Modern economies
require a constant
electricity supply,
24 hours a day,
7 days a week.
Not just when
the sun shines.
Not just when
the wind blows.
Fossil fuels currently produce
81% of primary energy globally,
and 78% in the U.S,
due to their four
superior characteristics:
(1)
High power density,
(2)
Abundant supply,
(3)
Flexibility, and
(4)
Low cost.
If 100% renewable energy
was used for US electricity,
there would be a huge
technical problem,
with no feasible solution:
Electric grids need to be
continuously balanced.
Energy fed into the grid
must equal energy leaving
the grid.
Electric grid balance
requires "dispatchable"
( on-demand ) energy,
using "spinning (turbine)
reserves".
Today only fossil fuels
and nuclear power
can provide the needed
on-demand power,
in sufficient quantities
to keep grids balanced.
Solar and wind power
can not ramp up quickly,
for peak electricity demands.
They need battery storage
as back up power
for peak electricity demands.
Despite frequent
announcements
of battery
technology
"breakthroughs",
none of the so-called
breakthroughs have
resulted in any
commercial products
capable of even
a small fraction
of the storage needed,
to transition away
from fossil fuels.
The larger the percentage
of renewables in use,
the more extreme the need
for rapid “ramp-up”
using either
"battery farms",
or ramping up
idling turbines in
many back-up
fossil fuel plants,
to maintain
grid stability.
Open cycle
natural gas
turbines,
are the only
practical option,
for rapid response
to fluctuations caused
by changing loads,
and changing amounts
of power generation
from wind and solar,
The storage needed
for renewables
must account for
seasonal variations,
and daily power use
fluctuations.
Fast-response capabilities
are mandatory to ensure
electric grid stability .
In some states,
such as California,
seasonal fluctuations
will dominate
their storage problem,
rather than the
daily demand
fluctuations.
There are rough estimates
of how much electricity
would cost in California,
if the state goes to
100% wind and solar ,
and 100% battery storage.
Electricity storage
in California,
using batteries,
would increase the
initial cost of
wind and solar power
by at least tenfold !
Without sufficient
battery storage,
when wind and solar
can't meet demand peaks,
the additional electricity
needed in California
would have to come
from another state,
assuming any other states
had spare capacity to sell,
and would sell it at
a reasonable price.
Wind and solar
promoters,
completely
ignore
the costs
of providing
reliable,
CONSISTENT
electric power
to the consumer.
The costs
of battery storage
are HUGE.
A power system
relying on
wind and solar power ,
for more than
20% to 40%
of total power needs,
begins to experience
serious problems with
frequency stability,
voltage stability and
clearing of faults
in the power system.
Shifting the grid
to 100% wind, solar
and hydro power
would require
major technological
break-throughs,
and cost reductions,
for much better
and cheaper
electric power
storage batteries,
or some not yet invented
electricity storage system.
Green New Deal
( "Green Bad Dream" )
supporters have no idea
of the need, and cost,
for electricity storage,
so they just ignore
the subject.
The burden of making
electrical power reliable,
consistent, and affordable
falls on the federal government
( they are responsible
for "power transmission" ) .
The Federal Power
Act of 1935 placed
interstate transmission
of electric power
under Federal control,
and divided responsibilities
into power generation
( local or federal control );
power transmission
( federal control );
and distribution
( local control ).
Except for areas near
hydroelectric dams,
and some areas near
nuclear power facilities,
electricity generated
by fossil fuels
is almost always
much less expensive
than alternatives.
And that
does not include
the huge cost
for battery storage,
needed if
solar and wind
were supplying
a large percentage
of the electric power.
Clack et al. (2017)
wrote:
“In a system
where variable
renewable resources
make up over 95%
of the U.S.
energy supply,
renewable energy
forecast errors
would be a
significant source
of uncertainty
in the daily operation
of power systems."
"The LOADMATCH
model does not show
the technical ability
of the proposed system
... to operate reliably
given the magnitude
of the architectural changes
to the grid and the
degree of uncertainty
imposed by
renewable resources.”
Clack, C.T.M., et al. 2017.
"Evaluation of a proposal
for reliable low-cost grid power
with 100% wind, water, and solar."
Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences USA
114 (26) 6722–7.