What to do when the wind stops blowing at Western Wind Energy’s newest Arizona power plant? Hope the sun is shining.
On Friday, the Vancouver-based renewable energy company began operating its newest 10.5 MW combined wind/solar project in Kingman, Arizona. Though various wind-firming gas plants already exist in the United States, this plant is the first wind-solar plant on the continent that does not use any gas. Keep reading →
I hear a lot of talk about a great desire to include renewable energy into the national energy mix, if it weren’t for the issue of intermittency. Sure, we can control the costs to build a wind farm or a solar plant, but the fuel supply is truly in the hands of Mother Nature whenever she decides to make the wind blow or the sun shine.
As the CEO of a renewable energy company with more than 500 MW of wind and solar installed in North America, I know we only build renewable energy projects in areas with the best wind or solar capabilities within a given market. But still, it is not possible to know exactly when Mother Nature will smile on us. Unfortunately, this challenging characteristic of renewable energy has become the foremost excuse for utilities to restrict or block the addition of renewable energy resources to our energy mix. I would argue that intermittency itself is not the immediate issue for utilities, but rather how they are looking at the larger energy pool in total. Instead of focusing on intermittency roadblocks, utilities need to consolidate into more modern and broader markets that diversify management of the intermittency issue and ensure competitive access to the power grid. Keep reading →
Natural gas is unique among energy sources to supply needed attributes that ensure the future reliability of the U.S. power grid, a new study finds. The study by The Brattle Group for API asserts that specific attributes – including dispatchability, ramp rates, frequency response and others – are fundamental to grid reliability, especially as more… Keep reading →
Markets for electricity and natural gas in the U.S. grew up independently of one another. The rules in one do not always align with the rules in the other, creating challenges for both operators and regulators. Cumbersome inefficiencies are becoming more evident with the rapid evolution of the electric system. With more gas-fired power plants… Keep reading →
The media has often pursued the narrative that wind and solar energy have reached grid parity – meaning the cost of electricity sourced from these renewable technologies is as cheap or cheaper than traditional electricity from the grid. However, a recent article published by Forbes writes that this is misleading – there are a number… Keep reading →
For New Yorkers wanting more clean, distributed energy, the recent Con Edison rate case offers some good news. Presented to New York’s Public Service Commission (NYPSC), which regulates utilities in the state, a rate case is a process utilities use to adjust policies and set rates charged to customers. A rate case occurs once every… Keep reading →
What do economists and environmentalists have in common? When it comes to Texas’ energy future, more than you may think. According to a new study from the Brattle Group, a reputable, national economics consulting firm with extensive experience in Texas’ electricity sector, market forces are leading to coal’s rapid decline in the Lone Star State.… Keep reading →
In the race to reduce carbon footprints and replace coal as a primary energy source, much has been made of an alleged “battle” between natural gas and renewables in the power generation industry. However, an astute market read — fueled by actions from utilities and regulatory agencies – may find the two sectors growing in… Keep reading →
In the race to reduce carbon footprints and replace coal as a primary energy source, much has been made of an alleged “battle” between natural gas and renewables in the power generation industry. However, an astute market read — fueled by actions from utilities and regulatory agencies – may find the two sectors growing in… Keep reading →
On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (H.R. 2029), which includes multi-year extensions for federal tax incentives for wind and solar generation facilities and lifts the 40-year-old ban on crude oil exports from the United States. The $1.1 trillion spending bill, which funds the government through September 2016,… Keep reading →
