tag:theconversation.com,2011:/fr/topics/power-grid-16591/articlesPower grid – The Conversation2024-03-21T12:22:54Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2170732024-03-21T12:22:54Z2024-03-21T12:22:54ZCalifornia is wrestling with electricity prices – here’s how to design a system that covers the cost of fixing the grid while keeping prices fair<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582593/original/file-20240318-22-5gynnv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1492%2C995&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">As more homes like these in Folsom, Calif., add solar power, electricity pricing becomes more complicated.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/CaliforniaSolarPanels/cda216b3bcfe42e9bf425a353b24f812/photo">AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Small-scale solar power, also known as rooftop or distributed solar, has grown considerably in the U.S. over the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=60341">past decade</a>. It provides electricity without emitting air pollutants or climate-warming greenhouse gases, and it meets local energy demand without requiring costly investments in transmission and distribution systems. </p>
<p>However, its expansion is making it harder for electric utilities and power grid managers to design fair and efficient retail electricity rates – the prices that households pay.</p>
<p>Under traditional electricity pricing, customers pay one charge per kilowatt-hour of electricity consumption that covers both the energy they use and the fixed costs of maintaining the grid. As more people adopt rooftop solar, they buy less energy from the grid. Fewer customers are left to shoulder utilities’ fixed costs, potentially making power more expensive for everyone. </p>
<p>This trend can drive more customers to leave the system and raise prices further – a scenario known as the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2017/09/25/three-ways-electric-utilities-can-avoid-a-death-spiral/?sh=46108d9b758d">utility death spiral</a>. One <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w25087">2018 study</a> calculated that two-thirds of recent electricity distribution cost increases at California’s three investor-owned utilities were associated with the growth of residential solar. </p>
<p>With abundant sun and solar-friendly policies, California has <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=60341#:%7E:text=We%20estimate%20that%20the%20United,MW">36% of U.S. small-scale solar capacity</a>, much more than any other state. And the state is engaged in a heated debate over <a href="https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2023/07/electricity-bills/">pricing electricity</a> in ways designed to make energy less expensive for low-income households. </p>
<p>We study <a href="https://engineering.purdue.edu/Intel2Grid">energy markets</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=nKvcnXMAAAAJ&hl=en">public policy affecting energy and the environment</a>, and have analyzed various <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10177234">retail electricity rate structures</a> and their economic impacts on power producers and consumers. Our key finding is that an income-based, fixed-charge rate structure of the type that California is currently considering offers the most efficient and equitable solution – if it is designed correctly.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">The California Legislature approved fixed-rate electricity charges, based on income, in 2022. Now, state utility regulators are weighing a proposal that would formalize them.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Two-part power bills</h2>
<p>The debate over fixed charges began in 2022, when the California Legislature <a href="https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/utilities/bill-would-end-california-experiment-with-income-based-electric-bills">enacted an energy bill</a> that ordered state regulators to study income-based fixed charges and decide whether to adopt them by July 1, 2024. Then the state’s three largest utilities – Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas and Electric, and San Diego Gas & Electric – <a href="https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/energy-division/documents/demand-response/demand-response-workshops/advanced-der---demand-flexibility-management/joint-ious-opening-testimony-exhibit-1.pdf">submitted a proposal</a> to the state Public Utilities Commission in mid-2023 that would separate retail bills into two parts: a fixed charge and a variable charge. </p>
<p>The fixed charge would be a preset monthly fee, independent of energy usage but tied to income levels, so wealthier customers would <a href="https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/02/utility-bills-reform-income-based/">pay a larger share of grid maintenance costs</a>. The variable charge would be based on the amount of electricity consumed and would cover the actual costs of electricity production and delivery. </p>
<p>Historically, these actual costs have typically ranged between <a href="http://www.caiso.com/documents/2022-annual-report-on-market-issues-and-performance-jul-11-2023.pdf">4 to 6 cents per kilowatt-hour</a>. Today, the average residential rate in California <a href="http://www.caiso.com/documents/2022-annual-report-on-market-issues-and-performance-jul-11-2023.pdf">often exceeds 30 cents per kilowatt-hour</a> because it covers fixed costs as well as electricity use.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582626/original/file-20240318-26-e7mz10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A white utility truck drives toward a transformer tower framed by hills." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582626/original/file-20240318-26-e7mz10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582626/original/file-20240318-26-e7mz10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582626/original/file-20240318-26-e7mz10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582626/original/file-20240318-26-e7mz10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582626/original/file-20240318-26-e7mz10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582626/original/file-20240318-26-e7mz10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582626/original/file-20240318-26-e7mz10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">A Southern California Edison truck at a transformer tower in Sylmar, Calif. California utilities are burying thousands of miles of power lines in an effort to prevent a fraying grid from sparking wildfires.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/CaliforniaWildfiresUtility/65c4885a6bde436d9126f7b12b9d8959/photo">AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa</a></span>
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<h2>Who benefits?</h2>
<p>A two-part billing system that separates fixed costs from variable usage charges offers potential benefits for both consumers and utilities.</p>
<p>For utilities, the fixed charge offers a stable revenue stream. The companies know how many households they serve, and they can plan on the fixed amounts that those households will pay each month. Households that go solar would still pay the fixed charge, since most of them draw electricity from the grid when the sun doesn’t shine. </p>
<p>This approach provides financial stability for the utility and access to the grid for all. Consumers would benefit because with a certain amount of income guaranteed, utilities could charge significantly less per kilowatt-hour for the actual electricity that households use. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/C1NgtK5O9lO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\u0026igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<p>One significant concern is that if electricity costs less, people may use more of it, which could undermine efforts toward energy conservation and lead to an increase in emissions. In our view, the way to address this risk is by fine-tuning the two-part billing structure so that it covers only a portion of the utilities’ costs through fixed charges and incorporates the rest into the variable usage rates. </p>
<p>Put another way, combining a lower fixed charge with a higher variable charge would ensure that utilities can still cover their fixed costs effectively, while encouraging mindful energy use among consumers. Ensuring affordable electricity for consumers, fair cost recovery for utilities and overall fairness and efficiency in the energy market requires striking a delicate balance.</p>
<p>Another argument from critics, often labeled “<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3GDHaOJeIp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==">energy socialism</a>,” asserts that higher-income households might end up <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/06/california-income-based-electricity-fees-2025">subsidizing excessive electricity use</a> by lower-income households under the income-based rate structure. In our view, this perception is inaccurate. </p>
<p>Wealthy households would pay more to maintain the grid, via larger fixed charges, than poorer households, but would not subsidize lower-income households’ energy use. All income groups would pay the same rate for each additional kilowatt-hour of electricity that they use. Decisions on energy use would remain economically driven, regardless of consumers’ income level. </p>
<p><iframe id="WCZvM" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/WCZvM/1/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>Fixed fees are too big</h2>
<p>While our research supports California utilities’ approach in principle, we believe their proposal has shortcomings – notably in the proposed income brackets. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2023/06/20/california-electricity-bills-income-based/70331875007/">As currently framed</a>, households with annual incomes between US$28,000 and $69,000 would pay a fixed fee of $20 to $34 per month. Households earning between $69,000 and $180,000 would pay $51 to $73 per month, and those earning more than $180,000 would pay $85 to $128. </p>
<p>The middle-income bracket starts just above California’s <a href="https://statisticalatlas.com/state/California/Household-Income">median household income</a>. Consequently, nearly half of all California households could find themselves paying a substantial monthly fee – $51 to $73 – regardless of their actual electricity usage. </p>
<p>It could be hard to convince consumers to pay significant fixed fees for intangible services, especially middle-income residents who have either gone solar or may do so. Not surprisingly, the proposal has encountered considerable <a href="https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2023/05/08/the-income-graduated-fixed-charges-in-california-will-harm-customers-with-low-electric-bills/">pushback from the solar industry</a>. </p>
<h2>Finding the sweet spot</h2>
<p>In response to public outcry, California lawmakers recently introduced <a href="https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1999/id/2908602">Assembly Bill 1999</a>, which would replace the income-graduated fixed-charge requirement with fixed charges of $5 per month for low-income customers and up to $10 per month for others. In our view, this reaction goes too far in the other direction. </p>
<p>Capping fixed charges at such low levels would force utilities to hike their energy use rates to cover fixed costs – again, risking the death spiral scenario. Our research indicates that there is a <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10177234">range for the fixed charge</a> that would cover a reasonable share of utilities’ fixed costs, but is not high enough to burden consumers.</p>
<p>Without utility cost data, we can’t pinpoint this range precisely. However, based on <a href="https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M520/K533/520533300.PDF">estimates of utilities’ costs</a>, we believe the caps proposed in AB 1999 are too low and could end up unfairly burdening those the bill aims to protect.</p>
<p>In our research, based on a hypothetical case study, we found a sweet spot in which fixed charges cover about 40% of utilities’ fixed costs. Charges at this level provide maximum benefit to consumers, although they reduce energy producers’ profits. </p>
<p>Our findings are similar to an <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10177234">alternative proposal</a> jointly presented by <a href="https://www.turn.org/">The Utility Reform Network</a>, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, and the <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/">Natural Resources Defense Council</a>, an environmental advocacy group. This plan suggests a two-part rate structure with an average fixed charge of about $36 per month. Low-income households would pay $5 per month, and those earning over $150,000 yearly would pay about $62.</p>
<p>We believe this proposal moves in the right direction by ensuring fair contributions to grid costs, while also encouraging efficient energy use and investment in clean energy infrastructure. It could act as a guide for other U.S. states searching for methods to balance utility fixed-cost recovery with fair pricing and continued growth of small-scale solar power.</p>
<p><em>This article has been updated to remove unsubstantiated information about the 2019 Saddleridge wildfire in California provided by AP in a photo caption.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/217073/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>California is considering a controversial proposal for utilities to charge customers for electricity based partly on household income. Two scholars explain how this approach could benefit everyone.Yihsu Chen, Professor of Technology Management in Sustainability, University of California, Santa CruzAndrew L. Liu, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, Purdue UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2208242024-03-08T14:35:38Z2024-03-08T14:35:38ZApril’s eclipse will mean interruptions in solar power generation, which could strain electrical grids<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/573902/original/file-20240206-16-om8k0f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3994%2C2658&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Solar panels in Brazil. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/7551d26521224cbf94340e255374a7a7?ext=true">AP Photo/Bruna Prado</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>During the most recent total solar eclipse visible in the U.S., on Aug. 21, 2017, the skies darkened as the Moon crossed in front of the Sun. It blocked out all sunlight – except for that from a golden ring visible around the Moon’s shape, called the corona. Not surprisingly, solar power generation across North America plummeted for several hours, from the first moment the Moon began to obscure the Sun to when the Sun’s disk was clear again. </p>
<p>On April 8, 2024, another <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-the-sun-goes-dark-5-questions-answered-about-the-solar-eclipse-81308">total solar eclipse</a> will track across the U.S., causing perhaps an even greater loss of solar power generation. Although this will be the second total solar eclipse visible in the U.S. in under seven years, these events are a rare occurrence. Nevertheless, they present a unique challenge to power grid operators.</p>
<p><a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/vahe-peroomian/">I am a space scientist</a> with a passion for teaching physics and astronomy. Though I have seen many partial eclipses of the Sun, I have yet to witness a total solar eclipse. My road trip to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah in October 2023 to see the “ring of fire” <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-a-solar-eclipse-33019">annular solar eclipse</a> was unforgettable, and April 8 will surely find me handing out <a href="https://theconversation.com/turn-around-bright-eyes-heres-how-to-see-the-eclipse-and-protect-your-vision-203571">eclipse glasses</a> once again.</p>
<h2>When the Moon’s shadow blocks the Sun</h2>
<p>During <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-a-solar-eclipse-33019">a solar eclipse</a>, the Moon partially or completely blocks the view of the Sun. Since the Moon is nearly 400 times smaller than the Sun and nearly <a href="https://www.universetoday.com/17109/the-sun-and-the-moon/">400 times closer</a>, the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/02/08/the-strangest-eclipse-fact-of-all-the-moons-shadow-isnt-a-circle/?sh=be76f8c17bd3">Moon’s shadow</a>, visible from Earth, tapers to a width of <a href="https://cmase.uark.edu/_resources/pdf/nasa/NASAConnect/pathoftotality.pdf">70 to 100 miles</a> (112 to 161 kilometers).</p>
<p>Within this region, called the path of totality, observers see a total solar eclipse. Observers close to but outside this path witness a partial eclipse of the Sun, where the Moon covers a fraction of the Sun’s disk. </p>
<p>During the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse, the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/where-when/">path of totality</a> in the continental U.S. will extend from Texas in the south to Maine in the northeast. Elsewhere in the U.S., Miami will see a partial eclipse in which a maximum of 46% of the Sun’s disk is obscured. In Seattle, far from the path of totality, the Moon will cover only a maximum of <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2024-april-8">20% of the Sun</a>. In southern Texas, where the path of totality first crosses into the U.S., the eclipse will last just under three hours, with totality a mere 4 minutes and 27 seconds. </p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sOpYoO_SK7o?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The path of the 2024 solar eclipse.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Increasing reliance on solar power</h2>
<p>The worldwide trend toward renewable energy has seen a significant increase in solar, or photovoltaic, power generation in the last decade. Solar power generation capacity is set to <a href="https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tools/renewable-energy-progress-tracker">double worldwide</a> between 2022 and 2028, and the U.S. now has the capacity to generate <a href="https://ember-climate.org/data-catalogue/yearly-electricity-data/">three times more solar energy</a> than at the time of the 2017 total solar eclipse.</p>
<p>The most obvious obstacle to solar power generation is cloud cover. On a cloudy day, the energy produced by solar panels drops to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/solar/solar-panels-cloudy-days-night/">10% to 25%</a> of its output on a sunny day. </p>
<p>The North American power transmission grid is divided into <a href="https://www.nerc.com/AboutNERC/keyplayers/Pages/default.aspx">six major regions</a> and <a href="https://alternativeenergy.procon.org/questions/what-is-the-electricity-grid/">more than 150</a> local and regional subgrids. Electrical system operators in each local grid continuously balance the amount of electricity production with the “load,” or the demand for electricity by consumers. </p>
<p>System operators can tap into energy from <a href="https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/power.htm">various power generation mechanisms</a> like solar, wind, hydroelectric, natural gas and coal. Local grids can also import and export electricity to and from their grid as needed.</p>
<p>System operators have accurate models for the amount of solar power generated across the U.S. on a daily basis, and these models account for the parts of the continental U.S. that may have cloudy skies. By pairing solar power generation with battery storage, they can access electricity from solar even when the Sun isn’t shining – on cloudy days or at night. </p>
<p>To plan for an eclipse, electrical system operators need to figure out how much the energy production will drop and how much power people will draw from the reserves. On the day of the 2017 total solar eclipse, for example, solar power generation in the U.S. <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/71147.pdf">dropped 25%</a> below average. </p>
<p>Because solar power production falls quickly during the eclipse’s peak, grid operators may need to tap into reserves at a rate that may strain the <a href="https://www.osha.gov/etools/electric-power/illustrated-glossary/transmission-lines">electrical transmission lines</a>. To try to keep things running smoothly, grid operators will rely on local reserves and minimize power transfer <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/71147.pdf">between grids</a> during the event. This should lessen the burden on transmission lines in local grids and prevent temporary blackouts. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/573903/original/file-20240206-28-khlo8k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Electrical towers and power lines shown against a sunset." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/573903/original/file-20240206-28-khlo8k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/573903/original/file-20240206-28-khlo8k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/573903/original/file-20240206-28-khlo8k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/573903/original/file-20240206-28-khlo8k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/573903/original/file-20240206-28-khlo8k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/573903/original/file-20240206-28-khlo8k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/573903/original/file-20240206-28-khlo8k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Solar eclipses can stress the power grid.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/BidenInfrastructure/9a4ee5858ac74db78eb7d96b1961c275/photo?Query=power%20grid&mediaType=photo&sortBy=&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=226&digitizationType=Digitized&currentItemNo=17&vs=true&vs=true">AP Photo/Matt Rourke</a></span>
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<h2>Renewable energy during eclipses</h2>
<p>Solar isn’t the only type of renewable energy generation that goes down during an eclipse. Since it’s not as sunny, temperatures along the path of the eclipse fall by as much as <a href="https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/temperature-change-during-totality">10 degrees Fahrenheit</a> (5.5 degrees Celsius). Lower temperatures lead to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/astrogeo/atx135">slower wind speeds</a> and less wind power generation. </p>
<p>During the August 2017 eclipse, the loss of renewable power generation added up to nearly <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/71147.pdf">6 gigawatts</a>. That’s equivalent to the energy usage of <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/how-much-power-1-gigawatt">600 million LED lightbulbs</a> or <a href="https://www.cnet.com/home/energy-and-utilities/gigawatt-the-solar-energy-term-you-should-know-about/">4.5 million homes</a>. </p>
<p>Grid operators compensated by planning ahead and increasing power generation at <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/71147.pdf">natural gas and coal-powered plants</a>, which don’t depend on sunlight. </p>
<p>Over the duration of the eclipse, this increase in nonrenewable energy use led to approximately <a href="https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=74&t=11">10 million pounds</a> of extra carbon dioxide emissions. That’s about the annual carbon dioxide emissions of 1,000 cars.</p>
<p>On April 8, <a href="https://theconversation.com/astro-tourism-chasing-eclipses-meteor-showers-and-elusive-dark-skies-from-earth-207969">eyes across the U.S. will turn upward</a> to catch a glimpse of the eclipsed Sun.</p>
<p>Thanks to the vigilance of electric grid operators, the lights should stay on, and observers won’t have to worry about anything but the stunning show in the sky.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220824/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vahe Peroomian has, in the past, received basic research funding from NASA and the National Science Foundation.</span></em></p>When the Moon blocks the Sun during an eclipse, utility suppliers have to pull power from the grid to make up for gaps in solar energy.Vahe Peroomian, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and SciencesLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2150672024-03-03T19:19:20Z2024-03-03T19:19:20ZThe National Electricity Market wasn’t made for a renewable energy future. Here’s how to fix it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567029/original/file-20231221-25-f2uwk9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C9%2C6016%2C3998&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/renewable-clean-vs-traditional-energy-concept-1112143700">Trong Nguyen/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Rooftop solar is Australia’s <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/research/technology-space/energy/Energy-data-modelling/GenCost">cheapest source</a> of electricity. The consumer can get electricity from rooftop solar at less than <a href="https://assets-global.website-files.com/612b0b172765f9c62c1c20c9/615a513770739cc6477e67f4_Castles%20and%20Cars%20Rewiring%20Australia%20Discussion%20Paper.pdf">a fifth</a> of the <a href="https://www.canstarblue.com.au/electricity/electricity-costs-kwh/">average cost per kwh</a> of <a href="https://www.aemc.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-11/2021_residential_electricity_price_trends_report.pdf">buying it from a retailer</a>. </p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, rooftop solar output is <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-21/rooftop-solar-cells-in-australia-to-outperform-demand/103489806">growing fast</a>. In 2022, <a href="https://apvi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/National-Survey-Report-of-PV-Power-Applications-in-AUSTRALIA-2022.pdf">one-in-three</a> homes had solar panels. Total rooftop solar capacity exceeded 30 gigawatts, compared to the <a href="https://aemo.com.au/-/media/files/stakeholder_consultation/consultations/nem-consultations/2023/draft-2024-isp-consultation/draft-2024-isp.pdf">remaining 21GW</a> of coal generation.</p>
<p>Rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems will soon supply half of our electricity demand. At times of the day, they already supply <a href="https://aemo.com.au/-/media/files/stakeholder_consultation/consultations/nem-consultations/2023/draft-2024-isp-consultation/draft-2024-isp.pdf">close to 100%</a> of electricity demand and in some regions can <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/australia-has-enough-renewables-to-reach-100pct-at-times-but-coal-gets-in-the-way/">briefly meet all demand</a>.</p>
<p><iframe id="Ppp7A" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Ppp7A/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/despairing-about-climate-change-these-4-charts-on-the-unstoppable-growth-of-solar-may-change-your-mind-204901">Despairing about climate change? These 4 charts on the unstoppable growth of solar may change your mind</a>
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<p>This means renewable energy is displacing the electricity traded through the wholesale market and supplied via the transmission system. The National Electricity Market (<a href="https://aemo.com.au/en/energy-systems/electricity/national-electricity-market-nem/about-the-national-electricity-market-nem">NEM</a>) is the wholesale market where large generators and retailers buy and sell electricity to supply the eastern and south-eastern states. It was never designed to cope with large amounts of renewable energy feeding into the grid at large, medium and small scales. </p>
<p>The market’s design doesn’t allow for harnessing the full economic and technical potential of the millions of consumer-owned generators, known as distributed energy resources (DERs). Comprehensive market reforms are <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate/energy-distribution-companies-need-radical-reform-report-20240208-p5f3cv">urgently needed</a> to achieve an energy transition at least cost to energy users. </p>
<h2>What are the challenges of reform?</h2>
<p>The National Electricity Market has operated largely in its current form since the 1990s. It was designed for large fossil-fuelled power stations, but many of these are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/15/aemo-warns-coal-fired-power-plants-could-drop-off-before-replacements-are-ready">on the way out</a>.</p>
<p>Millions of rooftop solar systems are now connected to the grid. The market needs to change to a system that can manage and co-ordinate these small renewable energy generators. </p>
<p>To minimise disruption, a reformed market has to be able to accommodate and value the electricity and power system services that these millions of distributed energy resources can provide. They offer flexibility and can help balance supply and demand, thus improving grid stability. </p>
<hr>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-successful-energy-transition-depends-on-managing-when-people-use-power-so-how-do-we-make-demand-more-flexible-213079">A successful energy transition depends on managing when people use power. So how do we make demand more flexible?</a>
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<p>Between 2019 and 2023, the <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/ministers-unplug-energy-security-board-20230519-p5d9ta">former</a> Energy Security Board (<a href="https://www.directory.gov.au/portfolios/climate-change-energy-environment-and-water/department-climate-change-energy-environment-and-water/energy-security-board">ESB</a>) and regulators were tasked with <a href="https://esb-post2025-market-design.aemc.gov.au">delivering a new market design</a> for the clean energy transition. Reforms to better integrate variable renewable generation included:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>improved <a href="https://aemo.com.au/newsroom/news-updates/forecasting-increasingly-critical-to-harnessing-wind-and-solar-for-power-systems">forecasting of electricity demand and supply</a></p></li>
<li><p>the <a href="https://aemo.com.au/en/initiatives/trials-and-initiatives/wholesale-demand-response-mechanism">Wholesale Demand Response Mechanism</a> to allow demand-side (or energy consumer) participation in the market.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The Energy Security Board also proposed a <a href="https://www.energy.gov.au/government-priorities/energy-ministers/energy-ministers-publications/two-sided-markets">two-sided market</a> to allow energy users to actively trade electricity. The design of the <a href="https://www.energy.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-02/ESB%20report%20-%20CONSUMER%20ENERGY%20RESOURCES%20AND%20THE%20TRANSFORMATION%20OF%20THE%20NEM.pdf">reform fell short</a>, but the intent remains valid. This reform needs to be revisited. </p>
<p>The electricity market rules define what commodities are valued and traded, how they are to be traded and by whom. These rules are embedded in thousands of pages of <a href="https://www.energy.gov.au/government-priorities/energy-markets/energy-market-legislation">legislation</a>. Each change takes about two years to progress. </p>
<p>These incremental market and policy patches fall short of the systemic change needed for a clean energy future. The whole National Electricity Market and its processes must be redefined. </p>
<p>The current focus of attention is on the large scale. What is being overlooked is the potential of small-scale and local generation to supply electricity where it is needed. This oversight creates a risk of building too much transmission infrastructure at great cost. </p>
<p>The opportunity of energy market reform is that the millions of small, privately owned, behind-the-meter generators could economically provide a big share of Australia’s future electricity and power system services. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/think-of-solar-panels-more-like-apple-trees-we-need-a-fairer-approach-for-what-we-use-and-sell-205751">Think of solar panels more like apple trees – we need a fairer approach for what we use and sell</a>
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<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Rooftop solar panels on a new development of townhouses" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/572358/original/file-20240131-19-cz6313.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/572358/original/file-20240131-19-cz6313.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/572358/original/file-20240131-19-cz6313.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/572358/original/file-20240131-19-cz6313.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/572358/original/file-20240131-19-cz6313.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/572358/original/file-20240131-19-cz6313.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/572358/original/file-20240131-19-cz6313.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A new Sydney townhouse development has solar panels installed on every roof.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sydney-australia-oct-23-2023-aerial-2378539637">HDC Creative/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Government must lead the transformation</h2>
<p>The clean energy transition is a national priority. Change on this scale requires governments to work together to deliver economic productivity, affordable energy and climate action. </p>
<p>A clear set of principles is needed to guide these changes. The principles from the <a href="https://www.energy.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-08/National%20Energy%20Transformation%20Partnership.pdf">National Energy Transformation Partnership</a> agreement between federal, state and territory governments are a good place to start. It recognises consumers’ needs as central to the transformation, and that a strong economy depends on affordable, clean and secure energy sources. </p>
<p>The agreement also recognises the role electricity networks and demand-side participation will play in the energy transition. The demand side includes all the small, behind-the-meter, grid-connected, rooftop solar systems and interruptible uses of electricity <a href="https://theconversation.com/using-electric-water-heaters-to-store-renewable-energy-could-do-the-work-of-2-million-home-batteries-and-save-us-billions-204281">such as hot-water systems</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/using-electric-water-heaters-to-store-renewable-energy-could-do-the-work-of-2-million-home-batteries-and-save-us-billions-204281">Using electric water heaters to store renewable energy could do the work of 2 million home batteries – and save us billions</a>
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<p>Reforming the electricity market is complex work. It requires an in-depth knowledge of governance and regulatory frameworks, commercial realities and consumer needs. </p>
<p>Putting energy users at the heart of these complex reforms requires a holistic <a href="https://es.catapult.org.uk/guide/systems-thinking-in-the-energy-system/">systems thinking</a> approach to policy and regulatory design. Such an approach takes into account how all parts of a complex system interact. </p>
<p>With the consumer having such a key role, the focus, planning and investment in these smaller energy sources must be on par with that given to the large generators. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/what-is-renewable-energy-zone/">Renewable Energy Zones</a> – areas with the greatest potential to develop renewable energy projects – have shown that, with the right policy settings, <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/queensland-renewable-energy-zones-flooded-with-60000mw-of-project-proposals-75017/">billions of dollars of investment</a> can be mobilised. The same level of focus on policy settings and market reforms is needed at the small scale of “Community Energy Zones”. </p>
<p>Each zone must be able to accommodate the unique characteristics of its energy users. It must create an investment environment that supports a local ecosystem of skills, trades and community benefit, ultimately leading to a zero-emission community. It must also support technological and business innovation and allow distribution networks to transition to a smart grid at low risk and low cost. </p>
<p>Learning from successful examples overseas such as <a href="https://www.ukri.org/blog/delivering-smart-local-energy-systems/">smart local energy systems</a> (UK) and <a href="https://viablecities.se/en/om/">Viable Cities</a> (Sweden) will be crucial.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215067/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vikki McLeod is in receipt of a PhD write-up scholarship from the RACE for 2030 CRC. She has recently commenced a role as energy market reform adviser at Rewiring Australia.
