Scaling up renewables means big changes to electricity networks
Flexible storage and grid upgrades are key to integrating high volumes of renewable energy into electricity grids
Published on 28/09/2022, 10:22am
By Joe Lo
Never noticed until things go wrong, grid operators around the world work second-by-second to balance demand for electricity with supply.
That means keeping tabs on power stations, solar farms and wind turbines. It means watching the weather forecast to predict when people will turn the heating on and the TV schedules for when sports fans will open the fridge for a half-time drink.
As our sources of electricity change from fossil fuels to renewables, grid operators are changing the way they work too. “It’s a big technical challenge,” says Montana State University electrical engineering professor Rob Maher.
Under the old model, fossil fuels are burned in power plants. These are usually built close to where that electricity is needed, in cities or industrial hubs, and ramp generation up and down to meet demand. Vast amounts of coal, oil and gas are transported from mine or well to power plant by road, rail, canal and sea.
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2022/09/28/scaling-up-renewables-means-big-changes-to-electricity-networks/
