Simon Julien

Distributed Capacity Procurement is like giving utilities a superpower: they can now strategically place distributed energy resources (DERs) where they’re needed to build a more reliable grid. This builds a future where everyone wins: communities get more reliable power, vendors get new market opportunities, and ratepayers see innovation and a cleaner grid. 👷‍♀️👨‍🔧 Plus, with utilities driving this change, we can unlock the true power of solar, batteries, and other DERs at a scale. Get the details: https://hubs.la/Q02TgxBw0

14

"Adaptation is key: As 'moderate' weather increasingly impacts grid reliability, understanding these changes can aid in planning a resilient renewable energy future. Learn how NREL's groundbreaking study shifts the focus from extreme to moderate weather events in renewable grid operations. #RenewableEnergy #GridReliability #NREL #ClimateAdaptation" For more information, visit: https://lnkd.in/gYPNSh7w

3

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is moving as quickly as possible to solidify guidance around Dynamic Line Ratings. Instead of ambient adjusted ratings, which are based on weather modeling, DLRs use sensors to measure real-time temperature, wind speed, and line tension directly on transmission lines. "Dynamic line ratings are one of the most cost-effective tools we have for getting more out of our existing power grid infrastructure," said Caitlin Marquis, managing director at Advanced Energy United. Maximizing and expanding the US power grid is vital for electrification and climate mitigation efforts. FERC is accepting comments on the possible DLR regulatory framework: https://hubs.li/Q02Jjrk90 #FERC #SolarPolicy #Electrification #KinectSolar https://hubs.li/Q02Jjnb-0

3

𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚 🌟 California just made Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) mandatory with the new SB1006 law. Starting in 2025, utilities will need to evaluate Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs), like DLR, every two years as part of their transmission planning. Why does this matter? These changes will help make the grid more efficient, integrate renewable energy more effectively, and lower costs—all while paving the way for smarter, data-driven energy management. At Sentrisense, we’re thrilled to see steps like this that align with our work to make grids safer, stronger, and ready for the future. Curious about what this means for the energy sector? Check out our latest blog: 👉 https://lnkd.in/dR-7uZrJ #DynamicLineRating #Innovation #Energy #Sentrisense #California

21

How are utilities doing? How does your utility measure up? The 2023 AWWA Utility Benchmarking Report, now available, can help you answer these key questions. This valuable tool helps utilities understand their performance relative to peer utilities, identify areas of improvement, and develop goals that deliver results. Get the PDF and hit your utility's targets: https://lnkd.in/gMpzz7zq #UtilityBenchmarking

11

Adding renewable energy to the power grid isn’t as simple as "plugging in" a wind or solar power plant. 🌬️☀️ That’s why researchers have begun developing new inverter technologies that not only help integrate renewables, but also enhance grid stability. PNNL and collaborators recently developed new grid-forming inverter models to help utilities gain vital understanding of how these new inverters will operate on the grid: https://bit.ly/3W8c7gu

89

2 Comments

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) latest report warns that failing to support integration at the point of deployment could jeopardize up to 15% of solar and wind projects by 2030. This shortfall would reduce their combined share of the global electricity mix by 5%. #MarketsPolicy #Policy #iea

1

Most U.S. decarbonization efforts focus on #electrification – cars, heat pumps, and the like. While important, these efforts overlook a vital issue: the electric grid. Already responsible for 25% of the country's emissions, the grid could account for an increase in carbon emissions if it is not decarbonized. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) by Key Capture Energy, an SK E&S company, have the potential to transform the grid by decarbonizing it at a speed and scale previously thought impossible. BESS can do that by storing power generated by renewables, including solar and wind power, and releasing that clean #energy to the grid during periods of high demand. Discover how Key Capture Energy’s Battery Energy Storage Systems are paving the way for a greener, more resilient grid. https://lnkd.in/ekeFGKNE