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Prof. Marcus Foth receives research funding from the Australian Research Council and the RACE for 2030 CRC. He is a member of the Queensland Greens.</span></em></p>Big changes are needed to create a consumer-centric National Electricity Market that’s able to manage the rise of rooftop solar.Vikki McLeod, PhD Graduate, Centre for Clean Energy Technologies and Practices, Queensland University of TechnologyMarcus Foth, Professor of Urban Informatics, Queensland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2218742024-01-30T19:06:30Z2024-01-30T19:06:30ZRenewable projects are getting built faster – but there’s even more need for speed <figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/572066/original/file-20240130-23-glcujk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=33%2C8%2C5530%2C3102&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>How long does it take to build a solar or wind farm? It’s a simple question with wide implications. To reach our ambitious 82% renewable energy target by 2030, we have to build many new projects – and start them soon. </p>
<p>In 2022, renewables hit a new high of 36% of Australia’s total electricity production, double that of 2017. That’s good – but there’s a long way to go. </p>
<p>Hitting the national target <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/the-staggering-numbers-behind-australias-82-per-cent-renewables-target/">will require</a> building about 40 wind turbines (7 megawatts) every month, and 22,000 solar panels (500 watt) every day. </p>
<p>At the start of the year, climate minister Chris Bowen called on all levels of Australian government to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/get-to-yes-or-no-as-quickly-as-possible-bowen-wants-fast-decisions-on-renewables-20240111-p5ewmj.html">speed up planning decisions</a> for renewable energy projects.</p>
<p>Reaching our target depends on one little-researched factor: completion time. </p>
<p>Solar and wind projects are built much faster than large fossil-energy plants. But the pre-construction approval process can be complex and slow projects down. In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988324000458?via%3Dihub">new research</a>, my colleague and I found completion times have fallen significantly in recent years. But we need to go even faster to achieve the 2030 target. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/renewables-are-cheaper-than-ever-yet-fossil-fuel-use-is-still-growing-heres-why-213428">Renewables are cheaper than ever yet fossil fuel use is still growing – here’s why</a>
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<h2>How long does it take to complete renewable energy projects?</h2>
<p>Very few studies have explored renewable energy lead times across a group of renewable projects in Australia or elsewhere. We investigated completion times for 170 onshore wind and solar projects completed in Australia between 2000 and 2023.</p>
<p>Using a <a href="https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/b572c8b3cc/1">data set we built</a>, we found welcome news: Australian renewable projects are being built significantly faster.</p>
<p>Taking an onshore wind farm from idea to reality now takes about 53 months. This is substantially faster than wind farms started before 2016, which took more than 88 months. Obtaining pre-construction approvals and planning took up most of that time.</p>
<p><iframe id="vhKJB" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/vhKJB/3/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Solar projects now take about 41 months. It used to be double that, at up to 83 months before 2011. </p>
<p><iframe id="BHLhR" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/BHLhR/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Overall, there has been a decrease in solar lead times. Due to recent regulatory changes, the time taken for the construction and final stages has increased from 18 months to 21 months.</p>
<h2>What does it take to build a solar or wind farm?</h2>
<p>We break project lead times down into three stages: </p>
<p><strong>1. Pre-construction</strong> – the developer designs the project and seeks approvals </p>
<p><strong>2. Building and connecting</strong> – the time between starting construction and connecting to the grid to supply energy for the first time </p>
<p><strong>3. Getting commissioned</strong> – this final stage involves obtaining a <a href="https://aemo.com.au/en/energy-systems/electricity/national-electricity-market-nem/system-operations/generator-performance-standards">performance standard</a> from the Australian Energy Market Operator. Essentially, a new renewable plant has to be able to perform as expected and pass a series of tests. In our study, this stage starts at the time of first generation and finishes when a site generates at least 80% of its total capacity.</p>
<h2>Why can lead times differ?</h2>
<p>Passing through all three stages can be smooth – or fraught. While build times are improving, some projects can get stuck in development for years, making it seem harder than it is.</p>
<p>Delays can come from seeking approvals from multiple authorities and difficulties in accessing and connecting to the grid.</p>
<p>As lead times are rarely tracked across a large number of projects, outliers can skew how long we expect things take to complete. These outliers can get a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-18/woakwine-limestone-coast-wind-farm-delay-decade-after-approval/102361318">lot of publicity</a>. </p>
<p>Even when lead times are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.122563">monitored and compared</a>, the raw data isn’t made public. A renewable energy pipeline database should be public and provide historical examples for comparison. It could learn from the <a href="https://infrastructurepipeline.org/">Australia and New Zealand Infrastructure Pipeline</a> and should track and compare lead times.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/to-hit-82-renewables-in-8-years-we-need-skilled-workers-and-labour-markets-are-already-overstretched-188811">To hit 82% renewables in 8 years, we need skilled workers – and labour markets are already overstretched</a>
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</em>
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<hr>
<h2>How did development speed up?</h2>
<p>It wasn’t a single policy or process change that drove these faster build times. But the improvements in lead times were driven by faster pre-construction planning and approval stages.</p>
<p>We found clear evidence some states are faster than others. South Australia – Australia’s top renewable state – had notably lower pre-construction lead times for both wind and solar, likely due to streamlined approvals. We found some evidence of fast approvals for solar in Victoria.</p>
<p>Changes in project ownership occurred often (38% of projects) but this had little impact on how long they took to complete.</p>
<p>One issue that has increased lead times in Australia was a 2017 change to how renewables are tested, introduced as a response to the South Australia <a href="https://www.aer.gov.au/publications/reports/compliance/investigation-report-south-australias-2016-state-wide-blackout">statewide blackout</a> of 2016. One aspect of this – the controversial “do no harm” system strength assessment – has <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/aemc-dumps-do-no-harm-rule-to-end-chaotic-response-to-system-strength-issues/">since been removed</a>. </p>
<p>These changes added an average of three months of delay for projects commencing construction after 2017. </p>
<h2>We can go faster still</h2>
<p>Even though Australian renewable lead times have shortened significantly since 2010, we should do more. After all, there are now only 71 months until 2030, when Australia’s renewables targets must be met. </p>
<p>Government approvals could be sped up if renewable developers can clearly see the steps to follow and deal with one central agency. All authorities involved should have maximum response times for key stages of the approval process. </p>
<p>Suitable projects located close to existing projects could also be assessed as expansions and not new developments. This would notably streamline the process. Authorities are already allowing developers to do this when approving grid-scale batteries to be installed near solar farms. </p>
<h2>Why do we need this data?</h2>
<p>If you’re a renewable energy developer, it’s vitally important to know how long it normally takes to get a project up and running. It’s also a key piece of data for investors and policymakers. </p>
<p>That’s why we have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2024.107337">provided clear detail</a> of our data collection technique so it can be used by researchers, consultants, and government employees. Our data set is also <a href="https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/b572c8b3cc/1">available for download</a>.</p>
<p>Is it still possible to hit 82% renewable energy by 2030? Yes – but based on our lead-time estimates, only if most projects start their planning phase in the next couple of years. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-road-is-long-and-time-is-short-but-australias-pace-towards-net-zero-is-quickening-214570">The road is long and time is short, but Australia's pace towards net zero is quickening</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/221874/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Thomas Longden receives funding from James Martin Institute for Public Policy. He is the Secretary of the NSW branch of the Economic Society of Australia and a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions (ICEDS), Australian National University (ANU). </span></em></p>We’re getting faster at building renewables – but we’ll have to speed up even more to reach our 2030 target of 82% clean energyThomas Longden, Senior Researcher, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2130792023-10-11T19:05:06Z2023-10-11T19:05:06ZA successful energy transition depends on managing when people use power. So how do we make demand more flexible?<p><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/grid-on-knife-edge-as-project-delays-risk-blackouts-electricity-market-operator-warns-20230830-p5e0iz.html">Energy security concerns</a> are mounting as renewable projects and transmission lines are delayed. </p>
<p>In New South Wales, for instance, the government has flagged it <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/05/eraring-coal-fired-power-station-nsw-government-in-talks-to-extend-operation">may defer</a> the closure of Eraring coal power station beyond 2025. </p>
<p>NSW has <a href="https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/nsw-plans-and-progress/regulation-and-policy/electricity-supply-and-reliability-check">other new policies</a> to “get the energy transition back on track”. These include expanding “customer energy resources”, such as solar panels and batteries, and increasing “demand flexibility” (broadly, using smart technology to shift the times when businesses and homes use power). </p>
<p>With more variable supply from solar and wind energy, demand flexibility is a cheaper and cleaner way to keep the electricity grid stable.</p>
<p><a href="https://arena.gov.au/assets/2022/02/load-flexibility-study-technical-summary.pdf">Modelling</a> for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) shows this approach could save consumers up to A$18 billion to 2040. Shifting demand can avoid:</p>
<ul>
<li>higher-priced power use at the end of the day</li>
<li>building new poles and wires to increase network capacity to meet peak demand</li>
<li>paying coal plants to stay open.</li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Aerial view of Eraring power station next to coal mine and substation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553135/original/file-20231010-21-lxz4x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553135/original/file-20231010-21-lxz4x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553135/original/file-20231010-21-lxz4x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553135/original/file-20231010-21-lxz4x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553135/original/file-20231010-21-lxz4x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553135/original/file-20231010-21-lxz4x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553135/original/file-20231010-21-lxz4x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">There are cheaper and cleaner ways to keep the power on than paying coal power stations like Eraring to stay open.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CSIRO_ScienceImage_9227_Eraring_Power_Station.jpg">Nick Pitsas, CSIRO/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/good-news-theres-a-clean-energy-gold-rush-under-way-well-need-it-to-tackle-energy-price-turbulence-and-coals-exodus-188804">Good news – there's a clean energy gold rush under way. We'll need it to tackle energy price turbulence and coal's exodus</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What does flexible demand involve?</h2>
<p>Examples of flexible demand include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/using-electric-water-heaters-to-store-renewable-energy-could-do-the-work-of-2-million-home-batteries-and-save-us-billions-204281">shifting water heating</a> from night-time (mostly coal-powered) to daytime (using solar)</p></li>
<li><p>reducing temperatures in commercial coolrooms using solar power in the middle of the day, then <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/arena-trial-taps-20mw-of-flexible-demand-from-commercial-refrigeration/">switching chillers off</a> in the late afternoon until they return to standard refrigeration temperatures</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-05/electricity-smart-meters-offer-hope-for-reliable-clean-energy/11766766">remotely controlling air conditioners</a> to turn them down when the grid is under stress. Households get paid and don’t notice if the aircon is briefly turned down, but across many homes it can make a big difference.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-an-energy-crisis-every-watt-counts-so-yes-turning-off-your-dishwasher-can-make-a-difference-185247">In an energy crisis, every watt counts. So yes, turning off your dishwasher can make a difference</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) <a href="https://aemo.com.au/-/media/files/electricity/nem/planning_and_forecasting/nem_esoo/2023/2023-electricity-statement-of-opportunities.pdf">estimates</a> NSW needs an extra 191 megawatts (MW) of capacity to maintain reliability when Eraring closes. </p>
<p>Another way to cover that capacity shortfall is more flexible demand. Queensland already has almost <a href="https://www.energex.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/1000452/2022-23-Demand-Management-Plan.pdf">150MW of remote-controlled air conditioning</a>. Other types of demand management that Queensland grid operators can call on total about 900MW.</p>
<p>In Western Australia, a newly signed <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/massive-demand-response-contract-to-boost-flexibility-in-worlds-most-isolated-grid/">contract will provide 120MW</a> of demand flexibility.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="The chilled and frozen foods section of a supermarket" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553121/original/file-20231010-17-x1n41q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553121/original/file-20231010-17-x1n41q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553121/original/file-20231010-17-x1n41q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553121/original/file-20231010-17-x1n41q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553121/original/file-20231010-17-x1n41q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553121/original/file-20231010-17-x1n41q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553121/original/file-20231010-17-x1n41q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Commercial refrigeration can be managed to reduce power use at times of peak demand.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">TY Lim/Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/unsexy-but-vital-why-warnings-over-grid-reliability-are-really-about-building-more-transmission-lines-212603">Unsexy but vital: why warnings over grid reliability are really about building more transmission lines</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So what are the obstacles to more flexible demand?</h2>
<p>ARENA commissioned the Institute for Sustainable Futures to <a href="https://arena.gov.au/knowledge-bank/demand-flexibility-portfolio-retrospective-analysis-report/">review the pilot demand flexibility projects</a> it has funded. Many didn’t deliver as much as hoped. </p>
<p>Sometimes, this was because businesses were too busy with day-to-day operations or payments for households were too low to catch their interest. But often it’s a matter of putting policies, technical standards and regulations in place to make demand management seamless and efficient.</p>
<p>ARENA has spent about $180 million on 55 projects with at least some focus on flexible demand. They include air conditioning, pool pumps and hot water systems in homes, commercial building air conditioning and electric vehicle charging.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1465845355820421123"}"></div></p>
<h2>4 ways to increase demand flexibility</h2>
<p>What do these projects tell us about how to increase demand flexibility?</p>
<p><strong>1. Better technical standards</strong></p>
<p>The technical standards required of manufacturers often don’t ensure devices can be used to shape demand. Many air-conditioners couldn’t be controlled in ARENA pilots. </p>
<p>There is also no technical standard for “inter-operability” of devices within homes. Batteries, hot water systems and other devices with different companies’ technologies don’t always work well together. </p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/owners-of-electric-vehicles-to-be-paid-to-plug-into-the-grid-to-help-avoid-blackouts-132519">Vehicle-to-grid charging</a> for electric vehicles will be the largest opportunity for demand flexibility, but there is no common technical standard. It’s vital to have one before the mass uptake of electric vehicles.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/owners-of-electric-vehicles-to-be-paid-to-plug-into-the-grid-to-help-avoid-blackouts-132519">Owners of electric vehicles to be paid to plug into the grid to help avoid blackouts</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Outside Victoria, smart meters that provide real-time information on home energy use are rare. The Australian Energy Market Commission has <a href="https://www.aemc.gov.au/market-reviews-advice/review-regulatory-framework-metering-services">recommended</a> governments accelerate roll-out of smart meters to 100% by 2030.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A smart electricity meter mounted on a wall" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550859/original/file-20230928-27-69eic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3008%2C1994&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550859/original/file-20230928-27-69eic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550859/original/file-20230928-27-69eic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550859/original/file-20230928-27-69eic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550859/original/file-20230928-27-69eic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550859/original/file-20230928-27-69eic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550859/original/file-20230928-27-69eic.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A full rollout of smart meters will help energy providers and users to manage demand in real time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>2. Simpler measurement systems</strong></p>
<p>The measurement systems to calculate payments for demand flexibility are a barrier to expansion. It’s tricky as you need to measure how much electricity was used relative to what would otherwise have occurred. </p>
<p>ARENA pilots that tried to precisely measure residential demand flexibility found it was financially unviable at the smaller scale. </p>
<p>The system used for AEMO’s <a href="https://aemo.com.au/en/initiatives/trials-and-initiatives/wholesale-demand-response-mechanism">Wholesale Demand Response Mechanism</a> (WDRM) effectively limits participation to businesses with predictable, flat consumption profiles. This excludes as much as <a href="https://aemo.com.au/-/media/files/stakeholder_consultation/consultations/nem-consultations/2020/wdrm-becm-policy/first-round/oakley-greenwood-report---phase-2-analysis-final-report-march-2021.pdf?la=en">80–90% of sites</a>. <a href="https://aemo.com.au/-/media/files/initiatives/wdr/baseline_consumption_methodology_phase_2_report_oct13.pdf">International measurement models</a> could be trialled here to open up participation.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-demand-response-energy-rules-sound-good-but-the-devil-is-in-the-hugely-complicated-details-120676">New demand-response energy rules sound good, but the devil is in the (hugely complicated) details</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>3. More certainty about payments</strong></p>
<p>Earnings from providing demand flexibility depend on weather, market prices and so on. This uncertainty makes it hard to get businesses to sign up. </p>
<p>Overseas, some energy markets guarantee payment for making demand flexibility available. These have the <a href="https://www.aemc.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-06/Updated%20International%20Review%20of%20Demand%20Response%20Mechanisms.pdf">highest participation</a>. </p>
<p>The federal government is <a href="https://www.energy.gov.au/news-media/news/capacity-investment-scheme-power-australian-energy-market-transformation">consulting on a capacity investment scheme</a>. Because it will have the same measurement system as the current mechanism, participation is likely to be limited.</p>
<p><strong>4. Fresh policy approaches</strong></p>
<p>Businesses that sign up under the Wholesale Demand Response Mechanism make bids in the National Electricity Market to be <a href="https://aemo.com.au/en/initiatives/trials-and-initiatives/wholesale-demand-response-mechanism">paid for reducing their power use</a> when demand and prices are high. This should reduce prices for all consumers and improve energy security when the grid is under stress. However, it has attracted only one participant – mainly due to the complex measurement system – and isn’t open to households.</p>
<p>Another <a href="https://www.aer.gov.au/networks-pipelines/guidelines-schemes-models-reviews/demand-management-incentive-scheme-and-innovation-allowance-mechanism">incentive scheme</a> for electricity networks to invest in demand management is chronically under-used.</p>
<p>There are simpler alternatives that have worked before. The national <a href="https://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/RET">Renewable Energy Target</a> and state energy efficiency certificate schemes fund rooftop solar or energy retrofits based on average output or energy savings from past experience. These simple calculations offer a relatively stable incentive, which could work for demand flexibility. </p>
<p>NSW’s <a href="https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/nsw-plans-and-progress/regulation-and-policy/energy-security-safeguard/peak-demand-reduction-scheme">Peak Demand Reduction Scheme</a>, launched last year, could provide a model for using certificate schemes to boost demand flexibility.</p>
<h2>Get serious about demand flexibility</h2>
<p>The focus of NSW’s development of a <a href="https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/nsw-plans-and-progress/regulation-and-policy/electricity-supply-and-reliability-check">customer energy resources policy</a> appears to be on “virtual power plants”. These co-ordinate household solar and battery systems to store solar power and export to the grid when it’s most needed. </p>
<p>Batteries are part of the solution, but cheaper options exist. An electric water heater with a 300-litre tank can <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-06/Domestic%20Hot%20Water%20and%20Flexibility.pdf">store as much energy</a> as a second-generation Tesla battery at much less cost. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-06/Domestic%20Hot%20Water%20and%20Flexibility.pdf">Modelling</a> for ARENA finds hot water systems could store as much energy as more than 2 million household batteries. Retrofitting these systems will spread savings more widely to include low-income households as well as those that can afford a battery.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/using-electric-water-heaters-to-store-renewable-energy-could-do-the-work-of-2-million-home-batteries-and-save-us-billions-204281">Using electric water heaters to store renewable energy could do the work of 2 million home batteries – and save us billions</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>It’s time we got serious about developing a holistic demand flexibility strategy. It will be cheaper and cleaner than paying coal plants to stay open.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213079/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The Institute for Sustainable Futures is the knowledge sharing agent for the Australiran Renewable Energy Agency's demand flexibility portfolio. ARENA provided funding for the review of its demand flexibility pilots referred to in the article. The views in this article are those of the author and should not be considered the views of ARENA. </span></em></p>Rather than paying ageing power stations to stay open in the transition to renewable energy, demand flexibility is cheaper and cleaner way to ensure the system has enough capacity.Chris Briggs, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2092192023-08-21T01:52:23Z2023-08-21T01:52:23ZIs it worth investing in a battery for your rooftop solar? Here’s what buyers need to know (but often can’t find out)<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536382/original/file-20230708-35060-lwu843.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3326%2C2210&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Recent electricity price increases of <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/electricity-prices-set-to-soar/5ed9ec22-0861-4546-9291-15b6c2f3094b">20–30%</a> have hit households hard. Some are installing rooftop solar systems and batteries to reduce or even <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/what-if-one-third-of-australians-chose-to-go-off-grid-85095/">end their reliance</a> on energy providers.</p>
<p>However, Australia’s uptake of household batteries lags well behind rooftop solar installations. The <a href="https://www.wa.gov.au/system/files/2020-04/DER_Roadmap.pdf">high upfront cost</a> of batteries is a <a href="https://www.solarchoice.net.au/residential/battery-storage-price/">key reason</a>. </p>
<p>A household battery stores excess electricity generated by your solar power system. You can use it later when solar generation can’t meet your needs – for example, at night or on cloudy days. This reduces the amount of power you buy from the grid.</p>
<p>But how long will the battery take to pay for itself, in the form of lower power bills? The answer varies. It depends, among other things, on where you live, your solar system size and design, how much electricity you use and at what times, network tariffs, and limits on how much surplus electricity you can feed into the grid. </p>
<p>Our current <a href="https://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/engineering/staff/profiles/lecturers/dr-asma-aziz">research project</a> has found cases in which a solar panel and battery system will save you money in Western Australia. But the situation varies across Australia. Here, we take a look at what to consider before you buy. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Solar panel ready to be installed in front of a household battery mounted on a wall" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542542/original/file-20230814-25-bxxy9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542542/original/file-20230814-25-bxxy9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542542/original/file-20230814-25-bxxy9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542542/original/file-20230814-25-bxxy9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542542/original/file-20230814-25-bxxy9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542542/original/file-20230814-25-bxxy9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542542/original/file-20230814-25-bxxy9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Consumers need to consider many factors to work out whether adding a battery to their solar system is worth it.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/solar-curtailment-is-emerging-as-a-new-challenge-to-overcome-as-australia-dashes-for-rooftop-solar-172152">Solar curtailment is emerging as a new challenge to overcome as Australia dashes for rooftop solar</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A tricky transition for consumers</h2>
<p>Almost <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/28/solar-already-australias-largest-source-of-electricity-as-rooftop-capacity-hits-20gw-consultancy-says">a third</a> of Australian households have rooftop solar systems – the <a href="https://www.powermag.com/a-global-look-at-residential-solar-adoption-rates/">highest rate</a> in the world. Households can now generate electricity on a massive collective scale. </p>
<p>This capability is key to the clean energy transition. But when solar systems aren’t generating enough power, households must draw electricity from the grid or a battery.</p>
<p>Battery costs vary with brand, size and location. On average, you’ll pay around <a href="https://www.solarchoice.net.au/solar-batteries/price/#The_Are_we_there_yet_Meters">A$1,420 per kilowatt-hour</a> (kWh) to install 1–5kWh of storage capacity. That’s down from $1,710 per kWh in 2017. The point at which buying a battery makes sense for most households is estimated at <a href="https://www.solarchoice.net.au/solar-batteries/price/#The_Are_we_there_yet_Meters">around $700 per kWh</a> (for a lithium battery with a ten-year warranty).</p>
<p>At current prices, <a href="https://www.solarchoice.net.au/research-solar/is-home-battery-storage-worth-it/">online</a> <a href="https://redbacktech.com/wa-electricity-costs-comparison-solar-and-batteries/">advice</a> suggests the warranty will typically expire before the battery pays for itself. So consumers might conclude they are better off buying solar systems only and waiting for battery prices to drop.</p>
<p>That’s not always the case. Our modelling found the payback time is less than the warranty period in Perth for at least two cases: using 50kWh per day with a 13.5kW solar system and 13kWh Tesla Powerwall 2 battery, and at 30kWh per day with a 6.6kW system and 6.5kWh LG Chem RESU battery. These batteries will cost you around <a href="https://www.solarchoice.net.au/products/batteries/tesla-powerwall-2-review">$12,900</a> and <a href="https://www.solarquotes.com.au/battery-storage/comparison-table/">$5,300</a> respectively, plus installation.</p>
<p>Our research also found that while there can be other reasons to get a battery, most people care about the financial benefits. But it’s not a simple decision. Some situations are good for batteries, but many people can’t use them effectively. </p>
<p>The amount of sunshine where you live and electricity prices also matter a lot. </p>
<p>In many cases, batteries might need government subsidies to be worth it.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1632301085909213184"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/think-of-solar-panels-more-like-apple-trees-we-need-a-fairer-approach-for-what-we-use-and-sell-205751">Think of solar panels more like apple trees – we need a fairer approach for what we use and sell</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What you need to know to design the optimum system</h2>
<p>Installers usually advise householders on what size solar and battery system is best for them. To get this right, installers need to know:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>household load profile</strong> – its energy use at different hours of the day and times of the year<br></li>
<li><strong>daily load</strong> – the household’s average total energy use in 24 hours</li>
<li><strong>tariffs</strong> – how much the household is charged for electricity from the grid, with higher tariffs at times of peak demand</li>
<li><strong>grid sales limits</strong> – households might be paid for energy they export to the grid. However, retailers may restrict the level of exports, change the feed-in tariff at different times of the day, and block feed-in to maintain grid stability. </li>
</ul>
<p>Most households will not know their load profile. Even if they do, it might change in response to energy providers’ <a href="https://theconversation.com/managing-demand-can-save-two-power-stations-worth-of-energy-at-peak-times-78173">demand management</a> programs – which give households incentives to reduce electricity consumption at peak times. </p>
<p>A system that was optimally sized might not remain so. And once installed, systems are difficult and costly to modify. </p>
<p>Also, customers can’t control tariff changes and grid sales limits. These can have huge impacts on the returns from their solar investments.</p>
<p>Unless all these factors are considered, a household might end up with an unsuitable solar panel and battery system and never recover the costs.</p>
<p>All this means consumers need a reliable source of information. The problem is not a lack of information but an overwhelming amount from a wide range of sources. It can be hard to tell who has a vested interest in promoting certain choices and who is offering independent advice. </p>
<p>Many consumers will leave the decisions to their installer. They must then choose their installer with care.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-maximise-savings-from-your-home-solar-system-and-slash-your-power-bills-197415">How to maximise savings from your home solar system and slash your power bills</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Solar panels on tiled roof of house on a sunny day" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542507/original/file-20230814-23-xuo96b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542507/original/file-20230814-23-xuo96b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542507/original/file-20230814-23-xuo96b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542507/original/file-20230814-23-xuo96b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542507/original/file-20230814-23-xuo96b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542507/original/file-20230814-23-xuo96b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542507/original/file-20230814-23-xuo96b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">At times of peak solar generation, household exports of electricity to the grid might be cut off.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How to fix this</h2>
<p>Householders are not the only ones who will benefit from widespread adoption of solar batteries. Network operators will too. </p>
<p>WA has one of the world’s largest isolated electricity grids. It also has a high uptake of rooftop solar. This threatens grid stability when solar generation surges and exceeds the capacity the network is designed to handle. Network operators are permitted to <a href="https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/energy-policy-wa/emergency-solar-management">disconnect systems</a> installed after March 14 last year as a last resort. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/using-electric-water-heaters-to-store-renewable-energy-could-do-the-work-of-2-million-home-batteries-and-save-us-billions-204281">Using electric water heaters to store renewable energy could do the work of 2 million home batteries – and save us billions</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If more households installed batteries, they could store surplus energy that otherwise could destabilise the grid. But households want to be sure it’s a good investment. As <a href="https://energyconsumersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/20230210_Submission-to-the-National-Energy-Performance-Strategy-Consultation-Paper.pdf">recommended</a> by Energy Consumers Australia, a trusted “one-stop shop” is needed to provide independent, tailored advice to consumers and refer them to government programs and measures.</p>
<p>Retailers and installers should provide households with consumer-friendly technology such as home energy management systems, including <a href="https://www.energy.gov.au/business/equipment-and-technology-guides/metering-and-monitoring">smart meters</a>, to help them understand and manage their energy use. </p>
<p>Households should also be informed of alternatives. One option is <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/energy/renewable/community-batteries">community batteries</a>, which store and supply energy to a neighbourhood of homes with solar power. Another is <a href="https://www.solar.vic.gov.au/how-does-virtual-power-plant-work">virtual power plants</a> – energy-sharing networks that connect thousands of household batteries. </p>
<p>Armed with all this information, consumers could make more informed decisions about investing in the energy transition. Until then, many will defer the decision. And that could increase costs for both households and electricity networks.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-buying-a-battery-to-help-power-your-home-heres-what-you-need-to-know-192610">Thinking of buying a battery to help power your home? Here's what you need to know</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209219/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The research leading to some of the results mentioned in article has received funding from Edith Cowan University for EMCR Grant Scheme 2022 (Stream 2), 2023 ‑ 2024</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Daryoush Habibi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>In some cases, adding a battery to your rooftop solar system will pay off. But to be sure of this, households need information about many factors – and there’s no single reliable place to find it.Asma Aziz, Lecturer in Power Engineering, Edith Cowan UniversityDaryoush Habibi, Professor and Executive Dean, School of Engineering, Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2088932023-07-05T12:24:21Z2023-07-05T12:24:21ZAmerica faces a power disconnection crisis amid rising heat: In 31 states, utilities can shut off electricity for nonpayment in a heat wave<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535395/original/file-20230703-253876-e0fp4y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6720%2C4476&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Low-income residents are among those most likely to lose cooling in their homes because they can't pay their bills.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/elderly-woman-with-fan-royalty-free-image/1420571004">Solidcolours/iStock/Getty Images Plus</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Millions of Americans have been sweltering through heat waves in recent weeks, and U.S. forecasters warn of a <a href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=1">hot summer ahead</a>. </p>
<p>Globally, 2023 saw the <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en/media/news/it-was-hottest-june-record-unprecedented-north-atlantic-warmth-record-low-antarctic-sea-0">warmest June on record</a>, according to the European Union’s climate change service. That heat continued into July, with some of the hottest global daily temperatures on satellite record, and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-heat-record-hottest-climate-change-july-483fc8e2a286062773692db1a37efe23">possibly the hottest</a>. </p>
<p>For people who struggle to afford air conditioning, the rising need for cooling is a growing crisis. </p>
<p>An alarming number of Americans risk losing access to utility services because they can’t pay their bills. Energy utility providers <a href="https://utilitydisconnections.org/">shut off electricity to at least 3 million customers</a> in 2022 who had missed a bill payment. Over 30% of these disconnections happened in the three summer months, during a year that was the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-says-2022-fifth-warmest-year-on-record-warming-trend-continues">fifth hottest on record</a>.</p>
<p>In some cases, the loss of service lasted for just a few hours. But in others, people went without electricity for days or weeks while scrambling to find enough money to restore service, often only to face disconnection again.</p>
