Renewable Energy Doesn't Make The Grid Unstable
Recently, the political tide in America has caused a flurry of discussion: does renewable energy destabilize the grid?
We looked to previous research and current experts to find an answer. The conclusion that came out was pretty clear.
Energy experts David Hochschild (of the California Energy Commission) and David Olsen (of the California Independent System Operator Board of Governors) called concerns about grid reliability "nonsense" in an op-ed they recently published.
The Union of Concerned Scientists published a critique of Rick Perry's study ordered to determine the reliability of the grid under renewable energy) that determined the study was a waste of everyone's time. It additionally noted that Texas integrated very large amounts of renewable power while simultaneously improving grid reliability.
Numerous other studies have supported these conclusions: two studies from the Department of Energy Renewable Energy Laboratory concluded eastern and western grids could support 30 to 35 percent penetration from renewable energy without having to make any significant infrastructure changes.
The peer-reviewed scientific evidence is clear: renewable energy at this level of penetration does no threaten grid reliability. Hopefully politicians can see this reality.
The problem with renewables is storage. We have yet to develop effective means of storage that would allow large scale transition to renewables (in my limited understanding of the issue).
True, but you don't need large amounts of storage you integrate smaller amounts of renewable energy into the grid. Long term, lithium ion storage is falling in price fast and will probably be the solution.
The problem to american grid is nuclear energy, if one of those reactors goes boom, it will be a disaster.
Renewable as some problems still, but long term is the way to go.
In fairness, modern nuclear reactors are very safe!
If Hemp got legalized the world will improve x10. Hemp is the only plant that have so much power, which can be used for biofuel :)