62

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has gone public with its official framework for vehicle-to-grid integration. In our last post, we outlined four of the five pillars that will hold up this new plan. > https://lnkd.in/e2ruBkZb But it’s the final pillar that we’re most excited about.   That’s because it’s all about the #customer. This is what counts for the average EV owner, because it’s the part of VGI they’ll be dealing with every day.   According to the DOE, consumers need a choice of charging options, providers and rates — and all those options should be clear and accessible. They need to be able to decide how to interface with the grid so they can make the most money in a way that is convenient to them. That compensation needs to be commensurate with value provided to the grid.   And above all, things should be simple and straightforward. “Implementation complexity is invisible to customers and reduces the participation burden,” notes the report. “Technology eases the customer’s ability to respond to dynamic rates or signals that optimize charging or discharging based on grid or market conditions. Customer set preferences ensure that EV drivers do not need to continually manage and respond to signals themselves.” What are your thoughts on the DOE's #VGI roadmap?

27

Here's your weekly Americas short-term #power insight💡: How have recent wildfire’s impacted California ISO (CAISO)? California has seen a persistent heat wave this July, setting record high temperatures across the west, along with a new peak load record for the Western Interconnection of ~168 GW. In addition to the heat, many wildfires have impacted the region. Last Wednesday evening in particular, the Park fire was started by suspected arson near Chico in northern California. This fire has since become one of the largest in the state's history, burning over 380,000 acres in the last week alone. The fire threatened large amounts of imports to the state and several the Northern CA interties were curtailed. In response, CAISO issued an Energy Emergency Alert Watch (EEA) for the remainder of Wednesday evening and real-time prices soared, exceeding $1000 at the Northern California hub, NP15, and $800 for the Southern California hub, SP15. A Restricted Maintenance Operations (RMO) alert was also issued by the ISO for Thursday, cautioning utilities and transmission operators to avoid taking equipment offline for maintenance. Wildfires have continued to have material impacts on the western #powermarkets and Wood Mackenzie’s CAISO analyst team is ready to help support trading decisions surrounding these events. For more information please visit: https://okt.to/sbrkzB

2

Here's how we evolve and save ourselves.⚡️ ☀️ 🌍 "According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity’s share in energy demand will need to increase by 4 percent per year, and generation of that energy needs to come primarily from renewable resources to meet net-zero goals by 2050." The Answer Is Micro ⚡️ Microgrids can support local reliability and renewable integration – AND reduce the dependency on new transmission lines. ⚡️ A microgrid can connect and disconnect from the power grid during power outages, increasing the resiliency of critical infrastructure during energy failures and shortfalls. ⚡️ Microgrids allow for a seamless transition to more reliable, clean energy sources. 💫 "In practice, microgrids can scale hundreds to thousands of megawatts in a way that provides local resiliency value and can support the grid by mitigating peak demand impacts. This dual purpose of local resiliency for critical infrastructure coupled with dispatchable capacity to reduce peak period demand earns microgrids a role in transmission and generation capacity planning." Are you ready to explore designing your custom-made microgrid? Contact our experts and learn more about how you can build your microgrid to fit your needs. ☀️ [email protected] Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gQfiz8Cd #energymicrogrid #cleanenergy #renewableenergy #sustainability #solarenergy #windenergy

4

In the C&I space, we tend to hear the same "slow and no" refrain from utilities that SunRun is reporting in residential space in this article at RenewableEnergyWorld. How do we get (or force) utilities to adapt, quickly, to support these decarbonization goals? "Sunrun CEO says utilities’ ‘slow and no’ culture gets in the way of energy innovation “You’re talking about a 100-plus-year-old system and way of thinking, and you compound that with the fact that utilities’ whole culture is built for ‘slow and no’ and ‘protect, preserve, defend.’ For so many years, it’s been a one-way system,” Powell said. Virtual power plants are a prime example of the coming change. Powell said utilities’ experience with energy efficiency in recent decades provides a look at what might be coming for such pairings of solar and storage. The U.S. Department of Energy noted in a 2023 report that, “deploying 80-160 GW of virtual power plants (VPPs) — tripling current scale — by 2030 could support rapid electrification while redirecting grid spending from peaker plants to participants and reducing overall grid costs.” That means utilities will have to adapt quickly." https://conta.cc/4aKD53g #solar #energy #solarenergy #renewables #renewableenergy #electricity #energystorage #ESS #distributedenergy #solar