<p>As researchers who study <a href="https://energyjustice.indiana.edu/index.html">energy justice and energy insecurity</a>, we believe the United States is in the midst of a disconnection crisis. We started tracking these disconnections utility by utility around the country, and we believe that the crisis will only get worse as the impacts of climate change become more widespread and more severe. In our view, it is time government agencies and utilities start treating household energy security as a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-020-0582-0">national priority</a>.</p>
<h2>1 in 4 households face energy insecurity</h2>
<p>Americans tend to think about the loss of electricity as something infrequent and temporary. For most, it is a rare inconvenience stemming from a heat wave or storm.</p>
<p>But for millions of U.S. households, the risk of losing power is a constant concern. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, <a href="https://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/">1 in 4 American households</a> experience some form of energy insecurity each year, with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-023-01265-0">no appreciable improvement</a> over the past decade.</p>
<p>For many low-income households, the risk of a power shut-off <a href="https://energyjustice.indiana.edu/research/index.html">reoccurs month after month</a>. In a recent study, we found that over the course of a single year, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac90d7">half of all households</a> whose power was disconnected dealt with disconnections multiple times as they struggled to pay their bills.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman sits on wooden steps outside a door. Two backpacks, one belonging to a small child, sit on the steps beside her." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535396/original/file-20230703-203734-ft3kuw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535396/original/file-20230703-203734-ft3kuw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=442&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535396/original/file-20230703-203734-ft3kuw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=442&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535396/original/file-20230703-203734-ft3kuw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=442&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535396/original/file-20230703-203734-ft3kuw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=555&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535396/original/file-20230703-203734-ft3kuw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=555&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535396/original/file-20230703-203734-ft3kuw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=555&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A woman sits outside the NeedLink Nashville offices after filling out an application to avoid losing electricity in 2022.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/melissa-besong-of-nashville-poses-for-a-portrait-outside-of-news-photo/1243291719">William DeShazer for The Washington Post via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Energy insecurity like this is especially <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-020-00763-9">common among low-income Americans</a>, people of color, families with young children, individuals who rely on electronic medical devices or those living in poor housing conditions. During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we found that Black and Hispanic households were three and four times, respectively, more likely to lose service than white households.</p>
<p>Along with existing financial constraints, people are facing rising electricity rates in many areas, rising inflation and higher temperatures that require cooling. Some also face a history of redlining and poor city planning that has concentrated certain populations in less efficient homes. Taken together, the crisis is apparent.</p>
<h2>Coping strategies can put health at risk</h2>
<p>We have found that over half of all low-income households <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2205356119">engage in some coping strategies</a>, and most of them find they need multiple strategies at once.</p>
<p>They might leave the air conditioner off in summer, allowing the heat to reach uncomfortable and potentially unsafe temperatures to reduce costs. Or they might forgo food or medicine to pay their energy bills, or strategically pay down one bill rather than another, known as “bill balancing.” Others turn to payday loans that might help temporarily but ultimately put them in deeper debt. In our research, we have found that the most common <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535403/original/file-20230703-37566-a194rb.png">coping strategies</a> are also the most risky.</p>
<p><iframe id="GG6Ll" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/GG6Ll/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Once people fall behind on their bills, they are at risk of being disconnected by their utility providers.</p>
<p>The loss of critical energy services may mean that affected people cannot keep their <a href="https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/aps-cut-power-heat-customer-dead-phoenix-summer-shutoff-11310515">homes cool</a> – or warm during the winter months – or food refrigerated during any season. Shut-offs may mean that people with illnesses or disabilities cannot keep medicines refrigerated or <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/3637206-regulators-can-save-lives-by-protecting-medically-vulnerable-utility-users/">medical devices charged</a>. And during times of extreme cold or heat, the loss of energy utility services can have <a href="https://www.workers.org/2009/us/shutoff_0730/">deadly consequences</a>.</p>
<h2>Where disconnection rates are highest</h2>
<p>Our research team recently launched the <a href="https://utilitydisconnections.org/">Utility Disconnections Dashboard</a> in which we track utility disconnections in all places where data is available. </p>
<p>In recent years, more states have required regulated utilities across the country to disclose the number of customers they disconnect. However, state regulations only apply to the utilities that they regulate. Public utilities and cooperatives, which serve over 20% of U.S. electricity customers, often aren’t covered. That leaves massive gaps in understanding of the full magnitude of the problem.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535093/original/file-20230630-21-33j7ki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A screengrab of the Utility Disconnections Dashboard shows data from the state of Indiana, where five utilities had more than 2,000 disconnections each due to customers not paying bills on time. Indiana's total was over 32,000 in 2022." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535093/original/file-20230630-21-33j7ki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535093/original/file-20230630-21-33j7ki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=380&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535093/original/file-20230630-21-33j7ki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=380&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535093/original/file-20230630-21-33j7ki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=380&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535093/original/file-20230630-21-33j7ki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=477&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535093/original/file-20230630-21-33j7ki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=477&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535093/original/file-20230630-21-33j7ki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=477&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Utility Disconnections Dashboard shows the number and rate of disconnections by utility in each state.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://utilitydisconnections.org/">Energy Justice Lab</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The data we do have reveals that disconnection rates soar during the summer months and are typically highest in the Southeast – the same states that were <a href="https://theconversation.com/extreme-heat-and-air-pollution-can-be-deadly-with-the-health-risk-together-worse-than-either-alone-187422">baking under</a> a <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-heat-dome-an-atmospheric-scientist-explains-the-weather-phenomenon-baking-texas-and-forecast-to-expand-185569">heat dome in June and July</a> 2023.</p>
<p>Places with particularly high disconnection rates include Alabama, where the city of Dothan’s municipal utility has disconnected an average of 5% of its customers, and Florida, where the city of Tallahassee has a disconnection rate of over 4%.</p>
<p>Large investor-owned utilities in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Indiana also top the charts in disconnections, with average rates near 1%.</p>
<h2>Only 19 states restrict summer shut-offs</h2>
<p>State public utility commissions place certain restrictions on the circumstances when utilities can disconnect customers, but summer heat is often overlooked.</p>
<p>All but a handful of states limit utilities from shutting off customers <a href="http://utilitydisconnections.org/">during winter months</a> or on extremely cold days. Most have at least some medical exemptions.</p>
<p>Yet, the majority of states <a href="https://utilitydisconnections.org/doc/electric-utility-disconnections-legal-protections-and-policy-recommendations.pdf">do not place any limits</a> on utility disconnections during summer months or on very hot days. Only 19 states have such summer protections, which typically take the form of designating time periods or temperatures when customers cannot be disconnected from their service. We believe this is untenable in an era of climate change, as more parts of the country will <a href="https://theconversation.com/saving-lives-from-extreme-heat-lessons-from-the-deadly-2021-pacific-northwest-heat-wave-206737">increasingly experience excessive-heat days</a>.</p>
<p><iframe id="hLGLj" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/hLGLj/9/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>These state-level policies provide a baseline of protection. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.106244">We learned</a> during the COVID-19 pandemic that moratoriums that prohibit utility disconnections can alleviate energy insecurity by establishing a strong mandate against disconnections.</p>
<p>But these policies are highly variable across the country and particularly insufficient during hot summer months. Moreover, customer protections can be difficult for people to find and understand, since the language can be overly convoluted and confusing, placing additional an burden on already vulnerable Americans to discover for themselves how they can avoid losing service.</p>
<h2>Better rules and a new mindset on right to energy</h2>
<p>As we see it, the U.S. needs more robust customer protections, with states, if not the federal government, mandating better disclosure of when and where disconnections occur to identify any systemic biases.</p>
<p>Most of all, we believe Americans need a collective change in mindset about energy access. That should start with a principle that all people should have access to critical energy services and that utilities should only shut off service to customers as a last resort, especially during health-compromising weather events. </p>
<p>The country cannot wait for deadly heat waves to prove how important it is to protect American households.</p>
<p><em>This article, <a href="https://theconversation.com/americas-power-disconnection-crisis-in-31-states-utilities-can-shut-off-electricity-for-nonpayment-in-a-heat-wave-208893">originally published</a> July 5, 2023, was updated July 7 with the June 2023 heat record and more July heat.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208893/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sanya Carley has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for work related to the material discussed in this article.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Konisky has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for work related to the material discussed in this article.</span></em></p>One in 4 American households are at risk of losing power because of the high cost of energy. Over 30% of those disconnections are in summer, when heat gets dangerous.Sanya Carley, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Energy Policy and City Planning, University of PennsylvaniaDavid Konisky, Lynton K. Caldwell Professor, Indiana UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2071642023-06-08T12:30:43Z2023-06-08T12:30:43ZWill faster federal reviews speed up the clean energy shift? Two legal scholars explain what the National Environmental Policy Act does and doesn’t do<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530445/original/file-20230606-19-c60dar.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C3%2C2396%2C1589&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">NEPA requires federal agencies to analyze environmental impacts of projects like interstate highway construction.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/big-dig-workers-work-in-the-area-of-ft-point-on-the-route-news-photo/114791218">John Bohn/The Boston Globe via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>The National Environmental Policy Act, enacted in 1970, is widely viewed as a <a href="https://www.eli.org/land-biodiversity/national-environmental-policy-act-nepa">keystone U.S. environmental law</a>. For any major federal action that affects the environment, such as building an interstate highway or licensing a nuclear power plant, NEPA requires relevant agencies to analyze environmental impacts, consider reasonable alternatives and accept public input. It also allows citizens to sue if they believe government has not complied.</em> </p>
<p><em>Critics argue that NEPA reviews <a href="https://www.aei.org/articles/reform-of-the-national-environmental-policy-act/">delay projects and drive up costs</a>. In May 2023 negotiations over raising the federal debt ceiling, President Joe Biden agreed to certain <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2023/05/28/background-press-call-on-the-bipartisan-budget-agreement/">changes to NEPA reviews</a>, which both the White House and congressional Republicans said would streamline permitting for infrastructure projects. Legal scholars <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=x0K9avIAAAAJ&hl=en">J.B. Ruhl</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=qD5L-u0AAAAJ&hl=en">James Salzman</a> explain these changes and what they mean for protecting the environment and expanding clean energy production.</em></p>
<h2>What kinds of projects typically require NEPA reviews?</h2>
<p>The statutory text of NEPA is quite sparse and open-ended. When people speak of what NEPA requires, they really are talking about how the White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/">Council on Environmental Quality</a>, or CEQ, federal agencies and the courts have implemented the law over the past 50 years. </p>
<p>The simple requirement is for agencies to create a detailed statement on the impacts of any major federal action that significantly affects the environment. A whole body of law and policy creates filters that sort projects into different NEPA buckets. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E5YQ0ZvA-rQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">NEPA requires all federal agencies to analyze the environmental impacts of their major actions, consider alternatives and receive public comment.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>First, only projects that will be carried out, funded or authorized by a federal agency are subject to NEPA. That’s a pretty big universe, but it also excludes a lot. For example, a wind farm built on private land by a private utility might not require any federal funding or approval. That means it wouldn’t be subject to NEPA. </p>
<p>If a project is subject to NEPA, the federal agency that has primary oversight assesses its impacts to decide how much analysis is needed. Many agencies use a classification known as <a href="https://ceq.doe.gov/nepa-practice/categorical-exclusions.html">categorical exclusions</a> to winnow out minor actions that they know have no significant impacts, either individually or cumulatively. For example, the Interior Department categorically excludes planned burns to clear brush on <a href="https://bianepatracker2.doi.gov/doi_and_bureau_categorical_exclusions.pdf">areas smaller than 4,500 acres</a>. </p>
<p>If the expected impacts are more extensive, but it’s not clear by how much, the agency can prepare an environmental assessment. If that assessment finds the impacts to the human environment will not be significant, that’s the end of the NEPA process. </p>
<p>If the impacts are significant, the agency will prepare a <a href="https://cdxapps.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-II/public/action/eis/search;jsessionid=A75C26C6A17A75907053FA67AC41B7AE?search=&__fsk=2062199394#results">full-blown environmental impact statement</a>, or EIS, which is a far more intensive process. <a href="https://ceq.doe.gov/laws-regulations/regulations.html">CEQ guidelines</a> establish an elaborate template of topics agencies must evaluate, and the public has opportunities to comment on a draft version. </p>
<p>A CEQ review of EISs prepared by all federal agencies from 2010 through 2018 found that, on average, it took <a href="https://ceq.doe.gov/docs/nepa-practice/CEQ_EIS_Timeline_Report_2020-6-12.pdf">about four and a half years</a> to issue an EIS, not including added time if someone sued. The lengths of these reviews ranged widely but <a href="https://ceq.doe.gov/docs/nepa-practice/CEQ_EIS_Length_Report_2020-6-12.pdf">averaged 575 pages</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530618/original/file-20230607-15-xre1jv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Flow chart showing numerous steps in the NEPA process." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530618/original/file-20230607-15-xre1jv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530618/original/file-20230607-15-xre1jv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=854&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530618/original/file-20230607-15-xre1jv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=854&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530618/original/file-20230607-15-xre1jv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=854&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530618/original/file-20230607-15-xre1jv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1073&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530618/original/file-20230607-15-xre1jv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1073&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530618/original/file-20230607-15-xre1jv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1073&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A schematic of the NEPA process.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.nasa.gov/agency/nepa/process.html">NASA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If an agency conducts lots of the same actions under a particular program, such as timber leasing on federal land, it might conduct a high-level programmatic EIS to cover the large-scale issues and then follow up with individual NEPA analyses for specific projects. </p>
<p>Decisions not to issue an EIS can be challenged in court. So can the EIS itself if critics believe that it’s inadequate.</p>
<h2>What are NEPA critics’ central arguments?</h2>
<p>Critiques of NEPA come from many different interests. The law mainly affects land development, industry and resource extraction activities such as logging, mining and drilling for oil and gas, particularly on federal public lands. </p>
<p>NEPA requires an impact assessment, but it doesn’t prescribe any particular outcome. Still, it unquestionably can add substantial time and cost to any significant project. If a project is controversial, interested parties can submit public comments that get their views on the record. If opponents aren’t happy with the final EIS, they can sue the agency responsible for the decision in federal court. </p>
<p>Between agency review and litigation, NEPA can add many years to a project’s development timeline before it is “shovel ready.” For example, it takes <a href="https://www.perc.org/2022/06/14/does-environmental-review-worsen-the-wildfire-crisis/">roughly four to seven years</a> to complete environmental reviews for prescribed burns that the U.S. Forest Service carries out to reduce wildfire risks.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1651944242137145344"}"></div></p>
<p>Supporters argue that NEPA reviews have <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/resources/never-eliminate-public-advice-nepa-success-stories">avoided many bad decisions</a>. In our view, the NEPA process is an important feature of the country’s stewardship of its natural resources. But we also share the growing concern that it can be used to <a href="https://twitter.com/AlecStapp/status/1654456917081595905">delay building renewable energy infrastructure</a> that the U.S. urgently needs to mitigate climate change. </p>
<h2>Did the debt ceiling agreement significantly change the NEPA process?</h2>
<p>Many of the changes are little more than tweaks. Others codify long-standing practices based on how the Council on Environmental Quality, agencies and courts implement the law. </p>
<p>One notable change is requiring a single lead agency and a single environmental impact statement for projects, even when those projects require multiple agency approvals. There also are some new time and page limits. For example, environmental impact statements will be required to be completed within two years and be no more that 150 pages long for most projects, and 300 pages for the most complex projects. </p>
<p>There also are some changes to definitions, such as what constitutes a “major federal action,” that narrow NEPA’s scope to some degree, although it will take time to sort out their meaning. Overall, we do not see these changes as a major overhaul of NEPA. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530437/original/file-20230606-19-3i9hzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A dredge deposits crushed shells off a floating platform." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530437/original/file-20230606-19-3i9hzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530437/original/file-20230606-19-3i9hzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530437/original/file-20230606-19-3i9hzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530437/original/file-20230606-19-3i9hzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530437/original/file-20230606-19-3i9hzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530437/original/file-20230606-19-3i9hzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530437/original/file-20230606-19-3i9hzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers places crushed shells in Maryland’s Tred Avon River as part of efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay’s historic oyster reefs. After a 2009 NEPA review spotlighted risks associated with the proposed use of disease-resistant imported Chinese oysters, native oysters were used instead.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://flic.kr/p/QosdpW">Sean Fritzges, U.S. Army/Flickr</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Will the changes speed up work on clean energy systems?</h2>
<p>Maybe, but not nearly as much as needed. First, NEPA applies to projects that need federal funding or approval, such as under the Endangered Species Act. Getting that money or agency green light can also involve delays and litigation independent of the NEPA review.</p>
<p>Second, many state and local laws can affect large renewable energy projects, and those statutes can also be used to slow projects down. The bottom line is that to move the needle, politicians will have to do more to reform the project review process.</p>
<p>The debt ceiling agreement left several big questions unaddressed. They include <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-us-needs-a-macrogrid-to-move-electricity-from-areas-that-make-it-to-areas-that-need-it-155938">where to build high-voltage electric transmission lines</a>; which <a href="https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-department-outlines-roadmap-continued-renewable-energy-progress-public-lands">federal public lands and offshore waters</a> can be used for power lines and renewable power production; and where to <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-us-is-worried-about-its-critical-minerals-supply-chains-essential-for-electric-vehicles-wind-power-and-the-nations-defense-157465">mine for essential minerals</a>.
Beyond those immediate priorities, if carbon sequestration technology can be developed and scaled up, the U.S. will need an enormous <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-carbon-capture-and-storage-epas-new-power-plant-standards-proposal-gives-it-a-boost-but-ccs-is-not-a-quick-solution-205462">buildout of carbon capture and storage infrastructure</a> to meet net-zero goals. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e0yWihp9RGg?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">As renewable energy scales up in the U.S., local opposition could impede some utility-scale projects.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>All of these involve incredibly complex permitting processes, and tweaking NEPA won’t change that. Other hot-button issues – including federal preemption of state and local laws, impacts on Native American cultural lands, and environmental justice – will make further permitting reforms politically difficult. </p>
<p>Even this first small measure was hotly contested, and happened now only because it was tied to the debt limit legislation. As the inclusion of federal approval for the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/05/31/debt-deal-mountain-valley-pipeline/">Mountain Valley gas pipeline</a> in the debt ceiling agreement shows, in politics you need a quid in exchange for a quo. We expect to see a lot more deal-making if Congress takes permitting reform seriously.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207164/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>J.B. Ruhl is Of Counsel to Smith-Robertson, a law firm located in Austin, Texas that occasionally provides Endangered Species Act, NEPA, and other environmental compliance counseling to infrastructure development projects, including wind power production facilities. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>James Salzman serves on the board of the Environmental Defense Center, an environmental advocacy group on the central coast of California.</span></em></p>Do environmental reviews improve projects or delay them and drive up costs? Two legal scholars explain how the law works and how it could influence the ongoing transition to renewable energy.J.B. Ruhl, Professor of Law, Director, Program on Law and Innovation, and Co-director, Energy, Environment and Land Use Program, Vanderbilt UniversityJames Salzman, Professor of Environmental Law, University of California, Los AngelesLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2057512023-06-02T04:01:59Z2023-06-02T04:01:59ZThink of solar panels more like apple trees – we need a fairer approach for what we use and sell<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529012/original/file-20230530-29-q3c6n7.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1%2C161%2C1048%2C713&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pixabay</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As we race to decarbonise by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/04/14/climate/electric-car-heater-everything.html">electrifying everything</a>, solar panels – now <a href="https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/evolution-of-solar-pv-module-cost-by-data-source-1970-2020">cheaper per square metre than marine-grade plywood</a> – will do much of the heavy lifting. But if we don’t rethink how our rooftop panels plug into the grid, the transition will be unfair and costly – for both people who own solar panels (and electric cars and smart appliances) and people who don’t. </p>
<p>Australia has the <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/australia-again-tops-global-solar-per-capita-as-world-installs-240gw-of-pv-in-2022/#:%7E:text=The%20new%20report%2C%20which%20sources,of%20the%20Netherlands%20and%20Germany.">world’s highest solar installation rate per person</a>. When solar panels generate more energy than a household is using, the excess electricity can be exported to the grid. Rooftop solar regularly provides more than a <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/renewables-reach-record-68-7-per-cent-share-of-grid-power-in-australias-main-grid/">quarter</a> of daytime electricity across the National Electricity Market. At times it exceeds <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/rooftop-solar-meets-all-local-network-demand-in-south-australia-for-more-than-five-hours/">90%</a> in South Australia.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1581866199914192896"}"></div></p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529028/original/file-20230530-17-bktyo0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Graph showing fall in solar panel prices since 1970 to a point that they're cheaper than marine plywood per square metre" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529028/original/file-20230530-17-bktyo0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529028/original/file-20230530-17-bktyo0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=541&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529028/original/file-20230530-17-bktyo0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=541&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529028/original/file-20230530-17-bktyo0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=541&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529028/original/file-20230530-17-bktyo0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=680&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529028/original/file-20230530-17-bktyo0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=680&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529028/original/file-20230530-17-bktyo0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=680&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Solar panel prices per square metre since 1970 (assuming 18% efficient modules).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Data: IRENA Database. Graph: Niraj Lal</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The amount of solar in our grids is affecting how the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and distribution businesses (which own the powerlines) keep the lights on. The measures in place are costing households that are generating solar power, but also non-solar owners and network operators. So how can we make the system fairer for all?</p>
<p>We suggest solar panels should be thought of a little more like apple trees. If you have a tree in your backyard you should be able to use as many apples as you produce. But selling apples for profit creates extra responsibilities, along with uncertainties about supply and the fair selling price. </p>
<p>Our new <a href="https://nirajlal.org/files/Lal_2023_TEJ_Give_a_little_to_get_a_little_DER_BoRR.pdf">research paper</a>, published in The Electricity Journal, outlines principles for fairness and proposes a <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529706/original/file-20230602-29-v1dr3.png">bill of rights and responsibilities</a> for connecting to the grid. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/despairing-about-climate-change-these-4-charts-on-the-unstoppable-growth-of-solar-may-change-your-mind-204901">Despairing about climate change? These 4 charts on the unstoppable growth of solar may change your mind</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What’s not fair about the current system?</h2>
<p>At times, the amount of solar energy being exported can be too much for the network to handle. </p>
<p>That’s why inverters (the box on the side of a house with solar panels) have settings that automatically reduce exported electricity when network capacity is under strain. Other mechanisms are also being put in place to allow AEMO to occasionally curtail output from rooftop solar to maintain power system security.</p>
<p>However, such measures not only reduce how much electricity is flowing from a home to the grid, but the <em>entire output</em> of the home’s rooftop system. There aren’t any fundamental reasons for this, just that appropriate inverter and control settings haven’t been enabled. </p>
<p>But this means a household, at times, can’t use any of the electricity it’s generating. In South Australia, the annual cost to customers of this sort of curtailment is already between <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960148121005322">A$1.2 million and A$4.5 million</a>. This isn’t fair.</p>
<p>But it also isn’t fair when solar owners get paid to export electricity when prices are <em>negative</em> – that is, when other generators must <em>pay</em> to keeping exporting to the grid. This is happening more often, totalling <a href="https://aemo.com.au/energy-systems/major-publications/quarterly-energy-dynamics-qed">more than half of all daytime hours</a> in SA and Victoria last quarter. </p>
<p>Nor is it fair for distribution businesses to build more poles and wires to accommodate everyone’s solar exports all the time. Or if the system operator has to buy more reserves to cover for the uncertainties of rooftop solar output.</p>
<p>In these instances, all customers foot the bill whether they own solar panels or not. But non-owners are hit hardest when the costs of such measures are passed on. People without rooftop solar are completely exposed to the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-25/australian-energy-regulator-market-offer-electricity-price-rise/102385284">20-25% electricity price rises</a> from July 1. </p>
<p>Some solar owners will hardly notice the increase.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-maximise-savings-from-your-home-solar-system-and-slash-your-power-bills-197415">How to maximise savings from your home solar system and slash your power bills</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>It’s time to rethink the social contract for grid electricity</h2>
<p>Australia’s electrification will replace fossil fuels to run households, businesses, vehicles and industry. It’s expected <a href="https://aemo.com.au/en/energy-systems/major-publications/integrated-system-plan-isp">rooftop solar will increase five-fold</a>. How should households with these growing distributed energy resources interact with the grid in future?</p>
<p>We reckon the social contract for grid electricity needs to evolve from the pay-plug-play expectations dating from the 19th century to a two-way engagement to support fairness for all. </p>
<p>To return to the apple tree analogy, if you have a tree in your backyard you should be able to eat as many apples as you’d like, and make crumble, cider, whatever. But selling apples for profit comes with a responsibility not to carry codling moth. And selling crumble or cider is subject to food safety and licensing requirements. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Person holding a crate of apples picked off a tree behind them" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529029/original/file-20230530-19-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529029/original/file-20230530-19-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529029/original/file-20230530-19-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529029/original/file-20230530-19-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529029/original/file-20230530-19-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529029/original/file-20230530-19-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529029/original/file-20230530-19-vm7aep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">If there’s an abundance of apples, you can’t expect to sell them for a high price.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And the prices? That depends on the availability of trucks and local market value. Maybe you or our government could pay more for trucks for everyone to be able to sell apples all the time, but it probably wouldn’t be efficient or fair. </p>
<p>The main distinction we draw is between growing for yourself and selling for profit. The analogy obviously isn’t perfect. Apples aren’t an essential service, apple trucks aren’t a regulated monopoly, and the supply and demand of apples doesn’t need to be balanced every second. </p>
<p>However, the principles remain – especially for a future where apple trees (rooftop solar) and apple warehouses (home batteries and electric vehicles) are everywhere.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/batteries-are-the-environmental-achilles-heel-of-electric-vehicles-unless-we-repair-reuse-and-recycle-them-205404">Batteries are the environmental Achilles heel of electric vehicles – unless we repair, reuse and recycle them</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529209/original/file-20230530-15-8sf2sq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Table showing 8 principles for a bill of distributed energy resource bill of rights and responsibilities." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529209/original/file-20230530-15-8sf2sq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529209/original/file-20230530-15-8sf2sq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529209/original/file-20230530-15-8sf2sq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529209/original/file-20230530-15-8sf2sq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529209/original/file-20230530-15-8sf2sq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=657&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529209/original/file-20230530-15-8sf2sq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=657&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529209/original/file-20230530-15-8sf2sq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=657&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The principles guiding a bill of rights and responsibilities for distributed energy resources. CC-BY-NC-SA.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A fairer balance of rights and responsibilities</h2>
<p>In our research <a href="https://nirajlal.org/research.html">paper</a> we distinguish between rights for passive use (using your own rooftop solar electricity) and responsibilities for active use (selling electricity). </p>
<p>No-one should be able to stop you using your own self-generated electricity (for the vast majority of the time). But making money from the grid will likely come with responsibilities to allow trusted parties such as network operators to manage your exports at times (a system known as flexible export limits).</p>
<p>If you’re charging and discharging batteries for profit, you will likely have a responsibility to provide some <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-closely-monitoring-households-energy-data-can-unleash-their-solar-outputs-and-possibly-make-them-more-money-196134">visibility of your expected use</a> to help the operator <a href="https://aemo.com.au/initiatives/major-programs/nem-distributed-energy-resources-der-program/der-demonstrations/project-edge">manage the grid</a>. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-closely-monitoring-households-energy-data-can-unleash-their-solar-outputs-and-possibly-make-them-more-money-196134">How closely monitoring households' energy data can unleash their solar outputs and (possibly) make them more money</a>
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<p>In a country with lots of solar energy, prices for selling energy mightn’t be guaranteed all the time either.</p>
<p>We must think about this new social contract. If we don’t, electrifying everything will be harder, more expensive, less fair and more reliant on large-scale projects requiring new transmission lines, which are complex and costly to build. </p>
<p>The story of distributed electricity is incredible – the power is literally in our hands when we flick a switch, grab the wheel, buy a product. We have an opportunity now to make it work better and be fairer for all of us. </p>
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<p><em>You can see a summary of the DER Bill of Rights and Responsibilities <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529706/original/file-20230602-29-v1dr3.png">here</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205751/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This article was co-authored by Lee Brown Specialist – Market Design and Development at the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), where he is leading Australia’s reforms of DER access and pricing. Niraj Lal and Lee Brown both work at AEMO, though the opinions in this article and associated research paper are solely those of the authors and not of AEMO.
