Powering Renewable Programs: The Utility Perspective
When considering how to build out a renewable energy portfolio, there are a lot of factors and many points of view to consider. For purposes of this narrative, we will take the point of view of the electric utility itself.
Your electricity providers are quite familiar with the concept of a “smart grid.” According to the Department of Energy (DOE), a smart grid “generally refers to a class of technology people are using to bring utility electricity delivery systems into the 21st century, using computer-based remote control and automation. These systems are made possible by twoway communication technology and computer processing...They are beginning to be used on electricity networks, from the power plants and wind farms all the way to the consumers of electricity in homes and businesses.”1 The smart grid design is different for each electric utility in order to fulfill the utility and customer needs. It is the responsibility of each utility to assess the viability of many different technologies and consumer offerings such as advanced (“smart”) meters, sophisticated outage management tools, various consumer pricing policies and prepayment options, and of course renewable energy integration as well. Development of smart grids are a key component in worldwide energy strategies, from the U.S.’ 2009 Smart Grid Investment Grants (SGIG) and the European Commission Smart Grid Task Force, also established in 2009.
The interest in renewable energy is rapidly increasing with many countries proposing ambitious roadmaps of their power sector renewable integration. So how does an electric utility begin building its renewable roadmap?
First, the utility needs to identify what types of renewable technologies are suited for its environment. Using the U.S., for this example, we of course know that there are some regions that are well suited for hydro-electricity, such as the infamous Hoover Dam area. In drier areas of the Midwest where there are not steady tides or waves that can be used to produce electricity, hydroelectric power is simply not an option. Solar and wind represent a different scenario, whereby all areas have varying degrees of either. The questions for solar and wind energy then become:
- How much energy can we generate?
- Is it profitable to utilize these technologies?
- Is it policy driven?
When considering how to build out a renewable energy portfolio, there are a lot of factors and many points of view to consider. For purposes of this article, the authors take the point of view of the electric utility itself in exploring the various issues involved.
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