1

Solar power after dark? Energy storage is making it possible. More states and utilities are looking to California’s example as they integrate more renewables and leverage energy storage to manage intermittency, reduce grid congestion, and mitigate the risk of brownouts or blackouts. This scalable solution is exactly what's needed to modernize our grid and ensure reliable energy availability in the push toward decarbonization. Our iron flow batteries, including our first project with SMUD in Sacramento, offer long-duration energy storage, filling a gap that lithium-ion batteries can't address. Read more about battery storage solutions in The New York Times:

65

Tribal energy success story 🌟 Microgrids support tenuous lifelines during grid shutdowns. Learn how Blue Lake Rancheria's foresight and planning delivered "just-in-time" resilience as the climate crisis intensifies: https://bit.ly/4bFsV4P

17

California’s push toward a carbon-free future has led to a concerning excess of solar power—so much so that commercial grid operators are being forced to stop production. “Can we even get to 100% renewable energy with this growth rate of curtailment?" asks CIEE postdoctoral scholar Dr. Phillippe Phanivong in a recent Los Angeles Times article. He notes an “alarming” 500% increase in the state's solar curtailment from 2017 to 2022, despite a 40% boost in renewable energy generation during the same time. Meanwhile, other states are reaping the benefits of this energy surplus, leaving California ratepayers with soaring electricity bills. 👉 Read more: lat.ms/4fc23KQ

8

Today in #RenewableEnergy News: New Study: More Renewable Energy on the Grid May Prevent Severe Blackouts "New research out from the University of Tennessee suggests that integrating renewable energy sources into power grids may enhance – rather than weaken – overall grid resilience. The study, which was published in the journal “Nature Energy”, analyzed over 2,000 blackout events across 278 U.S. cities, and ound that regions with high renewable energy integration experience fewer severe blackouts than those using traditional power systems. In 2022, the U.S. Energy Information Administration projected that wind and solar will contribute 44% of the nation’s electricity by 2050, which is likely a lowball figure. Renewable energy’s growth has consistently outpaced projections." To learn more, visit https://lnkd.in/gSy_kxQN #Local #GreenPower #RenewableEnergy

7

3 Comments

To tap into the nation's remarkable #CleanEnergy resources, the current U.S. #transmission system will need a revamp, allowing it to carry larger amounts of energy across longer distances. One way to do that is by using dynamic line ratings, which are like speed limits that change based on weather conditions. 🌦️ By retrofitting existing transmission lines with weather monitors, grid operators can adjust the maximum #power capacity, increasing the carrying capacity when conditions allow. 🔌 Learn more: https://bit.ly/44PASSF

20

Great slide from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) showing how decarbonization with nuclear + renewables costs 37% less than decarbonizing with renewables alone. Wind and solar provide inexpensive electricity when they operate -- but in a 100% renewables scenario, you need a LOT of extra (and expensive) transmission, storage, and redundant capacity to compensate for intermittency. That drives up the cost of the system as a whole. Combining "clean firm" nuclear with intermittent wind & solar gives you the best of both worlds and the fastest, least expensive, most reliable path to decarbonizing. Remember, to decarbonize, we need to electrify transportation and other sectors. Because including nuclear with renewables will keep electricity costs lower, it will accelerate the pace of electrification. Here's the full slide deck from DOE ... part of their new, updated Advanced Nuclear -- Pathways to Commercial Liftoff report: https://lnkd.in/dKwYQEkQ

45

1 Comment

How are electric utilities responding to the climate crisis? Check out the 2024 Utility Decarbonization index. https://lnkd.in/gPRX229B

3