Niraj Lal is additionally an Academic Expert for the International Energy Agency PV Task 14. He has been awarded funding from a range of organisations including the UK Government, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.</span></em></p>The need to limit output to the grid costs solar panel owners up to $4.5 million a year in South Australia alone. A bill of rights and responsibilities can make connecting to the grid fairer for all.Niraj Lal, Visiting Fellow at the ANU Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2039232023-04-21T02:12:05Z2023-04-21T02:12:05ZAustralia’s adoption of electric vehicles has been maddeningly slow, but we’re well placed to catch up fast<p>Australia has long had a love affair with the internal combustion engine. Its <a href="https://www.drive.com.au/news/the-story-of-australia-s-first-car/">first petrol-powered car</a> was developed in 1901. (Admittedly, the engine was imported from Germany.)</p>
<p>Roll forward 122 years and there’s now a <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/tourism-and-transport/motor-vehicle-census-australia/latest-release">registered motor vehicle for every one</a> of the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/regional-population-age-and-sex/2021">20 million people of driving age</a> in Australia. And fossil fuels power <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/tourism-and-transport/motor-vehicle-census-australia/latest-release#:%7E:text=New%20South%20Wales%20had%20the,of%20registrations%20with%20163%20thousand">99.9% of these vehicles</a>. </p>
<p>The slow pace at which Australia has adopted electric vehicles is maddening to many. But the transition to electric vehicles is changing gear in Australia, driven by both consumers and government. </p>
<p>The early signs of this shift can be seen in the <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/first-past-the-post-evs-race-to-front-in-sales-of-medium-sized-cars-20230420-p5d1yj.html">latest quarterly vehicle sales data</a>. Two-thirds of medium-sized cars sold were electric. </p>
<p>Also this week, the <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/energy/transport/national-electric-vehicle-strategy">National Electric Vehicle Strategy</a> filled a glaring hole in federal policy. All the states and territories and many local governments had for some time taken steps to boost the uptake of electric vehicles.</p>
<p>Electrifying the vehicle fleet is going to be one of Australia’s biggest challenges this century. But what makes Australia different from other countries? And why does it make sense to embrace a position as a fast follower?</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-finally-has-an-electric-vehicle-strategy-how-does-it-stack-up-203897">Australia finally has an electric vehicle strategy. How does it stack up?</a>
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<h2>A country wedded to the car</h2>
<p>You can see why cars are so popular in a country like Australia. We’re the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.TOTL.K2?most_recent_value_desc=true">sixth-largest country in the world</a>, but the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?most_recent_value_desc=true">55th-most-populous</a>. With only around three people per square kilometre, we regularly travel large distances through sparsely populated areas. </p>
<p>Australia also had a burgeoning automotive industry, which spawned fierce loyalties among fans of domestic brands. Its long decline began in the 1940s, with the last vehicle manufacturer <a href="https://www.afr.com/opinion/bill-scales-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-australian-car-manufacturing-industry-20171018-gz3ky4">shutting up shop in 2017</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/made-in-australia-the-electric-vehicle-revolution-gives-us-a-chance-to-revive-an-industry-203909">Made in Australia? The electric vehicle revolution gives us a chance to revive an industry</a>
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<p>Globally, too, the time of internal combustion engine manufacturing seems to have passed. The impacts of human-induced climate change <a href="https://theconversation.com/it-can-be-done-it-must-be-done-ipcc-delivers-definitive-report-on-climate-change-and-where-to-now-201763">are intensifying</a>, with the transport sector responsible for a <a href="https://www.iea.org/topics/transport">large share of global emissions</a> that stubbornly refuses to decline. </p>
<p>The electrification of transport offers a route to decarbonise this sector. It will also bring a host of <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-rapid-shift-to-electric-vehicles-can-save-24-000-lives-and-leave-us-148bn-better-off-over-the-next-2-decades-190243">other benefits</a> such as improved health through reduced local air pollution.</p>
<p>Electric vehicles aren’t new. The first cars were electric but were eventually <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-surprising-history-of-how-electric-vehicles-have-played-the-long-game-and-won-189127">outcompeted by their fossil-fuelled counterparts</a>. It wasn’t until the start of the last decade that upstarts such as Tesla began disrupting the automotive sector with fully electric offerings. </p>
<p>Not long after this Australia began a series of electric vehicle demonstration projects. The first was a <a href="https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Barnett/2010/03/State-Government-launches-electric-car-fleet-trial.aspx">Western Australian trial</a> way back in 2010. However, sales and model availability <a href="https://electricvehiclecouncil.com.au/state-of-evs-october2022/">remained stubbornly low</a>. This was largely due to weak policies. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-surprising-history-of-how-electric-vehicles-have-played-the-long-game-and-won-189127">The surprising history of how electric vehicles have played the long game and won</a>
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<h2>We have the resources to go electric</h2>
<p>Adding to the frustration of EV advocates is Australia’s wealth of resources that can enhance the benefits electric vehicles offer. </p>
<p>Australia has some of the best wind energy resources in the world with an estimated <a href="https://gwec.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Annual-Wind-Report-2022_screen_final_April.pdf">5 terawatts</a> of potential. It also has the world’s <a href="https://iea-pvps.org/snapshot-reports/snapshot-2022/">highest rooftop solar capacity per person</a>. Over 3 million households can power their homes (and potentially vehicles) for free when the sun is shining. There are also <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-30/australian-household-battery-uptake-surges-to-record-high/102160138">180,000 residential batteries</a>, helping households store the sun’s energy for later use. </p>
<p>The “lucky country” also boasts <a href="https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/minerals/mineral-resources-and-advice/aimr">huge deposits of the minerals</a> needed for making renewable energy technology like solar panels, wind turbines and batteries. Australia produces over 50% of the world’s lithium and 20% of its cobalt, as well as aluminium (27%), nickel (23%) and copper (11%).</p>
<h2>And there’s expertise to accelerate the transition</h2>
<p>While the new national strategy makes all the right noises, the main <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-finally-has-an-electric-vehicle-strategy-how-does-it-stack-up-203897">critique emerging</a> is that it lacks real teeth. In particular, the specifics of a badly needed fuel-efficiency standard are still being developed. </p>
<p>However, there is still plenty in the strategy to offer promise. It identifies the need for:</p>
<ul>
<li>better infrastructure planning and deployment</li>
<li>training and attracting a workforce with the necessary skills</li>
<li>product stewardship for end-of-life EV batteries</li>
<li>better access to charging for apartment residents</li>
<li>funding for more guidance and demonstrations.</li>
</ul>
<p>We also have a vibrant and innovative domestic electric vehicle industry. It boasts exciting companies such as NASDAQ-listed <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2022-02-20/tritium-electric-vehicle-ev-chargers-president-joe-biden/100836826">Tritium</a>, the ubiquitous <a href="https://jetcharge.com.au/about-us/">JetCharge</a> and a host of others including <a href="https://goevie.com.au/">EVIE Networks</a>, <a href="https://jolt.com.au/">Jolt Charge</a>, <a href="https://www.ace-ev.com.au/">ACE EV</a> and <a href="https://evse.com.au/">EVSE Australia</a>. They have been creating a market without any federal government encouragement or support. Harnessing their innovation and drive will be key.</p>
<p>Australia’s world-class energy researchers have been exploring issues relating to a mostly renewables-powered electricity grid for decades. In recent years, they have been investigating how electric vehicles could become an important asset for the electricity grid as “<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/11/6631">batteries on wheels</a>”. The renewable energy agency, ARENA, has spent <a href="https://arena.gov.au/arena-at-a-glance/">over $2 billion</a> to increase the renewable energy supply in Australia. <a href="https://arena.gov.au/news/depot-of-the-future-delivers-australias-largest-electric-vehicle-logistics-fleet/">Over $100 million</a> has gone to transport-related projects. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-electric-vehicle-numbers-doubled-last-year-whats-the-impact-of-charging-them-on-a-power-grid-under-strain-201478">Australia's electric vehicle numbers doubled last year. What's the impact of charging them on a power grid under strain?</a>
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<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1280687714635939841"}"></div></p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.racefor2030.com.au/">RACE for 2030</a> Cooperative Research Centre is another major long-term industry and research collaboration. It has received $69 million in government funding and $280 million in cash and in-kind support from partners to accelerate the transition to reliable, affordable, clean energy. This year it allocated $3.4 million to the Australian Strategic EV Integration (<a href="https://www.racefor2030.com.au/project/strategic-ev-integration-embedding-research-into-integrated-electric-vehicle-and-energy-storage-demonstration-projects/">SEVI</a>) project. </p>
<p>The SEVI project will test how electric vehicles can be incorporated within government fleets, holiday parks, and residential areas and in three states (New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia). To take one example, the South Australian part of the trial will examine how holiday parks could benefit from electric vehicles generating new sources of revenue and reinforcing the grid in rural areas. We can draw on the lessons from such trials to speed up the adoption of electric vehicles across Australia in ways that maximise the benefits for consumers, communities, businesses and the grid. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-rapid-shift-to-electric-vehicles-can-save-24-000-lives-and-leave-us-148bn-better-off-over-the-next-2-decades-190243">A rapid shift to electric vehicles can save 24,000 lives and leave us $148bn better off over the next 2 decades</a>
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<p>Australia now has impressive capacity within industry, government and academia to help drive the transition to an all-electric fleet. We will need to embrace our country’s unique features and harness its resources to translate the new electric vehicle strategy from good intent into real action.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203923/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Scott Dwyer has previously received funding from the RACE for 2030 Cooperative Research Centre and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).</span></em></p>Australia’s transition to electric vehicles has been much slower than in many other developed nations. But the country is actually well placed to catch up fast.Scott Dwyer, Research Director - Energy Futures, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2014782023-03-20T23:56:18Z2023-03-20T23:56:18ZAustralia’s electric vehicle numbers doubled last year. What’s the impact of charging them on a power grid under strain?<p>The number of electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/07/number-of-electric-vehicles-on-australian-roads-soars-as-demand-exceeds-supply#:%7E:text=Market%20share%20was%20strongest%20in,1%25%20in%20the%20Northern%20Territory.">doubled</a> in 2022 and Tesla’s Model 3 emerged as the best-selling mid-size car, <a href="https://electrek.co/2023/01/10/tesla-ends-camry-best-selling-run-drew-reaction-from-toyota/">the first time an EV has held this title</a>. Despite these headlines, Australia is off to a slow start with electric vehicles. They accounted for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/07/number-of-electric-vehicles-on-australian-roads-soars-as-demand-exceeds-supply">only 3.8%</a> of all vehicle sales in 2022, rising to <a href="https://thedriven.io/2023/03/06/why-australias-ev-market-is-surging-with-more-affordable-models-on-the-way/">6.8%</a> of new car sales in February 2023. </p>
<p>The federal government is working on the first <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/next-steps-national-electric-vehicle-strategy">National Electric Vehicle Strategy</a> to make them more accessible to Australians. With <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Fringe-benefits-tax/Types-of-fringe-benefits/FBT-on-cars,-other-vehicles,-parking-and-tolls/Electric-cars-exemption/">tax exemptions</a>, <a href="https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/electric-vehicles-coming-to-australia-2023-february-update">more affordable models</a> and the <a href="https://arena.gov.au/assets/2021/07/future-fuels-fund-revved-up-to-provide-ev-charging-nationally.pdf">expansion</a> of a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/15/summer-holidays-see-people-queuing-to-charge-electric-cars-for-first-time-in-australia">limited charging network</a>, <a href="https://thedriven.io/2022/05/24/what-will-labors-promised-electric-vehicle-policy-deliver-for-drivers/">3.8 million</a> electric vehicles are expected to be on Australian roads by 2030.</p>
<p>As the numbers grow, an increase in electricity demand for charging is inevitable. Careful planning is needed to manage this growth at a time when <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/20/australia-at-risk-of-electricity-supply-shortages-as-renewable-projects-lag-behind-coal-plant-closures">concerns</a> have been raised about the power grid’s capacity to meet the demand for electricity. </p>
<p>However, <a href="https://aibe.uq.edu.au/files/9487/UQ_teslascope_project_report.pdf">early findings</a> from our ongoing research on the use and charging of electric vehicles suggest they will have a more limited impact during peak demand periods than some have feared. Ultimately, they could improve grid stability, with “batteries on wheels” feeding in electricity at times of need. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1631593663674601473"}"></div></p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-is-failing-on-electric-vehicles-california-shows-its-possible-to-pick-up-the-pace-189871">Australia is failing on electric vehicles. California shows it's possible to pick up the pace</a>
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<h2>How much are EVs driven and when?</h2>
<p>The impact on the grid depends on the number of electric vehicles and how much and when they are driven and charged. Another factor in the future will be how they <a href="https://thedriven.io/2022/12/16/toyota-to-trial-vehicle-to-grid-technology-to-allow-evs-to-share-power-with-utilities/">transfer energy back into the grid</a>. </p>
<p>To date, information on how these vehicles are being driven and charged in Australia is limited. The UQ Teslascope Project, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/australian-researchers-study-how-tesla-car-batteries-can-power-grid-2021-11-17/">launched in 2021</a>, aims to fill this knowledge gap. Our <a href="https://aibe.uq.edu.au/files/9487/UQ_teslascope_project_report.pdf">new report</a> offers preliminary insights.</p>
<p>We collected and analysed minute-by-minute data on driving and charging from 230 electric cars across Australia. We found the average daily distance driven is 30 kilometres. That’s about the same as for <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/electric-passenger-vehicle-use-experimental-estimates">all passenger vehicles in Australia</a>. </p>
<p>On weekdays, most driving happens during morning and evening peak hours. On the weekends, a relatively high proportion of driving is in the daytime. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1635133303480111105"}"></div></p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-shift-to-basing-vehicle-registration-fees-on-emissions-matters-for-australia-199294">Why a shift to basing vehicle registration fees on emissions matters for Australia</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>How much are EVs charged and when?</h2>
<p>We estimate each vehicle uses just under 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day. That’s about 40% of the <a href="https://www.aer.gov.au/system/files/Residential%20energy%20consumption%20benchmarks%20-%209%20December%202020_0.pdf">daily use of a four-person house in Queensland</a>. </p>
<p>Importantly, only 25% of energy consumption from charging occurs during peak hours (6-8am and 4-8pm) when the grid is under the most strain. This suggests owners are generally charging their cars in a grid-friendly manner. </p>
<p>Around 31% of charging occurs overnight (8pm-6am). This could be a result of people taking advantage of lower electricity costs overnight on <a href="https://wattever.com.au/home-ev-charging-rates-in-australia/">time-of-use tariffs</a> and/or charging their vehicles at a convenient time and place. </p>
<p>About 44% of charging happens during non-peak daytime hours (8am-4pm). As more than half the study participants had rooftop solar, this suggests owners are already timing their charging to take advantage of solar energy. </p>
<p>Average daily energy use is higher on weekends than weekdays. As expected, more top-up charges (small volume charges that don’t necessarily fill the battery) occur on weekdays. </p>
<h2>What does this mean for the future?</h2>
<p>Our research reveals electric car users are, consciously or not, mostly charging them in ways that don’t stress the grid. As the numbers of these vehicles grow, encouraging a higher proportion of charging events outside peak hours will be beneficial. </p>
<p>Proper management of charging could help better integrate renewable electricity sources with the grid, save millions of dollars in grid investment and open up low-cost charging opportunities to electric vehicle users.</p>
<p>In Australia, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/28/solar-already-australias-largest-source-of-electricity-as-rooftop-capacity-hits-20gw-consultancy-says">almost one-third of homes</a> having installed panels, one of the highest rates in the world. By 2050, <a href="https://aemo.com.au/en/energy-systems/major-publications/integrated-system-plan-isp/2022-integrated-system-plan-isp">two-thirds are expected to have rooftop solar</a>. As the number of electric vehicles and the share of renewable energy increases, incentives to encourage users of these vehicles to charge during specific hours of the day are likely to be beneficial. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-rapid-shift-to-electric-vehicles-can-save-24-000-lives-and-leave-us-148bn-better-off-over-the-next-2-decades-190243">A rapid shift to electric vehicles can save 24,000 lives and leave us $148bn better off over the next 2 decades</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In the future, these vehicles may help integrate renewables into the grid by acting as <a href="https://arena.gov.au/blog/batteries-on-wheels-roll-in-for-canberra-storage-trial/">batteries on wheels</a>. The vast majority of cars in our study have 50% or higher battery charge at the start of a driving event. That’s much more charge than an <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/electric-passenger-vehicle-use-experimental-estimates">average trip</a> requires. This suggests a good amount of spare battery capacity is available. </p>
<p>This spare capacity could help to smooth variable electricity output from renewables. Vehicles could charge at times of high renewable production, then supply energy back to their homes or the grid during peak demand hours or times of low renewable output. In this way, they could help support a grid with high renewable penetration. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/owners-of-electric-vehicles-to-be-paid-to-plug-into-the-grid-to-help-avoid-blackouts-132519">Owners of electric vehicles to be paid to plug into the grid to help avoid blackouts</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>How can EV owners help?</h2>
<p>We’ve received funding from the <a href="https://energyconsumersaustralia.com.au/grants">Energy Consumers Australia’s Grants Program</a> to continue exploring how shifting EV charging can benefit consumers and the grid. If you have an electric vehicle, you can help with this research by signing up on <a href="https://aibe.uq.edu.au/research/energy/electric-vehicle">our website</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p><em>We would like to acknowledge Dr Jake Whitehead’s efforts in establishing the UQ Teslascope project in 2021, and for continuing to provide external advisory support.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201478/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Thara Philip receives funding from iMOVE CRC and Energy Consumers Australia's Grants Program. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrea La Nauze receives funding from Energy Consumers Australia's Grants Program.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kai Li Lim is the inaugural St Baker Fellow in E-Mobility at The University of Queensland's Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation. His position is endowed through the St Baker Energy Innovation Fund, but he does not receive any income from it or any of its portfolio companies.
