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: Before #energytwitter clears out for the holiday, I wanted to flag one topic that has not attracted a ton of attention: transmission technologies, and the (lack of) incentives to adopt them! AWEA filed comments on FERC's proposed rule today. http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/file_list.asp?accession_num=20200701-5430
Yesterday's exhaustive House Select Committee report on the climate crisis ably makes the case for how to get more transmission built, with a number of creative ideas. https://climatecrisis.house.gov/sites/climatecrisis.house.gov/files/Climate%20Crisis%20Action%20Plan.pdf
And today's excellent article from @Sammy_Roth makes the case concisely. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-07-01/want-jobs-and-clean-energy-this-overlooked-technology-could-deliver-both
But even in a best-case scenario, it will take years to get new lines (which we ABSOLUTELY need!) built. So - what's the interim solution?
Get more out of the transmission we have!
Get more out of the transmission we have!
There are a number of well-proven, fast-to-deploy technologies that can unlock significant capacity on existing lines - reducing congestion costs and the need to curtail cheap resources like solar midday, and wind at night. Win for customers, win for climate.
A few examples:
Transmission lines are usually given static, conservative ratings - meaning the amount of power they're allowed to carry doesn't match their true capability in many hours. Might be adjusted seasonally, if that.
Transmission lines are usually given static, conservative ratings - meaning the amount of power they're allowed to carry doesn't match their true capability in many hours. Might be adjusted seasonally, if that.
Dynamic line rating updates the line's capacity based on real-time conditions, which can increase capacity by 30-40%! (especially valuable for wind, which cools the lines while turbines are generating)
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2019/08/f66/Congressional_DLR_Report_June2019_final_508_0.pdf
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2019/08/f66/Congressional_DLR_Report_June2019_final_508_0.pdf
Or: Power flow controls can adjust line impedance up or down, to route more power over non-congested lines while freeing up capacity on congested ones! ( @SmartWiresinc is a leading provider) https://www.tdworld.com/overhead-transmission/article/20973449/national-grid-makes-power-flow-control-deal-with-smart-wires
And Congress told FERC to "encourage deployment" of these technologies (and others) that could "increase the capacity and efficiency of existing transmission facilities and improve the operation of the facilities" all the way back in 2005!
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/16/824s
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/16/824s
But these technologies - which are cheap and fast compared to the cost/time of new transmission lines - just have not been taken up by US utilities like they have elsewhere. In part, this is because FERC never adopted effective incentive rules.
Small capital projects like DLR or power flow controls may not be attractive additions to rate base - part of why Congress told FERC to incentivize deployment in the first place. (other good reasons to incentivize too, like environmental benefits and savings)
Today's @AWEA comments urge FERC to allow project sponsors to share in the (verifiable, well-proven) benefits of advanced transmission technologies. Our hope is that this would unlock additional capacity on existing lines, allowing renewables to deliver their power.
While we're planning tomorrow's grid, let's make sure we get the most out of today's! /fin
@RobGramlichDC @azevin @CleanFERC @Smaczni @EnergyLawJeff @GasteigerLarry @wiresgroup @CleanEnergyGrid
@RobGramlichDC @azevin @CleanFERC @Smaczni @EnergyLawJeff @GasteigerLarry @wiresgroup @CleanEnergyGrid
