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Holding Back the Wind

A new report says that wind power can't grow without extensive new transmission investments.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
By David Talbot
Credit: American Wind Energy Association

Stock market aside, there's one area with possible 750 percent growth in the next 10 years: wind power. While lower oil prices and tight credit are hurting alternative energy investments in the short term, today the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)--a nonprofit established by the electric utility industry--predicted the huge growth of wind power in the United States and Canada through 2007. But it also warned that the transmission system to bring wind power to market is lagging. While more transmission investments are expected, they'll be outpaced by the growth of new power plants, including wind farms, according to NERC's new report on the state of the nation's transmission system. In a statement, Rick Sergel, the CEO of NERC, put it simply: "We need more transmission resources to maintain reliability and achieve environmental goals." He added, "Faster siting, permitting, and construction of transmission resources will be vital to keeping the lights on in the coming years." Today, less than 1 percent of U.S. electricity comes from wind. But projects are planned for Texas, the Midwest, the mid-Atlantic, and western states and Canadian provinces.

Comments

  • Transmission and Distribution Expansion Planning
    javs on 10/24/2008 at 10:13 AM
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    Open transmission access has fractured the transportation (T&D) system of US and Canada. System reliability is a long term proposition not a short term one. All generation (including wind) competing resources in a region should be taken into consideration to develop a least cost transportation expansion plan. To do that you need a regulated transporation entity (with a responsibility to transport) as envisioned under the EWPC market architecture and design to enable commercial quality electric power.
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Re: Transmission and Distribution Expansion Planning
      app1es on 10/24/2008 at 9:43 PM
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      The transportation sector in this country uses approx. 38% of the oil we consume, that includes lubrication. Buildings use the rest in one form or another. Most every IC engine can use Hydrogen either alone or in combo with even turpines or methane or most any other carbon based fuel and under most combinations the exhust comes out cleaner then it goes in. It seems to me that if the grid cant handle the excess energy demand it would be more prudent to decentralize energy production and start a new energy storage economy that would spark new jobs nation wide. The problem doesnt really lie with transportation but with buildings and stationary items. As is, most people in this country dont want to change, nor should they, energy demand will continue to rise for the rest of time, we must leave it to the engineers to symplify and utilize Earths natural energy who's abundance is unlimited as long as it keeps spinning.
      Rate this comment: 12345
    • Re: Transmission and Distribution Expansion Planning
      daaberg on 10/25/2008 at 9:08 AM
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      forget transmission via wires.  As per very recent MIT Tech Review article on new catalyst for hydrogen production, make hydrogen on-site... and truck it using hydrogen powered trucks to distribution points... also use the hydrogen locally/regionally as much as possible... time to put the pieces together
      Rate this comment: 12345
      • Re: Transmission and Distribution Expansion Planning
        javs on 10/28/2008 at 12:29 AM
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        EWPC can be implemented today to open the power industry to innovation. The obsolete price control business model is what blocks innovation.

        The hydrogen economy is one of the potential technology to replace eventually EWPC. But such a proposition will take a long time.
        Rate this comment: 12345
  • Utility Grid
    app1es on 10/24/2008 at 7:35 PM
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    Mr.Sergel of NERC may be correct when dealing with centralized distribution of energy however, if we decentralize it as in local power production via roof top solar PV or local wind there is no need to spend billions upgrading the national grid... Lets not forget who Mr.Sergel works for. If even 15% of the millions of buidings in this Great land produced their own energy, especially solar, then peak demand would drastically reduce the need to spend billions of our tax dollars on upgrades. Lets use our heads people in these trying times. I'ld rather see every adult in this nation get $430,000 each as opposed to bailing out multi millionaires in this rediculous scheem congress has come up with. Think of the spark in our economy that much money in our pockets would make; besides most people woul probably give it right back to the banks in leu of paying off their morgages or buying new.
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Re: Utility Grid
      javs on 10/28/2008 at 1:02 AM
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      Rooftop electricity is not only uncertain, but when available most of the time in not equal to the demand. When rooftop generation is less than demand, the difference (commercial quality - relaible - electricity) can be purchased from the grid.

      EWPC makes consumers into pro-sumers, whose rooftop electricity above consumption may be sold into the system by making distribution a two way street. It is precisely that two way street that make distribution just like transmission, which is why I termed it transportation of electricity. By separating the transportation monopoly from the commercial transactions enables the utility grid become a smart grid to be develop at least costs.

      With the above in mind, I will repeat my first post where you confused ground transportation with electricity (transmission and distribution) transportation.

      “Open transmission access has fractured the transportation (T&D) system of US and Canada. System reliability is a long term proposition, not a short term one. All generation (including wind) competing resources in a region should be taken into consideration to develop a least cost transportation expansion plan. To do that you need a regulated transportation entity (with a responsibility to transport) as envisioned under the EWPC market architecture and design to enable commercial quality electric power.”

      Under EWPC NERC role could go back to the old advisory modes as the smart grid transportation only utility becomes responsible for short run and long run reliability.
      Rate this comment: 12345
    • Re: Utility Grid
      Cleanmw on 11/10/2008 at 3:52 PM
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      The rooftop and localized power solutions may be suitable for rural and less densely populated areas. However, smart growth areas have dense populations with high usage of public transportation (electric trains, and eventually buses?). These areas will need reliable power from multiple regions and the demand is certain to grow. Electricity wires are an extremely efficient transport mode for electricity. Converting the sun into electricity in grey-sky winter climates is far from cost effective or efficient. Wind is also not efficient in many areas of the U.S. See, for example, the DOE wind maps at http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/wind_maps.asp showing large expanses of the U.S. being deprived of optimal wind resources. Electricity wire transport will be required for wind to provide power needs for various cities outside the "wind belts". Alternative energy is without hope if the electricity transmission grid cannot support areas of optimal wind, sun, and geothermal energy sources. Barriers to entry must be reduced.

      - in case you're wondering - I am not affiliated with the electricity industry or any industry at all.
      Rate this comment: 12345

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