As part of this project, Kai Li Lim receives funding from Energy Consumers Australia's Grants Program.</span></em></p>A study of 230 electric vehicles found only 25% of charging happens during peak demand periods. Their patterns of use also mean spare battery capacity could be fed into the grid at these times.Thara Philip, E-Mobility Doctoral Researcher, The University of QueenslandAndrea La Nauze, Lecturer, School of Economics, The University of QueenslandKai Li Lim, St Baker Fellow in E-Mobility, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1974152023-01-18T19:23:49Z2023-01-18T19:23:49ZHow to maximise savings from your home solar system and slash your power bills<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504576/original/file-20230116-20-8lxhys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=77%2C0%2C6974%2C4671&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/federal-budget/australians-will-feel-the-pinch-later-this-year-with-the-treasurer-revealing-one-key-date/news-story/86f3e0ddb9c7753ca8726ccdb622a4cc">Soaring electricity prices</a> have made 15% of Aussies think about installing solar panels, a <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/soaring-energy-bills-push-australians-to-consider-solar">recent survey</a> found. Another 6% were already weighing up the move, on top of the 28% who had panels. </p>
<p>With costs falling, the average system size is growing rapidly. Households now typically install 8-10kW solar systems, often with a battery – roof area often limits the system’s size. </p>
<p>But does that guarantee no future electricity costs? No, some are still paying stubbornly high bills. </p>
<p>This is because they are often feeding energy into the grid during peak sunshine hours, when retailers pay low feed-in tariffs of five cents per kWh or less (a response to surging rooftop solar generation). To encourage customers to use energy at these times, retailers offer generous time-of-use (“solar sponge”) tariffs. </p>
<p>But the cost doubles during peak demand periods (around 6-10am and 3-11pm) when solar output is low or zero. Most rooftop solar owners are still paying for the electricity they use then.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-closely-monitoring-households-energy-data-can-unleash-their-solar-outputs-and-possibly-make-them-more-money-196134">How closely monitoring households' energy data can unleash their solar outputs and (possibly) make them more money</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The solution is a matter of getting three things right:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>choosing efficient appliances</p></li>
<li><p>using smart technology or simple timers to run them during times of ample solar generation</p></li>
<li><p>choosing a retail electricity plan that best matches your use. </p></li>
</ol>
<h2>How much difference can appliances make?</h2>
<p>To cut energy costs, the starting point is to understand your usage patterns. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504566/original/file-20230115-25905-13i0d4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Pie chart showing breakdown of energy use in the average Australian home" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504566/original/file-20230115-25905-13i0d4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504566/original/file-20230115-25905-13i0d4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=496&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504566/original/file-20230115-25905-13i0d4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=496&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504566/original/file-20230115-25905-13i0d4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=496&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504566/original/file-20230115-25905-13i0d4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=623&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504566/original/file-20230115-25905-13i0d4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=623&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504566/original/file-20230115-25905-13i0d4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=623&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A breakdown of energy use in the average Australian home.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/energy-and-environment/using-saving-energy/home-energy-use">www.sa.gov.au</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/top-10-tips-to-keep-cool-this-summer-while-protecting-your-health-and-your-budget-193723">Top 10 tips to keep cool this summer while protecting your health and your budget</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Heating and cooling account for 30-45% of typical home energy use. Our testing at the University of South Australia suggests air conditioners use more energy as they age. Yet many homes have air conditioners older than ten years with 2-3 star ratings. Modern split systems with 6 stars use less than half as much electricity.</p>
<p>Users can program or control air conditioners remotely with a mobile phone to run for an hour or two before getting home. They then use cheap solar electricity to create a comfortable home. Smart and affordable controllers can also reduce cooling or heating when they sense a room is unoccupied or windows are open. </p>
<p>Typically, another quarter to a third of energy use is for water heating. Ample solar electricity and soaring gas prices make heat pump water heaters the best option. With <a href="https://enviro-friendly.com/solar-hot-water/heat-pump-hot-water-rebates/">government subsidies</a>, their initial cost is similar to conventional gas or electric systems and they typically use a third of the energy. </p>
<p>Again, they can be programmed to heat water at times of peak solar generation and store it, thus providing almost free hot water when needed. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/heat-pumps-can-cut-your-energy-costs-by-up-to-90-its-not-magic-just-a-smart-use-of-the-laws-of-physics-185711">Heat pumps can cut your energy costs by up to 90%. It’s not magic, just a smart use of the laws of physics</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Many other smart appliances and lights are available. Induction cooktops deliver fast and impressive results using little electricity. Along with the microwave, air fryer and pressure cooker, they can reduce energy use. Ovens and slow cookers can be programmed to use solar power and have meals ready when we get home. </p>
<p>As well as having options with high star ratings, appliances to wash and dry clothes and dishes can easily be set to run during sunshine hours. </p>
<p>Energy-efficient fridges also cut costs. However, while people are happy to buy such fridges, our <a href="https://www.unisa.edu.au/research/research-node-for-low-carbon-living/lochiel-park-research-projects/sustainable-housing/">research</a> <a href="https://www.unisa.edu.au/siteassets/episerver-6-files/global/itee/bhi/lochiel-park/whaleyberrysaman_impactoffeedbackdisplays_eedal.pdf">survey</a> found some keep the old one, using three to four times the electricity, for drinks. </p>
<p>Homes with swimming pools or spas are notorious for having the highest electricity bills. A pool will typically use 2,000-3,000kWh of electricity per year (depending on type of pump, hours of use and whether the pool is heated), at a cost of A$700-1,200. Solar pool heaters are an excellent alternative. A simple timer switch can ensure most power is consumed during sunshine hours. </p>
<p>A typical outdoor spa uses 5kW for water heating and circulating. Much heat is lost to the surroundings if you let the thermostat keep it warm all the time. By installing a timer switch, you can use solar power for heating and have the spa ready for use after working hours.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A backyard swimming pool" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504577/original/file-20230116-25-5xgp61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504577/original/file-20230116-25-5xgp61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504577/original/file-20230116-25-5xgp61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504577/original/file-20230116-25-5xgp61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504577/original/file-20230116-25-5xgp61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504577/original/file-20230116-25-5xgp61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504577/original/file-20230116-25-5xgp61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Pools can rack up big bills for running pumps and heaters – unless a timer ensures they’re using solar power.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Use smart technology to control time of use</h2>
<p>The key to making the best use of your solar output is avoiding energy wastage and matching the timing of energy supply with household demand. An affordable smart control system – for the whole home or individual appliances – can do this. </p>
<p>This system can set seven-day schedules for all appliances. It can turn off lights and air conditioning after you leave home. On a hot day, it can lower blinds and switch on the ceiling fan and air conditioner before you return, then adjust the bedroom temperature for comfortable sleep. </p>
<p>With improved energy supply and demand forecasting and artificial intelligence, future controllers will provide the optimal energy options with little human intervention. If smart gadgets are not for you, simple timer switches start at less than $10.</p>
<p>Energy storage remains a key technology for enabling use at night and on days of no sunshine. A recent <a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-buying-a-battery-to-help-power-your-home-heres-what-you-need-to-know-192610">Conversation article</a> discussed home batteries. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-buying-a-battery-to-help-power-your-home-heres-what-you-need-to-know-192610">Thinking of buying a battery to help power your home? Here's what you need to know</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Another emerging technology is <a href="https://www.ecohome.net/guides/2208/thermal-batteries-all-about-storing-solar-heat/">thermal batteries</a> for heating and cooling. During sunshine hours a reverse-cycle air conditioner generates heat or cool to store in the thermal battery (commonly as hot or chilled water) for later use. </p>
<p>Electric vehicles that connect to the grid will go a long way towards making better use of rooftop electricity and storing it for evening use. Their battery capacity is several times that of home batteries. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Mother and son head into house leaving electric vehicle plugged in to charger in the garage" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504579/original/file-20230116-47292-h1zqc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504579/original/file-20230116-47292-h1zqc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504579/original/file-20230116-47292-h1zqc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504579/original/file-20230116-47292-h1zqc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504579/original/file-20230116-47292-h1zqc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504579/original/file-20230116-47292-h1zqc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504579/original/file-20230116-47292-h1zqc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Electric vehicles can help households make better use of solar generation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Find the best energy plan for your home</h2>
<p>With 45 energy retailers in southern and eastern Australia, each offering multiple tariffs, it’s no wonder consumers are confused about which one to choose. The Australian Energy Regulator provides the most reliable <a href="https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/">guide</a>. By uploading a few basic details, including the National Meter Identifier (NMI) shown on your bill, you can find the best offers based on your recorded electricity use. </p>
<p>Using this site, my son, who had paid an $800 quarterly bill despite having a large solar system, achieved a potential annual bill below $1,500 simply by switching retailers. Installing a timer switch so their outdoor spa uses solar electricity, instead of paying 33c/kWh, is likely to further save up to $5 a day. Their goal of no electricity bills is becoming a reality.</p>
<p>We are seeing the emergence of a new Australian dream of living in a well-designed home with rooftop solar, an electric car and smartly controlled energy-efficient appliances. It will enable most single/double-storey households to be carbon-neutral while living in comfort without a big hit to their hip pockets.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197415/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Wasim Saman has received multiple federal and state research grants from the Australian Research Council, government departments, the CRC for Low Carbon Living and several industry partners for research into low carbon housing.</span></em></p>To achieve low or even no electricity bills, there are three areas owners of home solar systems should focus on getting right.Wasim Saman, Emeritus Professor of Sustainable Energy Engineering, University of South AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1953382022-11-24T18:34:56Z2022-11-24T18:34:56ZUkraine recap: targeting power supply earns Russia new title of ‘state sponsor of terror’ as winter begins to bite<p>Temperatures are falling steadily across Ukraine. The UK’s Met Office forecasts light (but pretty cold) rain in Kyiv for the next day or two followed by snow, snow, snow, as the mercury drops steadily into minus numbers next week. </p>
<p>Large areas of Ukraine, including the capital, are now without power much of the time. And still Moscow persists with its strategy of targeting Ukraine’s power supply. It’s hard to argue – as the Kremlin continues to insist – that these are military targets.</p>
<p>Yesterday a two-day old baby was killed when what have been reported to be Russian missiles hit a maternity ward in Zaporizhzhia. The region is home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and has come under particularly bombardment recently. </p>
<p>The plant itself has been under Russian occupation since March, but the surrounding area is bitterly contested. It is one of four regions annexed by Russia at the end of September, but significant areas have been wrested back by Ukraine’s counteroffensive. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1595325024482762753"}"></div></p>
<p>It is, of course, a war crime to deliberately target civilians or civilian infrastructure. But power facilities are a grey area as they could be seen as legitimate military targets. And, to be fair, this has been a tactic used time and time again during wars in the 20th and 21st century. German Zeppelins targeted electricity supplies in the first world war and the Germans also targeted the Soviet grid in a bid to regain the initiative after Stalingrad in world war two. The US has done the same in both Vietnam and, more recently, Iraq.</p>
<p>But the EU parliament has used Russia’s attacks on power stations, schools and hospitals to justify its decision this week to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism – a distinction hitherto only afforded to Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Syria. </p>
<p>“Today, the European parliament recognised Russia as a terrorist state,” the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky declared in response, adding; “And then Russia proved that all this is true by using 67 missiles against our infrastructure, our energy grid, and ordinary people.” </p>
<p>Scott Lucas, an expert in international security at University College Dublin, <a href="https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-eu-parliament-names-russia-a-state-sponsor-of-terrorism-but-it-wont-stop-the-missiles-195309">believes that</a> the EU’s move will have few real-world consequences. Russia is already subject to a harsh regime of sanctions, which is one of the penalties that comes with the European parliament’s decision. But the move will lend weight to the arguments of western governments when it comes to continuing to provide huge packages of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine in the face of a cost-of-living crisis biting pretty much everywhere.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-eu-parliament-names-russia-a-state-sponsor-of-terrorism-but-it-wont-stop-the-missiles-195309">Ukraine war: EU parliament names Russia a 'state sponsor of terrorism' – but it won't stop the missiles</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong><em>This is our weekly recap of expert analysis of the Ukraine conflict.</em></strong>
<em>The Conversation, a not-for-profit newsgroup, works with a wide range of academics across its global network to produce evidence-based analysis. Get these recaps in your inbox every Thursday. <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/ukraine-recap-114?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+Newsletter+Ukraine+Recap+2022+Mar&utm_content=WeeklyRecapTop">Subscribe here</a>.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Russia’s bombardment of Ukrainian infrastructure appears to have become Moscow’s default strategy in the face of significant military setbacks over the past two months or so. We recently reported that Ukraine had reoccupied the city of Kherson, important both strategically and in terms of morale. It’s the capital of one of four regions annexed by Russia in September. </p>
<p>Military strategist, Frank Ledwidge of the University of Portsmouth, says the victory in Kherson opens the way up for an eventual advance on Crimea, which – <a href="https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-after-recapture-of-kherson-the-conflict-is-poised-at-the-gates-of-crimea-195025">he writes</a> – is seen by both sides as Russia’s “centre of gravity”, the key to the war.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1595567985091117058"}"></div></p>
<p>This will be a far cry from Kyiv’s counteroffensives so far. As Ledwidge notes, unlike the rest of the occupied territories in Ukraine, most Russians agree that Crimea – with its majority Russian population – is legitimately a Russian territory. It has also, over several centuries and various conflicts including the second world war, proved a hard nut to crack. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-after-recapture-of-kherson-the-conflict-is-poised-at-the-gates-of-crimea-195025">Ukraine war: after recapture of Kherson the conflict is poised at the gates of Crimea</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Wartime economies</h2>
<p>One aspect of the war we haven’t focused on specifically up to now has been how Ukraine’s economy has held up after nine months of conflict (something gently pointed out to us by a reader a couple of weeks ago). Like pretty much everywhere else, Ukraine found the COVID-19 pandemic very challenging, but bounced back strongly in 2021 recording GDP growth of 3.2%. But the war has dropped the economy off a cliff. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497249/original/file-20221124-13-z7ar2o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Bar chart showing effect war on Ukraine's economy." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497249/original/file-20221124-13-z7ar2o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497249/original/file-20221124-13-z7ar2o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497249/original/file-20221124-13-z7ar2o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497249/original/file-20221124-13-z7ar2o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497249/original/file-20221124-13-z7ar2o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497249/original/file-20221124-13-z7ar2o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497249/original/file-20221124-13-z7ar2o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bar chart showing effect war on Ukraine’s economy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">State Statistics Service of Ukraine</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Ukrainian scholar, Dmitriy Sergeyev – a professor of economics at Bocconi University in Milan – highlights the way the war has affected some sectors more than others. Some industries are relatively easy to relocate. For example, Ukraine’s burgeoning IT sector has endured relatively well, but steel production and other heavy industry have taken an enormous hit. For Ukraine’s massively important agricultural sector, the decision to renew the grain deal will bring in welcome export revenues, which – <a href="https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-how-the-economy-has-kept-running-at-a-time-of-bitter-conflict-195312">he says</a> – may even be enough to plant for the next season. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-how-the-economy-has-kept-running-at-a-time-of-bitter-conflict-195312">Ukraine war: how the economy has kept running at a time of bitter conflict</a>
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<p>The outlook for the Russian economy, meanwhile, “bodes poorly for Vladimir Putin’s ability to fund Russia’s war in Ukraine,” according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, which adds that “mobilisation, sanctions and falling energy prices” are hurting Russia badly. </p>
<p>Alexander Hill, a Canada-based scholar with a particular interest in Russian affairs, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-russian-economy-is-defying-and-withstanding-western-sanctions-194119">reports in The Conversation that</a> mobilisation has hit Russian industry pretty hard, causing labour shortages in key areas. </p>
<p>But, writes Hill, a bumper harvest has allowed Russia to export huge amounts of grain, while the replacement of western companies which pulled out of Russia after the start of the war with new Russian enterprises. (McDonald’s, for example, has been replaced with a burger chain called <em>Vkusno i tochka</em> – “Tasty, full stop”). Inflation is falling and pensions, salaries and the minimum wage are reportedly keeping pace. Hill believes the west may have underestimated Russia’s ability to cope with sanctions.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-russian-economy-is-defying-and-withstanding-western-sanctions-194119">How the Russian economy is defying and withstanding western sanctions</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Banksy in Ukraine</h2>
<p>One of the themes that has run through reporting from Ukraine since the invasion began in February is the buoyant morale among Ukrainians, whether civilians or military. On the home front, particularly, this has been underpinned by an explosion of artwork drawing attention to, and reinforcing, the resilience of Ukrainian people and culture.</p>
<p>Now it seems that Banksy, the Scarlet Pimpernel of graffiti artists, has been doing his bit to help. Earlier this month, Banksy posted a picture to his Instagram of a gymnast doing a handstand, painted on the side of a building devastated by shelling in Borodyanka in the Kyiv region.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck1bqL6MsMu","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<p>He later confirmed that he was responsible for six other artworks in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine, including one which depicted Vladimir Putin being thrown by a child in a judo match. War historian Rachel Kerr of King’s College London <a href="https://theconversation.com/banksy-in-ukraine-how-his-defiant-new-works-offer-hope-194952">has the story</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/banksy-in-ukraine-how-his-defiant-new-works-offer-hope-194952">Banksy in Ukraine: how his defiant new works offer hope</a>
</strong>
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Some of the key articles from our coverage of the war in Ukraine over the past week.Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate EditorLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1874382022-08-16T20:04:36Z2022-08-16T20:04:36ZA clean energy grid means 10,000km of new transmission lines. They can only be built with community backing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479299/original/file-20220816-22-87ww57.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=691%2C350%2C5299%2C3637&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Thomas Despeyroux/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you drive through central Victoria, you might wonder at the signs reading “Piss off AusNet” in shop windows or even mown into grassland. Communities and farmers are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/02/powerlines-and-potatoes-the-renewable-energy-transmission-project-causing-angst-in-central-victoria">pushing back</a> against plans for new 85-metre towers and transmission lines needed to transmit renewable power to the cities. </p>
<p>Expect to see many more of these stories in coming years. To decarbonise by 2050, we must build more than 10,000 kilometres of new high-voltage transmission lines to carry renewable energy. That’s according to the Australian Energy Market Operator’s <a href="https://aemo.com.au/en/energy-systems/major-publications/integrated-system-plan-isp/2022-integrated-system-plan-isp">new plan</a> for the energy system, which Labor <a href="https://alp.org.au/policies/rewiring_the_nation">committed to</a> before the election. </p>
<p>But local opposition could derail this – even though the influential National Farmers Federation has <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/Bowenchris/status/1468374664388833280">backed the plan</a>. The plan recognises this: “As the rate and scale of transformation continue to accelerate … social licence will require urgent and continuing focus.”</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-calculated-emissions-due-to-electricity-loss-on-the-power-grid-globally-its-a-lot-128296">We calculated emissions due to electricity loss on the power grid – globally, it's a lot</a>
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<h2>Why do we need more transmission lines?</h2>
<p>High-voltage transmission lines can deliver electricity economically and efficiently over longer distances. For decades, we’ve used these transmission lines to balance electricity demand and generation.</p>
<p>Australia’s National Electricity Market is one of the world’s longest interconnected power systems, able to move power between the east coast states, Tasmania and South Australia. </p>
<p>To ramp up our renewable electricity base, governments have introduced renewable energy zones – our sunniest and windiest places – to encourage investment. But these zones are often far from energy-hungry cities. That’s where transmission lines come in. </p>
<p>Building more high-voltage lines will let us make the future grid more resilient, enabling electricity to be brought in from other areas if one zone isn’t generating as much, or exporting it if there’s a spike in production. This is a key way of tackling the intermittency issue with renewables. If the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing in one area, we can draw energy from the places where it is. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479300/original/file-20220816-13-oq2vva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="solar farm" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479300/original/file-20220816-13-oq2vva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479300/original/file-20220816-13-oq2vva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479300/original/file-20220816-13-oq2vva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479300/original/file-20220816-13-oq2vva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479300/original/file-20220816-13-oq2vva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479300/original/file-20220816-13-oq2vva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479300/original/file-20220816-13-oq2vva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Solar and wind farms need grid connections - and that means new powerlines.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Zbynek Burival/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>Are there any alternatives?</h2>
<p>As battery technology and other electricity storage methods improve, it may be possible to ramp up storage methods rather than rely on large new transmission links. </p>
<p>Huge and sparsely populated Western Australia is leading the way on this front. To slash transmission costs, the state has rolled out more than 100 standalone power systems that combine renewables and storage. Over the next 10 years, WA plans another 4,000 of these. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1552152104558596096"}"></div></p>
<p>This model shows us what could be possible for sections of the east coast’s grid. We could see a decentralised electricity system, in which local renewable energy is generated and stored locally in standalone power systems or micro-grids. Towns like Victoria’s <a href="https://totallyrenewableyack.org.au/">Yackandandah</a> are pioneering this local-first approach. </p>
<p>We could defer or reduce the scale of these mammoth transmission network projects and make the most of our existing transmission lines by strategically deploying <a href="https://www.energy-storage.news/australian-energy-market-operator-publishes-fluences-250mwh-virtual-tranmission-line-proposal/">virtual transmission capacity</a>. That means putting battery storage or small-scale pumped hydro in place, cutting the need to source electricity from distant sources while maintaining supply and demand balance. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/will-nimbys-sink-new-clean-energy-projects-the-evidence-says-no-if-developers-listen-to-local-concerns-164052">Will NIMBYs sink new clean energy projects? The evidence says no – if developers listen to local concerns</a>
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<p>There’s a lot more work to do on this front before virtual transmission can start reducing how much new transmission infrastructure we will need. Early virtual transmission projects like the <a href="https://www.seetao.com/details/94876.html#:%7E:text=Kennedy%20Energy%20Park%20in%20northern,supply%20power%20to%20the%20grid.">Kennedy Energy Park</a> have shown us we need a better technical understanding of how they work best, as well as updated <a href="https://obpr.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/posts/2021/07/Integrating%20energy%20storage%20systems%20into%20the%20NEM%20-%20ERC0280%20-%20Draft%20determination.pdf">regulations</a>. </p>
<p>Utilities like Powerlink Queensland are exploring alternatives such as duplicating existing transmission lines or planning lines for areas already under development, such as along highways or forest tracks.</p>
<p>Community advocates worried about the visual and physical impact of new transmission lines often argue for cables to run underground. </p>
<p>This is possible, but can be more expensive. To put these high-voltage lines safely underground, you need trenches 2-3 metres deep, dug in parallel, with inspection bays every 800-1,000 metres. Compared with transmission towers, this actually causes a higher direct impact on the land. </p>
<p>Not only that, but you cannot allow deep-rooted trees and shrubs within the easement, which means maintenance. If there’s a fault, you have to excavate the affected land. Major bushfires can also pass significant heat through the ground to the cables, so this must be taken into account. </p>
<p>Does that rule out underground transmission lines? Not entirely. In fact, in some cases, it could be cost-effective, as the proposed <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/australias-first-offshore-wind-project-starts-mapping-underground-cable-route/">Star of the South</a> offshore wind project demonstrates. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479304/original/file-20220816-24-4sre7k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="trench digging" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479304/original/file-20220816-24-4sre7k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479304/original/file-20220816-24-4sre7k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479304/original/file-20220816-24-4sre7k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479304/original/file-20220816-24-4sre7k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479304/original/file-20220816-24-4sre7k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479304/original/file-20220816-24-4sre7k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479304/original/file-20220816-24-4sre7k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Undergrounding power cables can be cost effective for some projects - but it’s a case by case approach.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<h2>Could community opposition slow the clean energy shift?</h2>
<p>It is a risk. Efforts to get emitting sources of electricity out of our grid will face a very real bottleneck based on the social acceptance of new high-voltage transmission lines. </p>
<p>Even though <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-au/8-10-australians-are-concerned-about-climate-change#:%7E:text=The%20annual%20Ipsos%20Climate%20Change,and%20up%20from%2056%25%20in">83% of us</a> now recognise climate change as a threat, people can change their views when clean energy solutions are proposed near them. This is nothing new – the “not in my backyard” issue is well-known. </p>
<p>So how can we deal with community pushback? First, we need to acknowledge that these transmission lines are an imposition. They have a significant footprint on their land corridors, in the form of tall towers, conductors, and the need for access. </p>
<p>Local landholders, neighbours, and the broader community <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-07-01/aemo-renewable-roadmap-flawed-expert-says/101199938">often perceive</a> these types of development – regardless of the need – as a symbolic intrusion on their personal property. </p>
<p>Victorian farmers and residents protest the AusNet project in the belief the new infrastructure will mean loss of control over their lands, an uglier landscape, and possible restrictions on farming practices such as irrigation. Their concerns are legitimate. But the need is also great, and time is limited. </p>
<p>We know what doesn’t work in these settings. The traditional approach for big infrastructure items has been dubbed decide, announce and defend. This would be a mistake. </p>
<p>Instead, utilities and planners should focus on open community discussions over the environmental impact of the proposed above-ground transmission lines compared to the costs and impacts of underground cabling, as well as virtual site visits. By laying out the issue clearly for the public to see, utilities have a better chance of gaining the social licence – community permission – to actually build the infrastructure we will need. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-21st-century-reinvention-of-the-electric-grid-is-crucial-for-solving-the-climate-change-crisis-173631">A 21st-century reinvention of the electric grid is crucial for solving the climate change crisis</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/187438/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Shifting to renewables means many more high voltage powerlines. But these powerlines are seeing strong pushback from farmers and rural communities. Are there any alternatives?Asma Aziz, Lecturer in Power Engineering, Edith Cowan UniversityIftekhar Ahmad, Associate Professor, Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1823142022-05-17T12:26:27Z2022-05-17T12:26:27ZHydropower’s future is clouded by droughts, floods and climate change – it’s also essential to the US electric grid<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463460/original/file-20220516-19-9c7f8x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C33%2C5503%2C3696&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Lake Powell's water level has been falling amid a two-decade drought. The white 'bathtub ring' on the canyon walls marks the decline.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/view-of-the-glen-canyon-dam-at-lake-powell-on-march-27-2022-news-photo/1388101365?adppopup=true">Justin Sullivan/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The water in Lake Powell, one of the nation’s largest reservoirs, has fallen so low amid the Western drought that federal officials are <a href="https://www.usbr.gov/dcp/droa.html">resorting to emergency measures</a> to avoid shutting down hydroelectric power at the Glen Canyon Dam.</p>
<p>The Arizona dam, which provides electricity to <a href="https://www.usbr.gov/uc/rm/crsp/gc/">seven states</a>, isn’t the only U.S. hydropower plant in trouble.</p>
<p>The iconic Hoover Dam, also on the Colorado River, has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-science-business-droughts-dams-3ca7b669ff6d18b4ba243ffb45c49230">reduced its water flow and power production</a>. California shut down a hydropower plant at the Oroville Dam for five months because of low water levels in 2021, and officials have <a href="https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/04/21/newsom-addresses-state-response-to-climate-drought-at-oroville-dam-2/">warned the same thing could happen</a> in 2022.</p>
<p>In the Northeast, a different kind of climate change problem has affected hydropower dams – too much rainfall all at once.</p>
<p>The United States has over 2,100 operational <a href="https://nid.usace.army.mil/#/dams/search/sy=@primaryPurposeId:(6)&viewType=map&resultsType=dams&advanced=false&hideList=false&eventSystem=false">hydroelectric dams</a>, with locations in nearly every state. They play essential roles in their regional power grids. But most were built in the past century under a different climate than they face today.</p>
<p>As global temperatures rise and the climate continues to change, competition for water will increase, and the way hydropower supply is managed within regions and across the power grid in the U.S. will have to evolve. <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HoSryoQAAAAJ&hl=en">We</a> <a href="https://www.fewslab.org">study</a> the nation’s hydropower production at a systems level as engineers. Here are three key things to understand about one of the nation’s oldest sources of renewable energy in a changing climate. </p>
<p><iframe id="U7a8P" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/U7a8P/10/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>Hydropower can do things other power plants can’t</h2>
<p>Hydropower contributes <a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/hydropower/">6% to 7% of all power generation</a> in the U.S., but it is a crucial resource for managing the U.S. electric grids.</p>
<p>Because it can quickly be turned on and off, hydroelectric power can help <a href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2021/01/f82/us-hydropower-market-report-full-2021.pdf">control minute-to-minute supply and demand changes</a>. It can also help power grids <a href="https://www.pnnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-30554.pdf">quickly bounce back</a> when blackouts occur. Hydropower makes up about 40% of U.S. electric grid facilities that can be started without an additional power supply during a <a href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2019/05/f62/Hydro-Black-Start_May2019.pdf">blackout</a>, in part because the fuel needed to generate power is simply the water held in the reservoir behind the turbine.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="People look at a partially rusting turbine set up for display outside. It's about twice the height of the tallest person in the crowd." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463459/original/file-20220516-11-xuemw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463459/original/file-20220516-11-xuemw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=434&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463459/original/file-20220516-11-xuemw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=434&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463459/original/file-20220516-11-xuemw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=434&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463459/original/file-20220516-11-xuemw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463459/original/file-20220516-11-xuemw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463459/original/file-20220516-11-xuemw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Tourists look at an old turbine that was replaced at the Glen Canyon Dam.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/LakePowellHydropower/22ef0dc7cb274aa5833ccbe041fb0dcd/photo">AP Photo/Felicia Fonseca</a></span>
