Right Wing myth: The United States cannot rely on renewables

[kristopher]

Report Says Major Boost In Renewables Would Not Hurt U.S. Grid Reliability
by NAW Staff on Thursday 18 April 2013


If the U.S. ceases to burn coal, shuts down a quarter of existing nuclear reactors and trims its use of natural gas by 2050, the resulting increased reliance on wind, solar and other renewables will not result in a less reliable electricity grid, according to a new report prepared by Synapse Energy Economics Inc. for the nonprofit Civil Society Institute.

The new study finds that in the envisioned 2050 with a heavy reliance on renewables, regional electricity generation supply could meet or exceed demand in 99.4% of hours, with load being met without imports from other regions and without turning to reserve storage. In addition, the report adds, surplus power would be available to export in 8.6% of all hours, providing an ample safety net where needed from one region of the U.S. to the next.

"Put simply, the message today is this: It is a myth to say that the United States cannot rely on renewables for the bulk of its electricity generation,” says Thomas Vitolo, analyst at Synapse Energy Economics Inc. and the report’s co-author. “This study finds that the projected mixes, based entirely on existing technology and operational practices, are capable of balancing projected load in 2030 and 2050 for each region - in nearly every hour of every season of the year."

http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.11387#.UXMw4XAyHdk


Download report with this link:
http://www.civilsocietyinstitute.org/media/pdfs/20130417Meeting%20Load%20with%20a%20Resource%20Mix%20Beyond%20Business%20as%20Usual%20-%20FINAL.pdf

[enough]

1. So the US can rely only on non-renewables? An obvious death sentence.

Funny they can't see the obvious.

[spin]

2. I feel renewable energy is the future. ...

Realistically we can't get there tomorrow or even in a decade. It will happen despite resistance from the oil and power industries but it will take some time. Advances in solar energy may make it possible faster than even I am willing to predict.

Back in the early 1960s, my father wrote a letter to the local news paper discussing the use of wave power to generate electricity. He was far ahead of his time.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. The oil companies recognized this back in the 1970’s

That was when they started calling themselves “energy companies.”

1973 brought us “The Oil Crisis.” Following that—believe it or not—Congress passed legislation, mandating research, development and demonstration of solar energy, based (in part) on NASA’s success, powering Skylab with solar panels.


Essentially all of the “energy companies” invested in solar power:
http://my.firedoglake.com/tracyemblem/tag/solar-energy/

[spin]

5. During that time one of my co-workers designed and tested a very efficient solar mirror that ...

tracked the sun. A lot of research that might have led to our nation being able to replace fossil fuel generated electricity today was discarded because the price of oil dropped.

Had we continued to develop alternate energy, we might well be energy independent today and the technology would have spread across the world. Perhaps we would not have had our war in Iraq or our current War on Terror. I fear we were very shortsighted.

[kristopher]

13. This was really answered definitively in 1992

A very comprehensive work was prepared by the UN for the 92 Rio Earth Summit that concluded the renewable technology and the resources were available to power modern society.

[Archaic]

3. The kicking and screaming of the industry, and its customers.

There are renewable standards going up everywhere.

Since we don't have a national strategy, it creates gridlock.

Case in point:

State1 voters approve a 25% renewables by 2025 standard.

EnergyFirmA has to comply within that state, but serves 4 states. The customers in the other 3 states are not willing to take on the additional rates created by the new investments that EnergyFirmA has to take on to comply in State1. Rate increases are heavily regulated, so EnergyFirmA can't just raise rates 10% on State1 customers to cover the land rights and construction costs of new renewable sources.

So EnergyFirmA goes to court to get State1's renewable target repealed on interstate commerce grounds. And the Energy Firm will probably win.

It sucks.

This is happening right now.

[kristopher]

6. Where, specifically, is this "happening right now"?

I ask because if what you say were accurate, then no state would be able to mandate anything from any utility serving more than one state. Since we know with absolute certainty that states DO have control over most aspects of how a utility conducts business within the state's borders, I'd have to see strong evidence to support the scenario you've put forth before giving it credence.

[FBaggins]

7. I think the attack is mostly legislative (ALEC)

But here's a recent article listing at least one such court case (though I don't see how it can win or know of any that have)

http://insideclimatenews.org/print/24712

[kristopher]

8. I frequently post on ALEC's efforts

And I'm aware of court cases challenging the renewable initiatives. However, Archaic laid out a specific line of attack based on a certain premise that I have trouble accepting without evidence.

Apparently you found no support for that claim. I will be surprised if it is accurate. IF it were, it could possibly have very positive implications since the costs of pollution from fossil plants likewise cannot be confined within the borders of a state.

[FBaggins]

9. Well... it is the line of attack they were using...

... but I agree. I don't see how it can succeed.

States have been regulating utilities for a very long time - and renewables standards seem to fit perfectly into that mix.

[kristopher]

10. Archaic's didn't describe the argument you posted

His was based on fairness to ratepayers in other states, the court case you linked to was based on fairness to the coal plants.

[FBaggins]

11. Either way it's a claim of regulating interstate commerce

Constitutional claims of unconstitutional regulation of interstate commerce really don't rest on who is being unfairly treated.

[NickB79]

12. Sounds like what's going on here in Minnesota

And it looks like it's also happening in other states as well: http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20130319/renewable-energy-standards-target-multi-pronged-attack