{"id":13623,"date":"2016-08-18T13:28:27","date_gmt":"2016-08-18T18:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/?p=13623"},"modified":"2016-08-19T09:53:29","modified_gmt":"2016-08-19T14:53:29","slug":"how-a-western-regional-electric-grid-can-bring-us-into-the-21st-century","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2016\/08\/18\/how-a-western-regional-electric-grid-can-bring-us-into-the-21st-century\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Western Regional Electric Grid Can Bring us into the 21st Century"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"WestUS\"<\/p>\n

UPDATE: Since the July 2016 publication of this original blog post, California Gov. Jerry Brown <\/em>announced<\/em><\/a> that he will wait until January 2017 to introduce legislation to expand California\u2019s Independent System Operator (CAISO), which manages the state\u2019s electric grid, beyond its borders.<\/em><\/p>\n

The governor\u2019s plan is good news for California and the other western states. With only a few weeks left in California\u2019s legislative session, stakeholders were still working out remaining questions about how a western regional grid can deliver the significant benefits to the West\u2019s economy and the environment (as shown in the <\/em>SB 350<\/em><\/a> studies).\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Stakeholder groups, including Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), lawmakers, and regulators covered a lot of ground this session. Working together, we<\/em> identified the important issues related to successfully implementing a western regional grid that should go into legislation. <\/em><\/p>\n

EDF strongly thanks the governor\u2019s office and legislative leaders for the focus and time dedicated to regionalization, and looks forward to working diligently over the next few months to help develop the benefits of a regional energy market for California and its neighbors.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Technology constantly advances, as do related industries. So, why does it seem like time stands still for the electricity industry? Compare telecommunications: Since the arrival of the telephone in the late 1870s, we\u2019ve seen consistent upgrades to phones and transmission technology, including larger and larger coverage areas. But in the West, the way we make, move, trade, and regulate electricity still involves old coverage maps and 38 difference balancing authorities. California is exploring a way to change that on a large scale.<\/p>\n

State lawmakers and the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which controls much of the state\u2019s electric grid, are now considering the first steps to create an integrated, western regional energy market. This process, which many are calling \u201cregionalization,\u201d would connect grid operators throughout the West, so they can share resources more easily and efficiently \u2013 a common approach in the eastern and midwestern U.S.<\/p>\n

The geographic size of a regional grid would help integrate more renewable energy. Due to California\u2019s impressive clean energy leadership in the last decade, we now produce so much<\/a> solar power that, at times, we cannot use it all when it\u2019s available. If California\u2019s electric grid were connected to neighboring states, California could export its excess clean energy when the sun is shining here, and buy wind from Wyoming when it isn\u2019t. This would increase our ability to rely on renewables and lower our costs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Final CAISO studies<\/a> released earlier this month project a West-wide system operator would lower greenhouse gas emissions considerably by 2030 and help affordably integrate the renewable energy brought online by SB 350<\/a>. What\u2019s more, it can accomplish this while being designed to respect the diverse policies of each individual state.<\/p>\n

For these reasons, EDF, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), and Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) sent a letter<\/a> late last week to California legislative and gubernatorial leadership supporting regionalization, and asking them to ensure greenhouse gas reductions and local air quality benefits.<\/p>\n

Potential benefits of a western regional energy market<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the CAISO studies, a western regional grid could accomplish the following:<\/p>\n