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<p>In addition, it can also <a href="https://theconversation.com/batteries-get-hyped-but-pumped-hydro-provides-the-vast-majority-of-long-term-energy-storage-essential-for-renewable-power-heres-how-it-works-174446">serve as a giant battery</a> for the grid. The U.S. has over 40 pumped hydropower plants, which pump water uphill into a reservoir and later send it through turbines to generate electricity as needed.</p>
<p>So, while hydroelectricity represents a small portion of generation, these dams are integral to keeping the U.S. power supply flowing.</p>
<h2>Climate change affects hydropower in different ways in different regions</h2>
<p>Globally, drought has already decreased hydropower <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/11/12/124021">generation</a>. How <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.757">climate change affects hydropower</a> in the U.S. going forward will depend in large part on each plants’ location.</p>
<p>In areas where melting snow affects the river flow, hydropower potential is expected to increase in winter, when more snow falls as rain, but then decrease in summer when less snowpack is left to become <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.757">meltwater</a>. This pattern is expected to occur in much of the western U.S., along with worsening multiyear droughts that could <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.757">decrease some hydropower production</a>, depending on the how much <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.757">storage capacity</a> the reservoir has.</p>
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<p>The Northeast has a different challenge. There, extreme precipitation that can cause flooding is <a href="https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/chapter/2/">expected to increase</a>. More rain can increase power generation potential, and there are <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/downloads/hydropower-vision-report-full-report">discussions about retrofitting more existing dams</a> to produce hydropower. But since many dams there are also used for flood control, the opportunity to produce extra <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2016.05.131">energy</a> from that increasing rainfall could be lost if water is released through an overflow channel. </p>
<p>In the southern U.S., <a href="https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/chapter/2/">decreasing precipitation and intensified drought</a> are expected, which will likely result in decreased hydropower production.</p>
<h2>Some grid operators face bigger challenges</h2>
<p>The effect these changes have on the nation’s power grid will depend on how each part of the grid is managed. </p>
<p>Agencies known as balancing authorities manage their region’s electricity supply and demand in real time.</p>
<p>The largest balancing authority in terms of hydroelectric generation is the Bonneville Power Administration in the Northwest. It coordinates around 83,000 megawatt-hours of electricity annually across 59 dams, primarily in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The Grand Coulee Dam complex alone can produce enough power for <a href="https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20220302-generators-like-new-again-at-nations-largest-hydroelectric-producer">1.8 million homes</a>.</p>
<p>Much of this area <a href="https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/regions/northwest">shares a similar climate and will experience climate change</a> in much the same way in the future. That means that a regional drought or snowless year could hit many of the Bonneville Power Administration’s hydropower producers at the same time. Researchers have found that this region’s climate impacts on hydropower <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07894-4">present both a risk and opportunity</a> for grid operators by increasing summer management challenges but also lowering winter electricity shortfalls. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463338/original/file-20220516-21-bzv0kh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463338/original/file-20220516-21-bzv0kh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463338/original/file-20220516-21-bzv0kh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463338/original/file-20220516-21-bzv0kh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463338/original/file-20220516-21-bzv0kh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463338/original/file-20220516-21-bzv0kh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463338/original/file-20220516-21-bzv0kh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Balancing authorities and the number of hydropower plants in each.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lauren Dennis</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>In the Midwest, it’s a different story. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, has 176 hydropower plants across an area 50% larger than that of Bonneville, from northern Minnesota to Louisiana. </p>
<p>Since its hydropower plants are more likely to experience different climates and regional effects at different times, MISO and similarly broad operators have the capability to balance out hydropower deficits in one area with generation in other areas.</p>
<p>Understanding these regional climate effects is increasingly essential for power supply planning and protecting grid security as balancing authorities work together to keep the lights on.</p>
<h2>More change is coming</h2>
<p>Climate change is not the only factor that will affect hydropower’s future. Competing demands <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa5f3f">already influence</a> whether water is allocated for electricity generation or other uses such as irrigation and drinking.</p>
<p>Laws and water allocation also shift over time and change how water is managed through reservoirs, affecting hydroelectricity. The increase in renewable energy and the potential to use some dams and reservoirs for energy storage might also change the equation.</p>
<p>The importance of hydropower across the U.S. power grid means most dams are likely here to stay, but climate change will change how these plants are used and managed.</p>
<p><em>This article was updated May 18, 2022, to clarify that Bonneville Power Administration coordinates power from 59 dams.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/182314/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Caitlin Grady is affiliated with the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Geophysical Union. She receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lauren Dennis is affiliated with the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Geophysical Union. She receives funding from the National Science Foundation.</span></em></p>Climate change is affecting hydropower in different ways across the country.Caitlin Grady, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Research Associate in the Rock Ethics Institute, Penn StateLauren Dennis, Ph.D. Student in Civil Engineering and Climate Science, Penn StateLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1816942022-04-25T12:10:30Z2022-04-25T12:10:30ZMeet the power plant of the future: Solar + battery hybrids are poised for explosive growth<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459357/original/file-20220422-22-x2jns9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1546%2C1092%2C4063%2C2725&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">By pairing solar power and battery storage, hybrids can keep providing electricity after dark.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/dawn-of-new-renewable-energy-technologies-modern-royalty-free-image/1128888172">Petmal via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>America’s electric power system is undergoing radical change as it transitions from fossil fuels to renewable energy. While the first decade of the 2000s saw huge growth in natural gas generation, and the 2010s were the decade of wind and solar, early signs suggest the innovation of the 2020s may be a boom in “hybrid” power plants.</p>
<p>A typical hybrid power plant combines electricity generation with battery storage at the same location. That often means a solar or wind farm paired with large-scale batteries. Working together, solar panels and battery storage can generate renewable power when solar energy is at its peak during the day and then release it as needed after the sun goes down.</p>
<p>A look at the power and storage projects in the development pipeline offers a glimpse of hybrid power’s future.</p>
<p><a href="https://emp.lbl.gov">Our team</a> at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that a staggering <a href="http://emp.lbl.gov/queues">1,400 gigawatts</a> of proposed generation and storage projects have applied to connect to the grid – more than all existing U.S. power plants combined. The largest group is now solar projects, and over a third of those projects involve hybrid solar plus battery storage.</p>
<p>While these power plants of the future offer many benefits, they also <a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/publications/batteries-included-top-10-findings">raise questions</a> about how the electric grid should best be operated.</p>
<h2>Why hybrids are hot</h2>
<p>As wind and solar grow, they are starting to have big impacts on the grid.</p>
<p>Solar power already <a href="https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/california-solar">exceeds 25%</a> of annual power generation in California and is spreading rapidly in other states such as Texas, Florida and Georgia. The “wind belt” states, from the Dakotas to Texas, have seen <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50624">massive deployment of wind turbines</a>, with Iowa now getting a majority of its power from the wind.</p>
<p>This high percentage of renewable power raises a question: How do we integrate renewable sources that produce large but varying amounts of power throughout the day?</p>
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459363/original/file-20220422-26-hj5nrf.gif"><figcaption>Joshua Rhodes/University of Texas at Austin.</figcaption></figure>
<p>That’s where storage comes in. Lithium-ion battery prices have <a href="https://about.bnef.com/blog/battery-pack-prices-fall-to-an-average-of-132-kwh-but-rising-commodity-prices-start-to-bite/">rapidly fallen</a> as production has scaled up for the electric vehicle market in recent years. While there are concerns about future <a href="https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-administration-doe-invest-3-billion-strengthen-us-supply-chain-advanced-batteries">supply chain challenges</a>, battery design is also likely to evolve.</p>
<p>The combination of solar and batteries allows hybrid plant operators to provide power through the most valuable hours when demand is strongest, such as summer afternoons and evenings when air conditioners are running on high. Batteries also help smooth out production from wind and solar power, store excess power that would otherwise be curtailed, and reduce congestion on the grid.</p>
<h2>Hybrids dominate the project pipeline</h2>
<p>At the end of 2020, there were 73 solar and 16 wind hybrid projects operating in the U.S., amounting to 2.5 gigawatts of generation and 0.45 gigawatts of storage.</p>
<p>Today, solar and hybrids dominate the development pipeline. By the end of 2021, more than <a href="http://emp.lbl.gov/queues">675 gigawatts of proposed solar</a> plants had applied for grid connection approval, with over a third of them paired with storage. Another 247 gigawatts of wind farms were in line, with 19 gigawatts, or about 8% of those, as hybrids.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Bar chart showing overwhelming increase in solar since 2014 compared to other sources and fast rise in batteries in the past two years." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459172/original/file-20220421-11033-mcdm2i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459172/original/file-20220421-11033-mcdm2i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459172/original/file-20220421-11033-mcdm2i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459172/original/file-20220421-11033-mcdm2i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459172/original/file-20220421-11033-mcdm2i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459172/original/file-20220421-11033-mcdm2i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459172/original/file-20220421-11033-mcdm2i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The amount of proposed solar, storage and wind power waiting to hook up to the grid has grown dramatically in recent years, while coal, gas and nuclear have faded.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://emp.lbl.gov/publications/batteries-included-top-10-findings">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Of course, applying for a connection is only one step in developing a power plant. A developer also needs land and community agreements, a sales contract, financing and permits. Only about one in four new plants proposed between 2010 and 2016 made it to commercial operation. But the depth of interest in hybrid plants portends strong growth.</p>
<p>In markets like California, batteries are essentially obligatory for new solar developers. Since solar often accounts for the <a href="http://www.caiso.com/TodaysOutlook/Pages/supply.aspx">majority of power</a> in the daytime market, building more adds little value. Currently 95% of all proposed large-scale solar capacity in the California queue comes with batteries.</p>
<h2>5 lessons on hybrids and questions for the future</h2>
<p>The opportunity for growth in renewable hybrids is clearly large, but it raises some questions that <a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/publications/batteries-included-top-10-findings">our group</a> at Berkeley Lab has been investigating.</p>
<p>Here are some of our <a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/publications/batteries-included-top-10-findings">top findings</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>The investment pays off in many regions.</strong> We found that while adding batteries to a solar power plant increases the price, it also increases the value of the power. Putting generation and storage in the same location can capture benefits from tax credits, construction cost savings and operational flexibility. Looking at the revenue potential over recent years, and with the help of federal tax credits, the added value appears to justify the higher price. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Co-location also means tradeoffs.</strong> Wind and solar perform best where the wind and solar resources are strongest, but batteries provide the most value where they can deliver the greatest grid benefits, like relieving congestion. That means there are trade-offs when determining the best location with the highest value. Federal tax credits that can be earned only when batteries are co-located with solar may be encouraging suboptimal decisions in some cases. </p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Rows of solar panels and two batteries the size of small shipping containers sit in a field." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459146/original/file-20220421-20-28yqdt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5219%2C3497&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459146/original/file-20220421-20-28yqdt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=299&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459146/original/file-20220421-20-28yqdt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=299&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459146/original/file-20220421-20-28yqdt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=299&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459146/original/file-20220421-20-28yqdt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459146/original/file-20220421-20-28yqdt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459146/original/file-20220421-20-28yqdt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Hybrid power has become standard in Hawaii as solar power saturates the grid.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://images.nrel.gov/MX/Profiles/en/default/#/main/single/95986513-9905-4d71-86d2-6535e97e053f">Dennis Schroeder/NREL</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>There is no one best combination.</strong> The value of a hybrid plant is determined in part by the configuration of the equipment. For example, the size of the battery relative to a solar generator can determine how late into the evening the plant can deliver power. But the value of nighttime power depends on local market conditions, which change throughout the year.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Power market rules need to evolve.</strong> Hybrids can participate in the power market as a single unit or as separate entities, with the solar and storage bidding independently. Hybrids can also be either sellers or buyers of power, or both. That can get complicated. Market participation rules for hybrids are still evolving, leaving plant operators to experiment with how they sell their services. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Small hybrids create new opportunities:</strong> Hybrid power plants can also be small, such as solar and batteries in a home or business. Such <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=43215">hybrids have become standard in Hawaii</a> as solar power saturates the grid. In California, customers who are subject to power shutoffs to prevent wildfires are increasingly adding storage to their solar systems. These <a href="https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2019/Sep/IRENA_BTM_Batteries_2019.pdf">“behind-the-meter” hybrids</a> raise questions about how they should be valued, and how they can contribute to grid operations. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Hybrids are just beginning, but a lot more are on the way. More research is needed on the technologies, market designs and regulations to ensure the grid and grid pricing evolve with them.</p>
<p>While questions remain, it’s clear that hybrids are redefining power plants. And they may remake the U.S. power system in the process.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181694/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joachim Seel receives funding from the US Department of Energy</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Bentham Paulos receives funding for this work from the US Department of Energy.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Will Gorman receives funding for this work from the US Department of Energy. </span></em></p>The largest category of power plants applying to connect to the US grid are now solar, and over a third of those are hybrids that include battery storage.Joachim Seel, Senior Scientific Engineering Associate, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBentham Paulos, Affiliate, Electricity Markets & Policy Group, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryWill Gorman, Graduate Student Researcher in Electricity Markets and Policy, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1801642022-03-29T19:09:11Z2022-03-29T19:09:11ZUkraine has made a major move towards integrating with Europe – by plugging into its electricity grid<p>Ukraine and neighbouring Moldova have <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-16/ukraine-starts-trial-connection-to-european-electricity-grid">synchronised their power grids with continental Europe</a>, meaning electricity could now in theory flow back and forth between the two countries and across a grid that stretches through the EU to the UK and may one day link to northern Africa.</p>
<p>This was a delicate and difficult task – the frequency of both electricity systems must be perfectly aligned in order to ensure there aren’t sudden surges or blackouts – that was hastened by the invasion. What would normally have taken a year, happened <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-ukraine-unplugged-from-russia-and-joined-europes-power-grid-with-unprecedented-speed/">in weeks</a>. </p>
<p>But more than just a technical integration of systems and capacity, electricity alignment is also a strategic political alignment not far from the level of joining the EU.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454970/original/file-20220329-26-fug064.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="map of Europe with countries coloured in" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454970/original/file-20220329-26-fug064.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454970/original/file-20220329-26-fug064.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454970/original/file-20220329-26-fug064.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454970/original/file-20220329-26-fug064.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454970/original/file-20220329-26-fug064.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=707&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454970/original/file-20220329-26-fug064.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=707&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454970/original/file-20220329-26-fug064.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=707&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Europe’s regional electricity groups.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ElectricityUCTE.svg">Kimdime / wiki</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Indeed, Russia’s invasion has opened a discussion across Europe and beyond about how and where countries source their energy. For some, the answer is energy independence. In the UK, the likes of the <a href="https://www.desmog.com/2022/03/18/mapped-how-the-net-zero-backlash-is-tied-to-climate-denial-and-brexit/">Net Zero Scrutiny Group</a> argue the country needs to re-open oil wells and restart fracking to reduce its reliance on energy supplies from abroad. </p>
<p>However, the politics of energy systems are not so simple. In the US, Texas has long been insulated from the energy disasters that affected other states because it runs its own electric grid, separate from the others. But in 2021, when three successive storms took out crucial infrastructure, 4.5 million homes and businesses were left without power and an <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210718121413/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/texas-winter-storm-power-outage-death-toll">estimated 700 people died</a>. Since it wasn’t able to import electricity from unaffected states, Texas was unable to do anything other than wait for the storms to pass and rebuild.</p>
<h2>Supply and demand must match up</h2>
<p>While the issue of generating electricity is attracting a lot of attention as energy prices shoot through the roof, there is a risk that the politicisation of energy obscures the practical issues involved in electricity supply and generation. There are two key problems here.</p>
<p>First, what do you do when electricity demand exceeds electricity supply? This happens when, for instance, the nation collectively decides to make a cup of tea at the same time after a major sporting event – the so-called “TV pick-up effect”. After England played Germany in Euro 2020, <a href="https://www.nationalgrideso.com/news/euro-2020-and-tv-pick-effect">National Grid</a> saw UK electricity demand spike by 1.6 gigawatts (enough to power around 320 million light bulbs and 888,000 kettles).</p>
<p>Second, what do you do when you have generated more electricity than consumers want to use? Many generators, such as large fossil fuel-based power stations, cannot be turned on and off quickly. They continue producing electricity even if no one wants to use it. Yet, demand can reduce suddenly by up to 20%, meaning an electric grid has to do something with the extra electricity.</p>
<p>There have been some attempts to solve these problems, either through regulation such as requiring <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41119355#:%7E:text=Sales%20of%20vacuum%20cleaners%20producing,banned%20when%20stocks%20run%20out.">low-energy appliances</a> or through market-based measures such as dynamic pricing and the Economy 7 service, which offers <a href="https://www.edfenergy.com/for-home/energywise/all-you-need-know-about-economy-7">discounted rates for electricity over night</a>, but these efforts have struggled. </p>
<p>But the answer to both questions is to build connections with other electricity systems. This is a practical necessity that means, no matter who supplies the electricity, a country cannot really cut itself off as some might want. The real question is who it connects with.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454971/original/file-20220329-21-ni5qu1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Map of UK with lines to other countries" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454971/original/file-20220329-21-ni5qu1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454971/original/file-20220329-21-ni5qu1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454971/original/file-20220329-21-ni5qu1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454971/original/file-20220329-21-ni5qu1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454971/original/file-20220329-21-ni5qu1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=621&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454971/original/file-20220329-21-ni5qu1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=621&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454971/original/file-20220329-21-ni5qu1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=621&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Britain’s electricity interconnectors as of 2018. The NSL link to Norway, NEMO to Belgium and IFA2 to France have since become operational.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/en-gb/media-and-insights/stories/2018-electricity-interconnectors/">The Crown Estate</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The UK for instance, despite talk of energy independence, has constructed numerous underwater “interconnector” cables that link the national grid to others such as Norway, France and the Netherlands. More of these cables are planned including ElecLink, a privately funded connection between the UK and France. </p>
<p>These connectors mean that when the UK isn’t generating enough power, especially when the wind isn’t blowing, it can import electricity from overseas. In 2020, <a href="https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-are-electricity-interconnectors">9% of the UK’s electricity</a> came through its interconnectors. Likewise, when the UK generates too much power, it can be traded abroad.</p>
<p>At a time when much of Ukraine’s infrastructure is literally under attack, it is hard to compare the UK and Ukraine’s decision to link into European energy grids. Yet both countries’ decisions are ultimately based on a recognition that energy independence involves difficult choices about who to work with. History, ideology, technology, economics and, ultimately, realpolitik come into play. </p>
<p>The war in Ukraine is of course far more destructive and hard to forecast than even the UK’s worst winter storm or most sudden demand surge. But the principle behind grid connections is the same. Connecting Ukraine’s electricity grid to Europe offers both a mechanism for sustaining the energy supply across the region and a new form of aid to an embattled neighbour. </p>
<p>It might not guarantee energy security as critical infrastructure can still be attacked and the lights may still go off in Ukrainian cities. But it is evidence of political solidarity and a strengthening of ties between Ukraine and the EU.</p>
<p>Outside of Ukraine, the move shows us that electricity cannot be separated from politics. Energy policy needs to move beyond easy answers and false promises.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180164/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robert Cluley receives funding from the EPSRC. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hafez Abdo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It’s evidence of political solidarity and a strengthening of ties between Ukraine and the EU.Robert Cluley, Associate Professor in Organisation Studies, University of NottinghamHafez Abdo, Associate Professor of Accounting, University of NottinghamLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1779822022-03-18T12:31:42Z2022-03-18T12:31:42ZA large solar storm could knock out the power grid and the internet – an electrical engineer explains how<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452927/original/file-20220317-22992-n1ppek.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1500%2C997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Typical amounts of solar particles hitting the earth's magnetosphere can be beautiful, but too much could be catastrophic.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_Lights_-_Aurora_Borealis_Norway_Ringvass%C3%B8ya_Troms%C3%B8.jpg">Svein-Magne Tunli - tunliweb.no/Wikimedia</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>On Sept. 1 and 2, 1859, telegraph systems around the world failed catastrophically. The operators of the telegraphs reported receiving electrical shocks, telegraph paper catching fire, and being able to operate equipment <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2012/05/1859s-great-auroral-stormthe-week-the-sun-touched-the-earth/">with batteries disconnected</a>. During the evenings, the aurora borealis, more commonly known as the northern lights, could be seen as far south as Colombia. Typically, these lights are only visible at higher latitudes, in northern Canada, Scandinavia and Siberia.</p>
<p>What the world experienced that day, now known as the <a href="https://www.history.com/news/a-perfect-solar-superstorm-the-1859-carrington-event">Carrington Event</a>, was a massive <a href="https://theconversation.com/solar-storms-can-destroy-satellites-with-ease-a-space-weather-expert-explains-the-science-177510">geomagnetic storm</a>. These storms occur when a large bubble of superheated gas called plasma is ejected from the surface of the sun and hits the Earth. This bubble is known as a coronal mass ejection. </p>
<p>The plasma of a coronal mass ejection consists of a cloud of protons and electrons, which are electrically charged particles. When these particles reach the Earth, they interact with the magnetic field that surrounds the planet. This interaction causes the magnetic field to distort and weaken, which in turn leads to the strange behavior of the aurora borealis and other natural phenomena. As an <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David-Wallace-29">electrical engineer</a> who specializes in the power grid, I study how geomagnetic storms also threaten to cause power and internet outages and how to protect against that.</p>
<h2>Geomagnetic storms</h2>
<p>The Carrington Event of 1859 is the largest recorded account of a geomagnetic storm, but it is not an isolated event. </p>
<p>Geomagnetic storms have been recorded since the early 19th century, and scientific data from Antarctic ice core samples has shown evidence of an even more massive geomagnetic storm that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11123">occurred around A.D. 774</a>, now known as the Miyake Event. That solar flare produced the largest and fastest rise in carbon-14 ever recorded. Geomagnetic storms trigger high amounts of cosmic rays in Earth’s upper atmosphere, which in turn produce <a href="https://www.radiation-dosimetry.org/what-is-carbon-14-production-properties-decay-definition/">carbon-14</a>, a radioactive isotope of carbon.</p>
<p>A geomagnetic storm 60% smaller than the Miyake Event <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2783">occurred around A.D. 993</a>. Ice core samples have shown evidence that large-scale geomagnetic storms with similar intensities as the Miyake and Carrington events occur at an average rate of once every 500 years.</p>
<p>Nowadays the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration uses the <a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation">Geomagnetic Storms scale</a> to measure the strength of these solar eruptions. The “G scale” has a rating from 1 to 5 with G1 being minor and G5 being extreme. The Carrington Event would have been rated G5. </p>
<p>It gets even scarier when you compare the Carrington Event with the Miyake Event. Scientist were able to estimate the strength of the Carrington Event <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-005-4980-z">based on the fluctuations of Earth’s magnetic field</a> as recorded by observatories at the time. There was no way to measure the magnetic fluctuation of the Miyake event. Instead, scientists measured the increase in carbon-14 in tree rings from that time period. The Miyake Event produced a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11123">12% increase in carbon-14</a>. By comparison, the Carrington Event produced less than 1% increase in Carbon-14, so the Miyake Event likely dwarfed the G5 Carrington Event.</p>
<h2>Knocking out power</h2>
<p>Today, a geomagnetic storm of the same intensity as the Carrington Event would affect far more than telegraph wires and could be catastrophic. With the ever-growing dependency on electricity and emerging technology, any disruption could lead to trillions of dollars of monetary loss and risk to life dependent on the systems. The storm would affect <a href="https://www.cnet.com/science/we-arent-ready-for-a-solar-storm-smackdown/">a majority of the electrical systems</a> that people use every day.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JncTCE2NWgc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The National Weather Service operates the Space Weather Prediction Center, which watches for solar flares that could lead to geomagnetic storms.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Geomagnetic storms generate induced currents, which flow through the electrical grid. The geomagnetically <a href="https://www.electricalclassroom.com/what-is-induced-current/">induced currents</a>, which can be in excess of 100 amperes, flow into the electrical components connected to the grid, such as transformers, relays and sensors. One hundred amperes is equivalent to the electrical service provided to many households. Currents this size can cause internal damage in the components, leading to large scale power outages.</p>
<p>A geomagnetic storm three times smaller than the Carrington Event occurred in Quebec, Canada, in March 1989. The storm <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/sun_darkness.html">caused the Hydro-Quebec electrical grid to collapse</a>. During the storm, the high magnetically induced currents damaged a transformer in New Jersey and tripped the grid’s circuit breakers. In this case, the outage led to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/484311a">five million people being without power for nine hours</a>.</p>
<h2>Breaking connections</h2>
<p>In addition to electrical failures, communications would be disrupted on a worldwide scale. Internet service providers could go down, which in turn would take out the ability of different systems to communicate with each other. High-frequency communication systems such as ground-to-air, shortwave and ship-to-shore radio would be disrupted. Satellites in orbit around the Earth could be damaged by induced currents from the geomagnetic storm burning out their circuit boards. This would lead to <a href="https://www.cnet.com/science/we-arent-ready-for-a-solar-storm-smackdown/">disruptions</a> in satellite-based telephone, internet, radio and television.</p>
<p>[<em>Get fascinating science, health and technology news.</em> <a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?nl=science&source=inline-science-fascinating">Sign up for The Conversation’s weekly science newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p>Also, as geomagnetic storms hit the Earth, the increase in solar activity causes the atmosphere to expand outward. This expansion changes the density of the atmosphere where satellites are orbiting. Higher density atmosphere <a href="https://theconversation.com/solar-storms-can-destroy-satellites-with-ease-a-space-weather-expert-explains-the-science-177510">creates drag</a> on a satellite, which slows it down. And if it isn’t maneuvered to a higher orbit, it can fall back to Earth.</p>
<p>One other area of disruption that would potentially affect everyday life is navigation systems. Virtually every mode of transportation, from cars to airplanes, use GPS for navigation and tracking. Even handheld devices such as cell phones, smart watches and tracking tags rely on GPS signals sent from satellites. Military systems are heavily dependent on GPS for coordination. Other military detection systems such as over-the-horizon radar and submarine detection systems could be disrupted, which would hamper national defense.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452924/original/file-20220317-22992-qysj2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A crew works on a machine with a giant spool laying a cable in the water" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452924/original/file-20220317-22992-qysj2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452924/original/file-20220317-22992-qysj2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452924/original/file-20220317-22992-qysj2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452924/original/file-20220317-22992-qysj2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452924/original/file-20220317-22992-qysj2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452924/original/file-20220317-22992-qysj2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452924/original/file-20220317-22992-qysj2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The global internet is held together by a network of cables crisscrossing the world’s oceans.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/germany-mecklenburg-western-pomerania-baltic-sea-undersea-news-photo/548151689">Jens Köhler/ullstein bild via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In terms of the internet, a geomagnetic storm on the scale of the Carrington Event could <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3452296.3472916">produce geomagnetically induced currents in the submarine and terrestrial cables</a> that form the backbone of the internet as well as the data centers that store and process everything from email and text messages to scientific data sets and artificial intelligence tools. This would potentially disrupt the entire network and prevent the servers from connecting to each other.</p>
<h2>Just a matter of time</h2>
<p>It is only a matter of time before the Earth is hit by another geomagnetic storm. A Carrington Event-size storm would be <a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/images/u33/finalBoulderPresentation042611%20%281%29.pdf">extremely damaging</a> to the electrical and communication systems worldwide with outages lasting into the weeks. If the storm is the size of the Miyake Event, the results would be catastrophic for the world with potential outages lasting months if not longer. Even with <a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/space-ww">space weather warnings</a> from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, the world would have only a few minutes to a few hours notice.</p>
