Richard Woodd’s Post

https://lnkd.in/gK4cqX8P Tucson Electric Power Co. and Arizona’s other major utilities have big plans on how to best supply increasing demand for electricity, as they shift away from the coal-fired power plants that largely powered the state for decades.   How much of that coal power will be replaced by another fossil fuel — natural gas — and how much will be supplanted by renewable energy and storage was still up for debate at a workshop this week where state regulators grilled     TEP and other utility companies about their long-term plans.     The coal transition is well underway and will continue over the next decade, TEP, Arizona Public Service Co. and the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative told members of the Arizona Corporation Commission at a workshop in Phoenix on Wednesday     Tucson Electric Power   Arizona Public Service - APS   Arizona Corporation Commission   State of Arizona   Blog – Power Generation (Utility Sector) - https://lnkd.in/gTZbdZsS  

“…lulls in renewable energy generation” Wait…what ? “Lulls” What lulls ? No one ever said anything about lulls in renewable supply. https://lnkd.in/gkRWsW6C. We were explicitly promised that it would be full bore power all the time. https://lnkd.in/gr2-ETws As much as we want, whenever we want. Base load quality supply. Vast fields of solar panels, from horizon to horizon and forests of wind turbines pushing electrons down the wire by day and massive batteries the size of the MCG doing the job at night. There was most definately no mention of lulls.

If you are interested in the announcement of Nova Scotia Independent Energy System Operator and the broader topic of offshore transmission planning, I highly recommend the blog post below from our colleague Cornelis A. Plet

The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecast that the country’s industrial expansion and energy demand was going to drive a threefold increase in natural gas demand.

Read my blog on whether the new Nova Scotia Independent Energy System Operator will enable coordinated offshore transmission planning in the Atlantic! Last week, the Nova Scotia Clean Electricity Solutions Task Force published their report including recommendations for the unbundling of Nova Scotia's transmission sector and the creation of a separate Nova Scotia Independent System Operator. This is a bold step. And one that will help create the competitive landscape needed to accelerate the energy transition. Interestingly, for a province that has an ambitious vision of tapping its vast offshore wind generation potential, the recommendations made little mention of the governance framework needed for an offshore transmission grid. The choice of governance framework is crucial in realizing offshore grid planning coordination to enable the grid design with the lowest cost, lowest impact on environment and local communities, and highest performance This will be very relevant for the coordinated offshore grid concepts to be studied in Net Zero Atlantic's upcoming "Atlantic Canada Offshore Wind Integration and Transmission Study". https://lnkd.in/g39BU8B5

The transition phase towards 100% electricity from REs is a critical one and it must be done smoothly. Below is another example how the situation can turn chaotic. Australia has been closing coal-fired power generation and raising solar and wind power, but without enough baseload generation, it risks power shortfalls and blackouts, industry officials have warned. "If you're only supporting new renewables and you don't take care of existing gas assets, you run into trouble," Rik De Buyserie, chief executive at utility Engie Australia and New Zealand, said at Australian Energy Week 2024 event, as carried by Argus. The current Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) of the government excludes gas-fired power, which could undermine the business case of keeping existing plants operational. Switching gas plants on and off to compensate for shortfalls in renewables generation is only adding to costs, industry executives added.

California is building one of the largest battery plants in the world. When complete, it will be able to contain 680 megawatts of power. This is a great development that allows for more energy to be produced and distributed across the state. This would be alongside natural gas powering over half of the state's energy needs. However, in the article it states that this battery plant must contend with gas, but I don’t see why they can not co-exist. Oil and gas will be needed for a very long time, so might as well expand upon all energy needs instead of only thinking through the mindset of pure renewables. #pge301 https://lnkd.in/gh2FdkFV

The Australian Pipelines and Gas Association welcomes the Integrated System Plan (ISP) and conclusive recognition that gas generation will be needed to provide reliability for a renewable system. However, federal and state governments must provide policy support for gas generation, as it does renewables, to accelerate the displacement of coal-fired generation and its abundant emissions. Presently, the ISP projects a faster exit of coal than announced, which is not possible unless adequate gas firming is available. The Capacity Investment Scheme, and subsequent Renewable Energy Transformation Agreements, are the most economically efficient way to support the 15GW of gas power necessary for the NEM. The ISP projects that the east coast of Australia will need at least 12.8GW of new gas-fired generation in the coming years. “The wind droughts of the past three months in southern Australia have proven the importance of gas generation, and the ISP recognises our grid will get more volatile as the transition progresses,” APGA chief executive Steve Davies said. “In the US last year, the largest emission reductions in electricity generation came from coal-to-gas switching. We can do the same, but it requires coordinated gas supply and electricity policy across all governments.” https://hubs.ly/Q02DklmF0

In 2018 it was common to see arguments like this one as part of the whole bridge fuel argument. The argument was that natural gas would be needed and would help the transition to renewable power. "The flexibility of natural gas as an electricity-generating energy source -- plus long-term low prices -- will bring speed to the transition to renewable power." https://lnkd.in/epuYSBBv Storage has put that argument to rest. Natural gas is at historic low prices in the U.S. And yet, new investment is not going to new nat gas power generation.

Bill Alert! US Senate Bill S 5320 - Renewable Energy Certainty Act Status: Bill Introduced Full Details: https://lnkd.in/ewU8h-rk Bill 118 s 5320, also known as the Renewable Energy Certainty Act, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The main goal of this bill is to provide certainty and stability for the renewable energy industry in the United States. The Renewable Energy Certainty Act aims to achieve this goal by establishing a federal renewable energy standard that would require a certain percentage of electricity to come from renewab...