Will Gorman, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Bentham Paulos, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, dan Galen Barbose, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
A study of real-world disasters shows home solar and storage could keep the lights on and the air conditioner running during many outages, but not all.
Hurricane Fiona will set back efforts to restore Puerto Rico that date back five years to Hurricane Maria. Two scholars explain how the island’s weak institutions worsen the impacts of disasters.
International experience suggests South Africa can benefit by focusing on a simple restructuring of its power utility, allowing well-run state-owned entities to flourish.
The hybrid nature of threats to South Africa’s energy infrastructure can only be solved by an integrated solution, including severe sanctions that should include fines and imprisonment.
Sometimes wind and solar power produce more electricity than the local grid can handle. Better energy storage and transmission could move extra energy to where it’s needed instead of shutting it off.
It’s time for a national grid that serves the public and meets the challenges of a warming world. A new government-owned and operated body should take control of Australia’s electricity system.
Active government involvement in the electricity sector is necessary for Australia to meet its ambitious climate targets. But we shouldn’t totally abandon the power of market forces.
Australia’s energy market operator has suspended the National Electricity Market, due to a perfect storm of coal plants going offline and a spike in fossil fuel prices.