<p>I believe it is critical to continue researching ways to protect electrical systems against the effects of geomagnetic storms, for example by <a href="https://www.pnnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-21033.pdf">installing devices that can shield vulnerable equipment</a> like transformers and by developing strategies for adjusting grid loads when solar storms are about to hit. In short, it’s important to work now to minimize the disruptions from the next Carrington Event.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/177982/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Wallace does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Every few centuries the sun blasts the Earth with a huge amount of high-energy particles. If it were to happen today, it would wreak havoc on technology.David Wallace, Assistant Clinical Professor of Electrical Engineering, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1744462022-01-19T13:45:34Z2022-01-19T13:45:34ZBatteries get hyped, but pumped hydro provides the vast majority of long-term energy storage essential for renewable power – here’s how it works<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440326/original/file-20220111-21166-10rrp9s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=268%2C0%2C4255%2C2582&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The U.S. has thousands of lakes and reservoirs that could be paired for pumped hydro storage without the need for rivers.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/reservoir-storage-basin-of-pumped-storage-plant-royalty-free-image/1276487342?adppopup=true">Ollo via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>To cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/22/fact-sheet-president-biden-sets-2030-greenhouse-gas-pollution-reduction-target-aimed-at-creating-good-paying-union-jobs-and-securing-u-s-leadership-on-clean-energy-technologies/">half within a decade</a>, the Biden administration’s goal, the U.S. is going to need a lot more solar and wind power generation, and lots of cheap energy storage.</p>
<p>Wind and solar power vary over the course of a day, so energy storage is essential to provide a continuous flow of electricity. But today’s batteries are typically quite small and store enough energy for only a few hours of electricity. To rely more on wind and solar power, the U.S. will need more overnight and longer-term storage as well.</p>
<p>While battery innovations <a href="https://www.energy.gov/articles/secretary-granholm-announces-new-goal-cut-costs-long-duration-energy-storage-90-percent">get a lot of attention</a>, there’s a simple, proven long-term storage technique that’s been used in the U.S. since the 1920s.</p>
<p>It’s called <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/pumped-storage-hydropower">pumped hydro energy storage</a>. It involves pumping water uphill from one reservoir to another at a higher elevation for storage, then, when power is needed, releasing the water to flow downhill through turbines, generating electricity on its way to the lower reservoir.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Illustration of two open- and closed-loop hydro storage systems. Closed-loop systems use two reservoirs rather than running water." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439528/original/file-20220105-23-1pfjjmh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439528/original/file-20220105-23-1pfjjmh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439528/original/file-20220105-23-1pfjjmh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439528/original/file-20220105-23-1pfjjmh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439528/original/file-20220105-23-1pfjjmh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439528/original/file-20220105-23-1pfjjmh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439528/original/file-20220105-23-1pfjjmh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Two types of pumped-storage hydropower; one doesn’t require a river.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/open-or-closed-pumped-storage-hydropower-rise">NREL</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Pumped hydro storage is often overlooked in the U.S. because of concern about hydropower’s impact on rivers. But what many people don’t realize is that most of the best hydro storage sites aren’t on rivers at all.</p>
<p>We created a <a href="https://nationalmap.prod.saas.terria.io/#share=s-tPEnZ4T5NRAYIiLS0E3ftvcAzb">world atlas</a> of potential sites for closed-looped pumped hydro – systems that don’t include a river – and found 35,000 paired sites in the U.S. with good potential. While many of these sites, which we located by satellite, are in rugged terrain and may be unsuitable for geological, hydrological, economic, environmental or social reasons, we estimate that only a few hundred sites are needed to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/2516-1083/abeb5b">support a 100% renewable U.S. electricity system</a>.</p>
<h2>Why wind and solar need long-term storage</h2>
<p>To function properly, power grids must be able to match the incoming electricity supply to electricity demand in real time or they risk shortages or overloads.</p>
<p><a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8836526">There are several techniques</a> that grid managers can use to keep that balance with variable sources like wind and solar. These include sharing power across large regions via interstate high-voltage transmission lines, managing demand – and using energy storage.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Aerial view of a pumped hydro project's two reservoirs and solar array on a dry landscape" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439826/original/file-20220107-13-10vq0yv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439826/original/file-20220107-13-10vq0yv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439826/original/file-20220107-13-10vq0yv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439826/original/file-20220107-13-10vq0yv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439826/original/file-20220107-13-10vq0yv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439826/original/file-20220107-13-10vq0yv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439826/original/file-20220107-13-10vq0yv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Kidston pumped hydro project in Australia uses an old gold mine for reservoirs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://genexpower.com.au/250mw-kidston-pumped-storage-hydro-project/">Genex Power</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Batteries deployed in homes, power stations and electric vehicles are preferred for energy storage times up to a few hours. They’re adept at managing the rise of solar power midday when the sun is overhead and releasing it when power demand peaks in the evenings.</p>
<p>Pumped hydro, on the other hand, allows for larger and longer storage than batteries, and that is essential in a wind- and solar-dominated electricity system. It is also cheaper for overnight and longer-term storage.</p>
<h2>Off-river pumped hydro energy storage</h2>
<p>In 2021, the U.S. had <a href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2021/01/f82/us-hydropower-market-report-full-2021.pdf">43 operating pumped hydro plants</a> with a total generating capacity of <a href="https://www.hydro.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2021-Pumped-Storage-Report-NHA.pdf">about 22 gigawatts</a> and an energy storage capacity of 553 gigawatt-hours. They make up 93% of utility-scale storage in the country. Globally, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/2516-1083/abeb5b">pumped hydro’s share</a> of energy storage <a href="https://sandia.gov/ess-ssl/gesdb/public/">is even higher</a> – about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/2516-1083/abeb5b">99% of energy storage volume</a>.</p>
<p>Pump hydro projects <a href="https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.1/north-renewable-energy-cultural-resources-are-not-a-renewable-thing-for-us">can be controversial</a>, <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2021/08/05/2-little-colorado-river-dam-projects-have-been-withdrawn/5408667001/">particularly when they involve dams on rivers</a> that flood land to create new reservoirs and can affect ecosystems.</p>
<p>Creating closed-loop systems that use pairs of existing lakes or reservoirs instead of rivers would avoid the need for new dams. A project planned in Bell County, Kentucky, for example, uses an <a href="https://www.hydroreview.com/hydro-industry-news/rye-development-to-build-lewis-ridge-pumped-storage-project-in-kentucky-u-s/">old coal strip mine</a>. Little additional land <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/2516-1083/abeb5b">is needed except for transmission lines</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Satellite image showing potential pairings of reservoirs in a mountain area." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439529/original/file-20220105-19-1oo8bzw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439529/original/file-20220105-19-1oo8bzw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439529/original/file-20220105-19-1oo8bzw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439529/original/file-20220105-19-1oo8bzw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439529/original/file-20220105-19-1oo8bzw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=678&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439529/original/file-20220105-19-1oo8bzw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=678&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439529/original/file-20220105-19-1oo8bzw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=678&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Examples from the atlas of off-river reservoirs with the potential to be paired for pumped hydro near Castle Rock, Colorado.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2020.11.015">Andrew Blakers</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>An off-river pumped hydro system comprises a pair of reservoirs spaced several miles apart with an altitude difference of 200-800 meters (about 650-2,600 feet) and connected with pipes or tunnels. The reservoirs can be new or use <a href="https://www.genexpower.com.au/250mw-kidston-pumped-storage-hydro-project.html">old mining sites</a> or <a href="https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/snowy-20/about/">existing lakes or reservoirs</a>.</p>
<p>On sunny or windy days, water is pumped to the upper reservoir. At night, the water flows back down through the turbines to recover the stored energy.</p>
<p>A pair of 250-acre reservoirs with an altitude difference of 600 meters (1,969 feet) and 20-meter depth (65 feet) can store 24 gigawatt-hours of energy, meaning the system could supply 1 gigawatt of power for 24 hours, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/2516-1083/abeb5b">enough for a city of a million people</a>.</p>
<figure>
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<p>The water can cycle between upper and lower reservoirs for a hundred years or more. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009889">Evaporation suppressors</a> – small objects floating on the water to trap humid air – can help reduce water evaporation. In all, the amount of water needed to support a 100% renewable electricity system is about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/2516-1083/abeb5b">3 liters per person per day</a>, equivalent to 20 seconds of a morning shower. This is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b00139">one-tenth</a> of the water evaporated per person per day in the cooling systems of U.S. fossil fuel power stations. </p>
<h2>Storage to support 100% renewables</h2>
<p>Little pumped storage has been built in the U.S. in recent years because there hasn’t been much need, but that’s changing. </p>
<p>In 2020, about <a href="https://www.powerengineeringint.com/renewables/renewable-energy-account-for-78-of-us-capacity-additions-in-2020/">three-quarters</a> of all new power capacity built was either solar photovoltaics or wind power. Their costs have been falling, making them <a href="https://www.lazard.com/perspective/levelized-cost-of-energy-levelized-cost-of-storage-and-levelized-cost-of-hydrogen/">cheaper to build in many areas</a> than fossil fuels.</p>
<p>Australia is <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/wprwd9p3mjrm6z8/RE%20update.docx?dl=0">installing solar and wind</a> three times faster per capita than the U.S. and is already facing the need for <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp2021/AustralianElectricityOptionsPumpedHydro">mass storage</a>. It has <a href="https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/snowy-20/about/">two systems</a> <a href="https://www.genexpower.com.au/250mw-kidston-pumped-storage-hydro-project.html">under construction</a> that are designed to have more energy storage than all the utility batteries in the world put together; another dozen are under serious consideration. None involve new dams on rivers. The annual operating cost is low, and the working fluid is water rather than battery chemicals.</p>
<p>Shifting electricity to renewable energy and then electrifying vehicles and heating can eliminate most human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. has vast potential for off-river pumped hydro storage to help this happen, and it will need it as wind and solar power expand.</p>
<p>[<em>More than 140,000 readers get one of The Conversation’s informative newsletters.</em> <a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-140K">Join the list today</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/174446/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Blakers receives funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Bin Lu receives funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthew Stocks receives funding from ARENA for the Australian pumped hydro analysis.</span></em></p>A team of researchers found 35,000 pairs of existing reservoirs, lakes and old mines in the US that could be turned into long-term energy storage – and they don’t need dams on rivers.Andrew Blakers, Professor of Engineering, Australian National UniversityBin Lu, Research Fellow, Australian National UniversityMatthew Stocks, Research Fellow, ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1736312022-01-12T13:38:23Z2022-01-12T13:38:23ZA 21st-century reinvention of the electric grid is crucial for solving the climate change crisis<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438574/original/file-20211220-49229-2ukdcl.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4000%2C2461&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Integrating solar panels with farming can provide partial shade for plants.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://images.nrel.gov/">Werner Slocum/NREL</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>In the summer of 1988, scientist James Hansen <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b5127807">testified</a> <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=jkY0AAAAIAAJ&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;source=gbs_ge_summary_r&amp;cad=0#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">to Congress</a> that carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels was dangerously warming the planet. Scientific meetings were held, voluminous reports were written, and national pledges were made, but because fossil fuels were comparatively cheap, little concrete action was taken to reduce carbon emissions.</p>
<p>Then, beginning around 2009, first wind turbines and then solar photovoltaic panels decreased enough in cost to become competitive in electricity markets. More installations resulted in more “<a href="http://www.rapidshift.net/solar-pv-shows-a-record-learning-rate-28-5-reduction-in-cost-per-watt-for-every-doubling-of-cumulative-capacity/">learning curve</a>” cost reductions – the decrease in cost with every doubling of deployment. Since 2009, the prices of wind and solar power have decreased by an astonishing 72% and 90%, respectively, and they are now the <a href="https://www.lazard.com/perspective/levelized-cost-of-energy-levelized-cost-of-storage-and-levelized-cost-of-hydrogen/">cheapest electricity sources</a> – although some challenges still exist.</p>
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<p>With the planet facing increasingly intense heat waves, drought, wildfires and storms, a path to tackle the climate crisis became clear: Transition the electric grid to carbon-free wind and solar and convert most other fossil fuel users in transportation, buildings and industry to electricity.</p>
<p>The U.S. is headed in that direction. <a href="https://www.iea.org/news/renewable-electricity-growth-is-accelerating-faster-than-ever-worldwide-supporting-the-emergence-of-the-new-global-energy-economy">Early projections</a> suggest the world just wrapped up a record year of renewable electricity growth in 2021, following a <a href="https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/wind-and-solar-defied-the-2020-economic-contraction-in-the-u.s">record 33,500 megawatts</a> of solar and wind electricity installed in the U.S. in 2020, according to BloombergNEF data. Even <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/10/2022-will-be-a-record-year-for-wind-and-solar-new-report-finds.html">faster growth is expected</a> ahead, especially given the Biden administration’s plans to tap <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-us-just-set-ambitious-offshore-wind-power-targets-what-will-it-take-to-meet-them-158136">high-value offshore wind resources</a>. But will it be <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/">fast enough</a>? </p>
<p>The Biden administration’s goal is to have a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/22/fact-sheet-president-biden-sets-2030-greenhouse-gas-pollution-reduction-target-aimed-at-creating-good-paying-union-jobs-and-securing-u-s-leadership-on-clean-energy-technologies/">carbon emissions-free grid by 2035</a>. One recent study found that the U.S. will need to <a href="https://energyinnovation.org/publication/2030-report-powering-americas-clean-economy/">nearly triple its 2020 growth rate</a> for the grid to be 80% powered by clean energy by 2030. (As difficult as that may sound, China reportedly installed 120,000 megawatts of wind and solar in 2020.)</p>
<p>The foundation of this transition is a dramatic change in the electric grid itself. </p>
<h2>3 ways to bring wind and solar into the grid</h2>
<p>Hailed as the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-current-war-directors-cut-shows-how-the-electric-power-system-we-take-for-granted-came-to-be-125916">greatest invention of the 20th century</a>, our now-aging grid was based on fundamental concepts that made sense at the time it was developed. The original foundation was a combination of “base load” coal plants that operated 24 hours a day and large-scale hydropower.</p>
<p>Beginning in 1958, these were augmented by nuclear power plants, which have operated nearly continuously to pay off their large capital investments. Unlike coal and nuclear, solar and wind are variable; they provide power only when the sun and wind are available.</p>
<p>Converting to a 21st-century grid that is increasingly based on variable resources requires a completely new way of thinking. New sources of flexibility – the ability to keep supply and demand in balance over all time scales – are essential to enable this transition. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Wind turbines next to a road on a rugged ridge." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438580/original/file-20211220-19-n7q183.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438580/original/file-20211220-19-n7q183.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438580/original/file-20211220-19-n7q183.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438580/original/file-20211220-19-n7q183.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438580/original/file-20211220-19-n7q183.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438580/original/file-20211220-19-n7q183.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438580/original/file-20211220-19-n7q183.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Pine Tree Wind Farm near Tehachapi, California, provides renewable power to Los Angeles.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://images.nrel.gov/">Dennis Schroeder/NREL</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There are basically three ways to accommodate the variability of wind and solar energy: use storage, deploy generation in a coordinated fashion across a wide area of the country along with more transmission, and manage electricity demand to better match the supply. These are all sources of flexibility.</p>
<p>Storage is now largely being provided by lithium-ion batteries. <a href="https://about.bnef.com/blog/battery-pack-prices-fall-to-an-average-of-132-kwh-but-rising-commodity-prices-start-to-bite/">Their costs have plummeted</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/these-3-energy-storage-technologies-can-help-solve-the-challenge-of-moving-to-100-renewable-electricity-161564">new storage technologies</a> are being developed.</p>
<p>Expanded transmission is especially valuable. When the Northeast is experiencing peak electric demand in the early evening, there is still sun in the West. And, with more transmission, the large wind resources in the center of the country can <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-us-needs-a-macrogrid-to-move-electricity-from-areas-that-make-it-to-areas-that-need-it-155938">send electricity toward both coasts</a>. Transmission studies have shown that <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/analysis/seams.html">stronger interconnections among the country’s three power grids</a> are highly beneficial.</p>
<p>Making buildings more efficient and controlling their demand can also play a big role in cleaning up the grid. <a href="https://publishing.aip.org/publications/latest-content/100-renewable-energy-using-building-science/">Buildings</a> use 74% of U.S. electricity. Interconnected devices and equipment with smart meters can reduce and reshape a building’s power use.</p>
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<h2>Innovations that make 100% clean power possible</h2>
<p>Many analysts believe the U.S. can cost-effectively and reliably operate a power grid <a href="https://gspp.berkeley.edu/faculty-and-impact/news/recent-news/the-us-can-reach-90-percent-clean-electricity-by-2035-dependably-and-without-increasing-consumer-bills">with 80% to 90% clean electricity</a>, but decarbonizing the last 10% to 20% will be notably more challenging. While short-duration storage, lasting four hours or less, is becoming ubiquitous, we will likely need to provide power during some periods when wind and solar resources are at low levels (what the Germans call dunkelflaute, or “dark doldrums”). An expanded national transmission network will help, but some amount of long-duration storage will likely be needed.</p>
<p>Numerous options are being explored, including <a href="https://www.greenbiz.com/article/big-money-flows-long-duration-energy-storage">alternative battery technologies</a> and green hydrogen.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2021/10/25/scientists-win-4-million-efficient-battery-development">Flow batteries</a> are among the promising approaches that we are working on at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/rasei/">Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute</a> at the University of Colorado. In a typical design, liquid electrolyte flows between two storage tanks separated by a membrane. The tanks can be scaled up in size corresponding to the desired storage duration. </p>
<p><a href="https://ideas.ted.com/what-on-earth-is-green-hydrogen-hint-its-a-fuel-that-could-be-the-key-to-a-carbon-free-future/">Green hydrogen</a> is a potential storage option for very long durations. It is produced by splitting water molecules with an electrolyzer powered by renewable electricity. The hydrogen can be stored underground (or in above-ground tanks) and either burned in combustion turbines or converted back to electricity in fuel cells. Green hydrogen is currently very expensive but is expected to become more affordable as the <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/csiros-stunning-predictions-for-low-cost-battery-storage-and-hydrogen-electrolysers/">cost of electrolyzers decreases</a>.</p>
<p>In addition, new business, market design and grid operator models are emerging. <a href="https://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/solargardens">Community solar gardens</a>, for example, allow homeowners to purchase locally produced solar electricity even if their own roofs are not suitable for solar panels. <a href="https://www.energy.gov/oe/activities/technology-development/grid-modernization-and-smart-grid/role-microgrids-helping">Microgrids</a> are another business model becoming common on campuses and complexes that produce electricity locally and can continue to operate if the grid goes down. Clean microgrids are powered by renewable energy and batteries.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man stands on a roof with solar panels and a community in the background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439156/original/file-20220103-42040-g7xcu6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439156/original/file-20220103-42040-g7xcu6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439156/original/file-20220103-42040-g7xcu6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439156/original/file-20220103-42040-g7xcu6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439156/original/file-20220103-42040-g7xcu6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439156/original/file-20220103-42040-g7xcu6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439156/original/file-20220103-42040-g7xcu6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bishop Richard Howell stands near some of the 630 solar panels on the roof of his Minneapolis church. The community solar project provides clean energy to the community.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/CommunitySolar/19c76868bd6a46e2b6303f0fe8d8f3c1/photo">AP Photo/Jim Mone</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Innovative market designs include <a href="https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2019/Feb/IRENA_Innovation_ToU_tariffs_2019.pdf?la=en&hash=36658ADA8AA98677888DB2C184D1EE6A048C7470">time-of-use rates</a> that encourage electricity use, such as for charging electric vehicles, when renewable electricity is plentiful. <a href="https://greeningthegrid.org/integration-in-depth/balancing-area-coordination">Expanded balancing area coordination</a> draws on variable solar and wind resources from a wide region to provide a smoother overall supply. Improved grid operations include <a href="https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2020/Jul/IRENA_Advanced_weather_forecasting_2020.pdf%20?%20%20la=en&hash=8384431B56569C0D8786C9A4FDD56864443D10AF">advanced forecasting of wind and solar</a> to minimize wasted power and reduce the need for costly standby reserves. <a href="https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/dynamic-line-rating-pushing-the-transmission-grid-envelope-on-clean-energy-capacity">Dynamic line rating</a> allows grid operators to transmit more electricity through existing lines when favorable weather conditions permit.</p>
<p>Across the economy, greater attention to energy efficiency can enable power sector transformation, minimizing costs and improving reliability.</p>
<p>[<em>You’re smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversation’s authors and editors.</em> <a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-youresmart">You can read us daily by subscribing to our newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p>Nuclear power is also essentially carbon-free, and keeping existing nuclear plants running can make the transition to renewables easier. However, new nuclear plants in the U.S. are very expensive to build, have long construction times and may prove too costly to operate in a manner that would help firm variable solar and wind.</p>
<p>In our view, the urgency of climate change demands an all-out effort to address it. Having a 2035 emissions goal is important, but the emissions reduction path the U.S. takes to reach that goal is critical. The No. 1 need is to minimize adding carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The world already has the tools to get the grid 80% to 90% carbon-free, and technical experts are exploring a wide range of promising options for achieving that last 10% to 20%.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173631/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Charles F. Kutscher has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond his academic appointment.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jeffrey S. Logan also works at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.</span></em></p>Renewable energy is expanding at a record pace, but still not fast enough. Here are the key areas to watch for progress in bringing more wind and solar into the power grid in 2022.Charles F. Kutscher, Fellow and Senior Research Associate, Renewable & Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado BoulderJeffrey Logan, Associate Director of Energy Policy and Analysis, Renewable & Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado BoulderLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1721522021-12-10T02:02:55Z2021-12-10T02:02:55ZSolar curtailment is emerging as a new challenge to overcome as Australia dashes for rooftop solar<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436511/original/file-20211208-159504-jrx9h9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3600%2C2376&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Almost <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/australia-reaches-3-million-households-with-rooftop-solar-20211108-p59721.html">a third</a> of Australia’s estimated <a href="https://www.ibisworld.com/au/bed/number-of-households/31/">ten million households</a> now have solar on the roof. But as the nation moving fastest to produce energy on our homes, we are also encountering teething problems, such as “curtailment” of output. </p>
<p>This issue will be one we have to overcome as ever more Australians install solar. Our grids were designed primarily for large fossil fuel power stations transmitting electricity in one direction, while solar households both consume and export power.</p>
<p>That means in some conditions, household solar may contribute to spikes in voltage levels outside of the acceptable range, especially as voltage levels are typically already high. </p>
<p>To counter this, your solar system can stop exporting to the grid or even shut down temporarily if voltage levels are too high. This is called “curtailment”. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436513/original/file-20211209-21-qfm0ve.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Solar technicians installing panels" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436513/original/file-20211209-21-qfm0ve.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436513/original/file-20211209-21-qfm0ve.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436513/original/file-20211209-21-qfm0ve.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436513/original/file-20211209-21-qfm0ve.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436513/original/file-20211209-21-qfm0ve.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436513/original/file-20211209-21-qfm0ve.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436513/original/file-20211209-21-qfm0ve.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The rush for solar shows no signs of slowing – but curtailment could be a stumbling block.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>So what’s the issue?</h2>
<p>The average solar household lose less than 1% of its power production to curtailment – and even less for those with home batteries. While that sounds minor, an unlucky few households are losing as much as 20%.</p>
<p>Why the drastic difference? It depends on factors like the house’s location, the local electricity network equipment, home wiring, the number of solar systems in the area, and the size of a solar system and inverter settings, which can vary depending on the date of installation. </p>
<p>These findings are from <a href="https://www.racefor2030.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/CANVAS-Succinct-Final-Report_11.11.21.pdf">our scoping study</a> in South Australia, conducted in partnership with AGL, SA Power Networks and Solar Analytics as part of the <a href="https://www.racefor2030.com.au/">RACE for 2030</a> research centre. </p>
<p>We analysed two out of three modes of automatic curtailment, with further research underway to assess the third mode, which may account for greater overall curtailment. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/now-they-want-to-charge-households-for-exporting-solar-electricity-to-the-grid-itll-send-the-system-backwards-158055">Now they want to charge households for exporting solar electricity to the grid — it'll send the system backwards</a>
</strong>
</em>
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<hr>
<p>This issue is set to get bigger, as more and more solar systems are installed and export to the grid at the same time. </p>
<p>Given the different ways solar households experience curtailment, this research also raises issues of fairness. </p>
<p>Our research interviewed and ran focus groups with South Australians who have solar. We found most participants didn’t know about curtailment and hadn’t experienced it or noticed it. </p>
<p>But when we described curtailment, most people found it off-putting and questioned whether rooftop solar owners should be made to absorb any losses, given the contribution of rooftop solar to the renewable energy transition. </p>
<p>Not only that, our participants told us they believed the issue could slow down the adoption of solar and potentially undermine faith in the system. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436514/original/file-20211209-19-azcfvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Power pylons" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436514/original/file-20211209-19-azcfvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436514/original/file-20211209-19-azcfvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436514/original/file-20211209-19-azcfvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436514/original/file-20211209-19-azcfvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436514/original/file-20211209-19-azcfvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436514/original/file-20211209-19-azcfvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436514/original/file-20211209-19-azcfvo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Australia’s rapid renewable transition means challenges to overcome for the grid.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<h2>Is this a problem for solar uptake?</h2>
<p>The issue of curtailment means people may not get everything they expect out of their solar system. But this may not be a deal breaker, given <a href="https://ecss.energyconsumersaustralia.com.au/behaviour-survey-oct-2021/purchase-intentions/">earlier research</a> and our study both show that people hope to benefit in many different ways from installing a solar system. </p>
<p>For instance, some want to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to a cleaner grid. Others want to be less reliant on electricity providers and enjoy producing and using their own energy. And some just want cheaper electricity, and don’t mind whether they get these savings through selling their power or just buying less of what they need from the grid.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/solar-panels-on-half-the-worlds-roofs-could-meet-its-entire-electricity-demand-new-research-169302">Solar panels on half the world's roofs could meet its entire electricity demand – new research</a>
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<p>The good news is that as the solar sector matures, new ways are emerging of maximising value from our solar, including:</p>
<ul>
<li>home energy management systems letting us time the use of appliances such as <a href="https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2021/09/06/unsw-study-channelling-rooftop-pv-into-water-heating-is-a-residential-super-saver/">hot water tanks</a> for daytime periods, when solar generates most power </li>
<li>batteries letting us store power for use in the home when it is needed, such as in the evening </li>
<li><a href="https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2017/09/virtual-power-plant/">virtual power plants</a> enabling households to be paid for allowing their solar and battery systems to help stabilise the electricity grid.</li>
</ul>
<p>While attractive in their own right, these options can also reduce how much your solar system is curtailed, and have the potential to help tackle challenges at a grid scale. </p>
<p>Other changes to electricity and grid access and pricing could also help us better manage curtailment. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-15/sa-power-networks-to-control-solar-exports-in-adelaide-trial/100070068">Flexible export limits</a> being trialled in South Australia and elsewhere would mean households could export electricity to the grid when it is needed, while occasionally being prevented from doing so when the network does not have capacity. </p>
<p>Flexible export limits also mean households can install larger solar systems regardless of their location within the network. They could stop curtailment affecting solar households in unexpected and uneven ways.</p>
<p>Other responses include <a href="https://discover.agl.com.au/solar/helping-to-maximise-your-solar-savings/">programs to reward households</a> for having their export curtailed, recognising it as a service to the market and the network. </p>
<p>There is no single solution to the issue of curtailment. But the different solutions described above may contribute to the successful integration of more rooftop solar energy and pave the way for a more renewable grid.</p>
