona Corporation Commission has filed a docket to explore the potential role of blockchain technology on the power grid, suggesting that we are entering an age of energy technology convergence.