<p>Now is the time to talk about the future of solar in Australia, and the ways we can value it, use it and manage it when abundant.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172152/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sophie Adams receives funding from the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) program, Reliable, Affordable, Clean Energy for 2030 (RACE for 2030), an Australian Government initiative. She has also received an Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Earth grant from Microsoft. Project partners include AGL, South Australia Power Networks and Solar Analytics.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Baran Yildiz receives funding from the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) program, Reliable, Affordable, Clean Energy for 2030 (RACE for 2030), an Australian Government initiative. He has also received an Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Earth grant from Microsoft. Project partners include AGL, South Australia Power Networks and Solar Analytics.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Naomi Stringer receives funding from the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) program, Reliable, Affordable, Clean Energy for 2030 (RACE for 2030), an Australian Government initiative. She has also received an Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Earth grant from Microsoft. Project partners include AGL, South Australia Power Networks and Solar Analytics.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shanil Samarakoon receives funding from the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) program, Reliable, Affordable, Clean Energy for 2030 (RACE for 2030), an Australian Government initiative. He has also received an Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Earth grant from Microsoft. Project partners include AGL, South Australia Power Networks and Solar Analytics.</span></em></p>Almost one in three Australian homes now have solar panels – but as even more solar systems are installed, we face a growing challenge of managing temporary solar shutdowns.Sophie Adams, Research Fellow, School of Humanities and Languages, UNSW SydneyBaran Yildiz, Senior Research Associate, UNSW SydneyNaomi Stringer, Research Associate, UNSW SydneyShanil Samarakoon, Lecturer, Centre for Social Impact, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1636152021-07-06T12:10:46Z2021-07-06T12:10:46ZFixing America’s crumbling physical – and human – infrastructure: 3 essential reads<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/409537/original/file-20210702-24673-u7gdfv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=155%2C73%2C5267%2C3080&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Lead in pipes can contaminate the water supply, resulting in poisoning. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/NewarkLeadInWater/fb4c11b248d84f63ba555307855d6e23/photo?Query=Newark%20lead%20pipes&mediaType=photo&sortBy=arrivaldatetime:desc&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=10&currentItemNo=9">AP Photo/Julio Cortez</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Forget about “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/us/politics/trump-infrastructure-week.html">infrastructure week</a>” – it’s infrastructure summer. </p>
<p>Or that seems to be the ambition of President Joe Biden as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/29/business/biden-infrastructure.html">he barnstorms the country</a> in hopes of selling the US$579 billion <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/24/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-support-for-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-framework/">bipartisan infrastructure deal he signed on to</a>. He’s making it clear, though, that he’s committed to his original plan to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/22/business/biden-infrastructure-spending.html">spend trillions more</a> – including on what he called human infrastructure. </p>
<p>In Wisconsin, he called the deal the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/biden-travels-to-wisconsin-to-promote-a-bipartisan-infrastructure-plan-115699269924">largest federal infrastructure effort</a> since the <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/history.cfm">interstate highway system was created in 1956</a>. Unlike his more ambitious original $4 trillion plan, the bipartisan deal would focus on physical infrastructure, like roads, pipes and the power grid. </p>
<p>Experts writing for The Conversation have been highlighting areas of America’s infrastructure that are in urgent need of attention – as well as the reasons human infrastructure deserves to be treated in the same manner as the traditional kind.</p>
<h2>1. Lead pipes: A ‘silent killer’</h2>
<p>The bipartisan deal <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/24/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-support-for-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-framework/">includes $55 billion for water infrastructure</a>, including the elimination of lead service lines and pipes. </p>
<p>That’s good news, says <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MEp4948AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Gabriel Filippelli</a>, a geochemist and environmental health researcher at IUPUI who has studied the heartbreaking impacts of lead poisoning in children for decades. He <a href="https://theconversation.com/bidens-infrastructure-plan-targets-lead-pipes-that-threaten-public-health-across-the-us-158277">calls lead in pipes a “silent killer”</a> that disproportionately affects poor communities of color.</p>
<p>“Children with lead poisoning have lower IQs, poor memory recall, high rates of attention deficit disorder and low impulse control,” he writes. “They tend to perform poorly at school, which reduces their earning potential as adults. They also face increased risk of kidney disease, stroke and hypertension as they age.”</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bidens-infrastructure-plan-targets-lead-pipes-that-threaten-public-health-across-the-us-158277">Biden's infrastructure plan targets lead pipes that threaten public health across the US</a>
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<h2>2. Why the US needs a macrogrid</h2>
<p>Another part of America’s core infrastructure that would get new investment from the deal is the U.S. electrical grid, including improvements that would make it easier to move power from one part of the country to another. </p>
<p>Today <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-us-needs-a-macrogrid-to-move-electricity-from-areas-that-make-it-to-areas-that-need-it-155938">that’s not possible</a> because the U.S. has multiple grids that don’t interact well, explains <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=OL1VzgEAAAAJ&hl=en">James D. McCalley</a>, an electrical engineer at Iowa State University. Connecting those into a macrogrid not only would reduce the cost of power for customers and encourage more clean energy production, it would pay for itself in a few decades. </p>
<p>“We calculated that if the U.S. spent $50 billion to develop a macrogrid, the total long-term cost of developing and operating the nation’s electric power system and achieving 50% renewable electricity in 2038 would decrease by more than $50 billion,” he writes. </p>
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<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-us-needs-a-macrogrid-to-move-electricity-from-areas-that-make-it-to-areas-that-need-it-155938">The US needs a macrogrid to move electricity from areas that make it to areas that need it</a>
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<h2>3. Human infrastructure is infrastructure</h2>
<p>Biden’s original plan <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-infrastructure-plan-how-the-2-3-trillion-would-be-allocated-11617234178">called for $425 billion for child and home care</a>, areas that aren’t traditionally thought of as infrastructure. The bipartisan plan wouldn’t devote any money to what Biden has called “human infrastructure,” but Biden promised Democrats would try to include this in a separate bill they hope to pass on their own. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.uml.edu/fahss/sociology/faculty/duffy-mignon.aspx">Mignon Duffy</a>, a sociologist at University of Massachusetts Lowell, explains why child and home care – and the workers doing those jobs – <a href="https://theconversation.com/women-dominated-child-and-home-care-work-is-critical-infrastructure-that-has-long-been-devalued-159029">are just as critical to the nation as roads and bridges</a>. </p>
<p>“The pandemic forced many child care centers across the country to shut down, while many home-based nannies and personal care aides were let go because of COVID-19 concerns and precautions,” she writes. “The media was full of stories about the crushing burdens faced by working parents – mostly mothers – trying to simultaneously manage caring for children at home. And older adults isolated at home suffered from lack of access to formal home care support as families struggled to meet their needs.”</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/women-dominated-child-and-home-care-work-is-critical-infrastructure-that-has-long-been-devalued-159029">Women-dominated child and home care work is critical infrastructure that has long been devalued</a>
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<p><em>Editor’s note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/163615/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
Three experts explain a few aspects of American infrastructure that desperately need investment.Bryan Keogh, Managing EditorLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1550672021-02-22T14:51:26Z2021-02-22T14:51:26ZNigeria’s post-privatisation energy sector is a mess: here are some solutions<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384468/original/file-20210216-17-146gke5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Several protests have trailed the privatisation of the power sector in Nigeria.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In the mid-1980s, most of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa made <a href="https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/140111/1/v23-i01-a06-BF02929964.pdf">structural changes</a> to their economies in return for funding from the World Bank. The role of the public sector in owning and managing economic assets was reduced. Policies such as <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/development/privatisation-in-sub-saharan-africa_9789264020382-en">privatisation</a>, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41261-019-00097-x">deregulation</a> and commercialisation were encouraged – the idea was that market forces would allocate resources more efficiently.</p>
<p>Many of the previously state owned enterprises were <a href="https://gsdrc.org/document-library/privatization-in-africa-what-has-happened-what-is-to-be-done/">privatised</a>. This was supposed to expand the private sector, provide infrastructure and utilities more effectively, and attract investment. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, privatisation has not had the result of turning Africa’s state owned enterprises around. Some <a href="https://www.wider.unu.edu/publication/privatization-sub-saharan-africa">successes</a> have been reported among small and medium firms producing tradeable goods and the service sectors in some countries. But large utilities and infrastructure enterprises in the rail and power sectors and the large natural resource producers are tougher cases. </p>
<p>The political and economic challenges facing the sale of these gargantuan state assets often led to faulty privatisation. And in many instances, the process of privatising them was never completed. </p>
<p>The Nigerian <a href="http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/11283/#.YCqKLnmxVPY">National Electricity Power Authority</a>, later the <a href="http://www.phcnpins.com/">Power Holding Company of Nigeria</a>, was privatised for a period lasting over a decade. Eleven distribution companies and seven generating companies were sold to different private companies. The management of the single <a href="https://www.tcn.org.ng/page_about_us.php">Transmission Company</a> was concessioned to a Canadian firm (though that concession has expired and it is back with the Nigerian government). </p>
<p>It was a bold initiative, but the effort has left a host of post-privatisation challenges. Several years after the breakup of the power authority and the eventual sale of the power firms, citizens and industries still don’t have a reliable power supply. Although the country has an installed capacity of <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/powerafrica/nigeria">12,522 MW</a>, it is only able to generate around <a href="https://guardian.ng/energy/nigerias-struggle-to-go-beyond-4000mw-decades-after-independence/">4,000 MW</a>, which is insufficient for the population of <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/nigeria-population/">200 million</a>. Added to that are price hikes, a variety of tariffs and estimated billing.</p>
<p><a href="https://dailytrust.com/buhari-reverse-sale-of-phcn-now">Many Nigerians</a>, including the leadership of the <a href="https://guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/cover/privatisation-of-power-sector-and-calls-for-reversal/">National Assembly</a>, have mooted the idea the government should take back the power firms and manage them or re-privatise them. That would mean withdrawing the licences of current operators and starting a new privatisation process. There are no laws backing such moves at the moment. </p>
<p>Our recent <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02589001.2020.1825647">research</a> suggests that this would not be a solution. We examined the various policy options available to the Nigerian government to achieve an efficient power sector. Our main finding was that the sector suffered the same challenges after privatisation as it had before – and more. So we don’t recommend that the government should take over again. Rather, it should collaborate with the new owners and managers.</p>
<p>The Nigerian experience could also inform other countries that have privatised state owned enterprises. </p>
<h2>What we found</h2>
<p>We identified a number of challenges for Nigeria’s privatised power sector.</p>
<p>One was that the new owners and managers had to operate in an unstable macro-economic environment. Nigeria’s currency continues to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-31/nigeria-weakens-the-naira-to-record-low-in-year-end-trade">depreciate</a> against the US dollar, making it expensive to buy inputs, most of which have to be imported. </p>
<p>Also, the power infrastructure was old and poorly maintained. This created bottlenecks in transmission. Bringing the system up to speed requires huge capital investment.</p>
<p>Most of the investors who bought the power firms borrowed huge sums from banks to buy the assets. Lacking appropriate financing, they are trying to pay back their loans rather than investing to revitalise infrastructure.</p>
<p>The debt of gas and power suppliers is growing. And criminals frequently vandalise gas pipelines that supply power generating plants.</p>
<p>Even when power is generated, distribution companies can’t distribute it, because of the decayed infrastructure. So they don’t purchase it and consumers don’t get it. </p>
<p>There are also problems of power theft, inadequate customer metering and estimated billing. Consumption and payment are often out of tune.</p>
<h2>What to do</h2>
<p>If the government took over the power sector again, it would face all these challenges. It would have to take over employees and their salaries. State resources are already stretched. </p>
<p>If the sector were to be re-privatised, there is no guarantee that political, economic and <a href="https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234650635.pdf">social problems</a> that occurred during the first attempt would not be repeated. These include corruption, surreptitious and unadvertised sales, lack of consultation with stakeholders, hidden fees or charges, undervaluation, extension of payment deadlines and sudden changes of preferred bidders. </p>
<p>Post-privatisation challenges call for the collaboration of government and the private sector.</p>
<p>In our paper we considered the model of third party government, which holds that citizens benefit when the government and the private sector work together. It includes funding assistance. The government need not own and manage utilities but could use an array of tools in collaboration with the private sector to strengthen key sectors of the economy. These tools include loans, loan guarantees, grants, contracts, social regulation, economic regulation, insurance, tax expenditures, vouchers and many more.</p>
<p>Many of the post-privatisation challenges in Nigeria’s power sector require the attention of the government. They include gas supply and dealing with vandalism, providing a regulatory environment that gives investors confidence, and providing long-term guarantees for loans, price subsidies and other support. </p>
<p>These steps would likely increase the budgets of government and weaken some of the economic benefits of privatisation, at least in the short term. Yet, without them, the private sector may be unable to turn a privatised public enterprise around, especially in the monopoly service sector. That would leave only short routes for companies to recover their investment and make profits at the expense of social benefits. </p>
<p>There has already been some <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/06/23/nigeria-to-keep-the-lights-on-and-power-its-economy">collaboration</a> like this in Nigeria.</p>
<p>In the final analysis <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02589001.2020.1825647">our research</a> revealed that privatisation cannot be seen as a one-off concluded programme in which the government is absolved from all responsibilities and liabilities. It has to collaborate with the new owners and managers to ensure the consolidation and success of privatisation. </p>
<p>This has a better chance of success than re-nationalisation – which has never delivered efficiency – or re-privatisation amid political and economic shortcomings.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/155067/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Okechukwu Marcellus Ikeanyibe does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Nigeria’s attempt at privatising its power infrastructure hasn’t been without challenges but they are not insurmountable.Okechukwu Marcellus Ikeanyibe, Professor of Public Administration and Local Government, University of NigeriaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1540712021-02-07T19:06:22Z2021-02-07T19:06:22ZOn an electric car road trip around NSW, we found range anxiety (and the need for more chargers) is real<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381539/original/file-20210131-20282-7r5yh2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C73%2C5472%2C3563&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption"></span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Replacing cars that run on fossil fuels with electric cars will be important in meeting climate goals – road transport produces <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ipcc_wg3_ar5_chapter8.pdf">more than 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions</a>. But there are obstacles to wider uptake, particularly in Australia.</p>
<p>Too much of the debate about these vehicles revolves around abstract, technical calculations and assumptions about cost and benefit. Tariffs, taxes and incentives are important in shaping decisions, but the user experience is often overlooked. To better understand this we took a Tesla on a road trip from Sydney through some regional towns in New South Wales. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-us-jumps-on-board-the-electric-vehicle-revolution-leaving-australia-in-the-dust-154566">The US jumps on board the electric vehicle revolution, leaving Australia in the dust</a>
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<p>We soon found “range anxiety” is real. That’s the worry that the battery will run out of power before reaching the destination or a charging point. It’s often cited as the most important reason for <a href="https://discover.agl.com.au/energy/range-anxiety-becomes-thing-of-past/">reluctance to buy an electric vehicle</a>. </p>
<p>Even as <a href="https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/moving/news-information/australias-cheapest-ev.html">prices come down</a> and hire and <a href="https://www.evee.com.au/">share</a> options become more widespread, range anxiety about electric vehicles is hindering their wider uptake. We found it can largely be overcome through a range of strategies readily available now.</p>
<h2>Lessons from our road trip</h2>
<p>The first is simply to accumulate driving experience with a particular vehicle. Teslas promise a far simpler machine with fewer moving parts, but also incredibly sophisticated sensing and computational technology to help control your trip. This means you need to get a feel for the algorithms that calculate route and range. </p>
<p>These algorithms are black boxes – their calculations are invisible to users, only appearing as outputs like range calculations. On our trip, range forecasts were surprisingly inaccurate for crossing the Great Dividing Range, for example.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-superfast-charging-batteries-can-help-sell-the-transition-to-electric-vehicles-153872">How superfast charging batteries can help sell the transition to electric vehicles</a>
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<p>Second, we found it very helpful to connect with other electric vehicle users and share experiences of driving. Just like any new technology, forming a community of users is a good way to gain an understanding of the vehicle’s uses and limits. Owner associations and lively online groups such as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1737462746527033/">Electric Vehicles for Australia</a> make finding fellow enthusiasts easy.</p>
<p>This connection can also help with the third strategy. It involves developing an understanding of how companies like Tesla control their vehicles and issue “over the air” software updates. If these specify different parameters for acceptable battery charge, that can change the vehicle’s range.</p>
<h2>Public investment in charging network will help</h2>
<p>Public investment in charging infrastructure could – and should – further ease range anxiety. <a href="https://electricvehiclecouncil.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/EVC-State-of-EVs-2020-report.pdf">Better planning and co-ordination are needed</a>, too, to build on networks like the <a href="https://www.mynrma.com.au/cars-and-driving/electric-vehicles">NRMA’s regional network</a> of 50 kilowatt chargers.</p>
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<img alt="electric car travelling at speed on highway" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382422/original/file-20210204-18-ax56ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382422/original/file-20210204-18-ax56ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382422/original/file-20210204-18-ax56ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382422/original/file-20210204-18-ax56ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382422/original/file-20210204-18-ax56ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382422/original/file-20210204-18-ax56ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382422/original/file-20210204-18-ax56ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Long driving distances call for better planning and co-ordination of a nationwide charging network.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">alexfan32/Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>Understanding what is involved for users is also crucial to the environmental benefits of electric vehicles. Their sustainability isn’t just a function of taxes and technologies. The <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0162243912441029">practices of people driving electric cars</a> matter too. </p>
<p>You learn with experience what efficient driving requires of you. You can also work out how your charging patterns could match solar generation at home, for those lucky enough to have rooftop PV panels.</p>
<p>These vehicles can deliver significant environmental benefits. They produce zero tailpipe emissions, reducing both local air pollution and global greenhouse gas emissions. </p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-why-electric-cars-have-plenty-of-grunt-oomph-and-torque-115356">Regenerative braking</a> also reduces brake particulate emissions. That’s because the electric motor operating in reverse can slow the car while recharging its battery. </p>
<h2>Electric vehicles won’t cure all ills</h2>
<p>Switching from internal combustion to electric cars won’t address all the problems of our current car-based system. Some, such as road congestion, could <a href="https://theconversation.com/think-taxing-electric-vehicle-use-is-a-backward-step-heres-why-its-an-important-policy-advance-150644">get worse</a>. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/think-taxing-electric-vehicle-use-is-a-backward-step-heres-why-its-an-important-policy-advance-150644">Think taxing electric vehicle use is a backward step? Here's why it's an important policy advance</a>
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<p>Road traffic will still cause <a href="https://theconversation.com/delivery-rider-deaths-highlight-need-to-make-streets-safer-for-everyone-150752">deaths and injuries</a>. Electric vehicles will still produce <a href="https://theconversation.com/fine-particle-air-pollution-is-a-public-health-emergency-hiding-in-plain-sight-106030">deadly PM2.5 particulates</a> as long as they use conventional brakes and tyres. Many models do, providing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd2ArceiJd0">similar driving experiences to combustion vehicles</a>.</p>
<p>Congestion and the costs of providing and maintaining roads, parking and associated infrastructure will still create enormous social, economic and environmental burdens. Electric vehicles need to be part of a much wider transformation – especially in urban areas where other transport options are available.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/delivery-rider-deaths-highlight-need-to-make-streets-safer-for-everyone-150752">Delivery rider deaths highlight need to make streets safer for everyone</a>
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<h2>Rural and regional Australia can benefit too</h2>
<p>Longer distances and lower densities make walking, cycling and public transport more challenging in rural and regional areas. Better support for electric vehicles, particularly chargers, could make a significant difference here. </p>
<p>These vehicles can help rural and regional areas in other ways too. Many holiday towns rely on tourist incomes but their electricity supply is at the mercy of long thin power lines that run through bushland. Electric vehicles could potentially help with this problem: <a href="https://www.energynetworks.com.au/news/energy-insider/2020-energy-insider/could-vehicle-to-grid-accelerate-the-ev-revolution/">when parked they can feed power back into the grid</a>. </p>
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<img alt="Tesla being charged at a rural charging point" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382420/original/file-20210204-14-7gnof5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382420/original/file-20210204-14-7gnof5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382420/original/file-20210204-14-7gnof5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382420/original/file-20210204-14-7gnof5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382420/original/file-20210204-14-7gnof5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382420/original/file-20210204-14-7gnof5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382420/original/file-20210204-14-7gnof5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Improving rural and regional charging networks can benefit those areas as well as the drivers of electric vehicles.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/yorke-peninsula-south-australia-january-18-1900371982">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Regional economic planning that supports visits by electric vehicle drivers can reduce the need to invest in energy generation or battery systems. There are huge opportunities to integrate electricity planning and the (re)building of bushfire-affected towns, which a <a href="https://www.ausnetservices.com.au/en/About/News-Room/News-Room-2018/AusNet-Services-to-Install-Gippslands-First-Big-Battery-at-Mallacoota">trial in Mallacoota</a> will explore. </p>
<p>Pooled together, the batteries of an all-electric national vehicle fleet could provide power equivalent to that of <a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/electric-vehicle-fleets-set-to-be-on-call-to-backup-the-grid">five Snowy 2.0s</a>. This would boost energy security and flexibility.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/owners-of-electric-vehicles-to-be-paid-to-plug-into-the-grid-to-help-avoid-blackouts-132519">Owners of electric vehicles to be paid to plug into the grid to help avoid blackouts</a>
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<p>In the US, President Joe Biden has <a href="https://electrek.co/2021/01/25/president-biden-will-make-entire-645k-vehicle-federal-fleet-electric/">announced</a> electric vehicles will replace the entire federal fleet of 645,000 vehicles. An extra <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-02/joe-biden-plan-to-fight-climate-change-could-sell-25-million-electric-cars">500,000 public charging stations</a> are to be built within a decade. </p>
<p>In Australia, the policy landscape is more <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2020-11-26/ev-tax-slow-electric-vehicle-report/12891524">[contested]</a>. It’s time we caught up here.</p>
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<p>We can start by recognising the importance of governments in the progress made internationally. Examples include the <a href="https://www.wired.com/2009/06/tesla-loan/">US$465 million US government loan to Tesla</a> in 2009 to develop the landmark Model S, and Norway’s co-ordinated national approach to properly <a href="https://elbil.no/english/norwegian-ev-policy/">accounting for the environmental and social costs</a> of cars. Norway’s success is now the focus of a laugh-out-loud <a href="https://twitter.com/GM/status/1356966012646789120">Superbowl ad</a> from GM, a company that in the past <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Killed_the_Electric_Car%3F">killed the electric car</a>.</p>
<p>We need to understand users and have democratic debates about planning for charging infrastructure before we can sit back and enjoy the ride.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/154071/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amelia Thorpe receives funding for research on EVs from the UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute and the RACE for 2030 CRC. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Declan Kuch receives research funding from The Australian Renewable Energy Agency, UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute and RACE for 2030 CRC. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sophie Adams receives funding for research on EVs from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute and RACE for 2030 CRC.</span></em></p>Australia has a lot of work to do to overcome the challenges facing electric vehicles users, starting with the lack of a comprehensive national charging network.Amelia Thorpe, Associate Professor in Law, UNSW SydneyDeclan Kuch, Vice Chancellor's Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney UniversitySophie Adams, Research Fellow, School of Humanities and Languages, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1446092020-09-22T14:47:16Z2020-09-22T14:47:16ZWhat Nigeria’s poor power supply really costs and how a hybrid system could work for business<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357939/original/file-20200914-20-4lcymr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Lagos only gets about 10 percent of its electricity needs, leaving its 20 million inhabitants to their own devices.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Nigeria faces the triple challenge of providing reliable power supply,
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and keeping energy affordable to consumers. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.energyforgrowth.org/memo/how-big-is-nigerias-power-demand/">availability of electricity</a> in Nigeria has worsened over the years. The country has been <a href="https://www.energyforgrowth.org/memo/how-big-is-nigerias-power-demand/">unable to meet demand</a> because of its policies, regulations and management of operations. Its failure to provide adequate and reliable energy is well documented, specifically its <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/20421338.2018.1550931?journalCode=rajs20">impact on the economy</a>. </p>
<p>Its commercial and industrial sectors have become heavily reliant on self-generated power, using petrol and diesel generators. This accounts for nearly <a href="https://www.energyforgrowth.org/memo/how-big-is-nigerias-power-demand/">half</a> of all electricity consumed. </p>
<p>Nigeria’s shortage of reliable power supply is a constraint on the country’s economic growth. The country needs to diversify its economy beyond oil and gas revenues, because that market is volatile. But if the energy-hungry private sector invested more in self-generation to make this possible, <a href="https://www.climatelinks.org/resources/greenhouse-gas-emissions-factsheet-nigeria">pollution</a> would rise. An increase in self-generation would increase greenhouse gas emissions.</p>
<p>There’s <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X18301196">extensive literature</a> on the energy solutions that could provide reliable power supply. But <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1364032117313102">most of it</a> has focused on small-scale systems such as solar power for rural homes. There is still need for power in urban areas, not just for lighting homes but for powering commercial and industrial operations.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188820300150">We</a> sought to address this gap by examining the economic and environmental viability of hybrid off-grid power generation solutions for urban commercial centres. We looked for solutions that were affordable, reliable and sustainable. We took into consideration the fact that unreliable supply imposes indirect costs on people. Our work suggests that a combination of power generating technologies could help meet Nigeria’s triple challenge.</p>
<p>We surveyed 40 commercial centres in the capital city, Abuja, to establish their most common activities. This informed load demand projections. We then <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188820300150">modelled</a> a single commercial centre catering to these activities. We found that the majority of businesses in these commercial centres were boutiques, cyber cafes, salons, tailoring and grocery shops. Small-scale petrol generators served most of the commercial outlets on every shop floor. </p>
<p>We also interviewed three business owners from the commercial, education and entertainment sectors, who told us more about the economic, social and environmental costs of unreliable power supply.</p>
<h2>Economic and social costs</h2>
<p>A respondent in the commercial sector discussed the impact of electricity unreliability on business performance. He runs a male grooming salon. He said he couldn’t operate air-conditioners for long periods and the heat affected his business productivity.</p>
<p>In the education sector, our respondent highlighted the amount of time spent shuttling the school and business centres to ensure learning materials are always available to students. When the power is off, these centres are the cheapest places to produce paper-based learning materials. </p>
<p>And the entertainment sector interviewee said his turnover was halved when the power was off. Being a musician and music record producer in the digital era means that everything in music’s creative and distribution process is online and depends on power supply. </p>
<p>In evaluating the impact of electricity unreliability on quality of life, the commercial sector interviewee enabled us to draw the link between power supply, business profitability and personal stress. Financial worry can take a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettwhysel/2018/06/27/3-vicious-cycles/#14f69bbf540d">toll</a> on mental and physical health. We heard about the stress of working around the power supply situation. Particularly, the disruption to sleep patterns caused by having to catch up work outside normal hours. The power supply situation also has an <a href="http://theconversation.com/covid-19-nigeria-should-prioritise-power-supply-to-health-care-facilities-134444">impact</a> on the health sector. Especially, in providing health care services.</p>
<p>Unreliable power supply comes with environmental cost too. Petrol and diesel generators increases pollution, with a negative impact on climate change and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3791950/">human health</a>. In turn, environmental damage can result in <a href="https://unfccc.int/files/press/backgrounders/application/pdf/factsheet_africa.pdf">agricultural job losses</a>.</p>
<h2>National electrification efforts</h2>
<p>Nigeria’s electrification initiatives have favoured the expansion of centralised power systems to meet urban energy demand and decentralised power systems for rural areas. Such an approach could still leave a shortage of electricity in urban areas because of the <a href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/oxford-energy-forum-electrifying-africa-issue-115/">continued movement of people</a> from rural to urban areas in search of better quality of life. Extending the electricity reach of centralised systems might be costly, particularly in meeting the demand of the new urban population.</p>
<p>The most practical solution for countrywide electricity access is the combination of centralised and decentralised power systems. These solutions would ideally provide uninterrupted power supply, have cheap operating costs and be environmentally clean.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188820300150">case study</a> on commercial centres met all three objectives with a system that combined power generating technologies (renewable and non-renewable sources). Results further suggested that excess energy generated by these systems can provide electricity to other sectors, including residential areas.</p>
<p>The model solution was an integrated hybrid solar-photovoltaic based power system without battery storage. </p>
<p>The system operates on solar power for an average of six hours a day. Solar-PV is the preferred renewable energy technology for Nigeria because of abundant sunshine. Diesel and petrol generators are used for the other 18 hours of the day. Solar-PV and a diesel generator meet the average and peak daily load demand. The petrol generator meets the daily low load demand. The system takes one to three months to set up, directly where it is needed. It’s modular and scalable and puts energy security in the hands of households and businesses. They can monitor energy costs, savings and emissions.</p>
<p>In our model, the system met 56% of the commercial centre’s total energy demand from solar-PV and the rest from generators. It was assumed that the system would be maintained four times a year to prevent unplanned downtime.</p>
<p>The operating costs were minimised by meeting the bulk of the daily demand with solar-PV. This also helped reduce environmental pollution.</p>
<p>Our study shows that such a hybrid system can help Nigeria address its triple challenge of unreliable power supply, pollution and the economic cost of electricity to businesses and households. But for such a solution to power residential areas and communities from its excess energy, government would have to create an enabling environment.</p>
<h2>Policy changes</h2>
<p>The electricity market would need to be structured to make energy trading possible. This is where an autonomous energy producer can sell excess power to a residential estate, for example, at a price the buyer and seller agree on. </p>
<p>At present, anyone generating over 1MW of electricity needs a power generation licence to legally trade energy. A more realistic benchmark would be about 10MW, so that licensing doesn’t become a bureaucratic stumbling block.</p>
<p>Effective energy policies and regulatory frameworks would be needed to guide climate change mitigation efforts as well as energy trading.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/144609/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Samuel Ayokunle Olówósejéjé receives funding from Petroleum Technology Development Fund. </span></em></p>Nigeria’s unreliable power supply comes with a triple challenge of social, economic and environmental costs.Samuel Ayokunle Olówósejéjé, Doctoral candidate, University College CorkLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.