{"id":21048,"date":"2021-05-13T14:17:50","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T18:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/?p=21048"},"modified":"2021-05-13T15:01:00","modified_gmt":"2021-05-13T19:01:00","slug":"clean-firm-power-is-the-key-to-affordable-reliable-grid-decarbonization-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2021\/05\/13\/clean-firm-power-is-the-key-to-affordable-reliable-grid-decarbonization-in-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Clean firm power is the key to affordable, reliable grid decarbonization in California"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>California has ambitious efforts underway<\/a> to decarbonize our electric grid by 2045. The choices we make today will help determine how affordably, equitably and reliably we can get there.<\/p>\n

Renewables are an important piece of the puzzle, but we will also need something else. Renewable energy supplies can drop up to 60% between summer and winter months, due to cloudier skies and less-powerful winds. Short duration storage batteries can complement renewable generation production on a day-to-day basis, but they cannot pull the state through several weeks of reduced supply.<\/p>\n

According to a recent study<\/a> published in the journal Issues in Science and Technology<\/em>, California will need to increase its renewable energy generation capacity while also tapping into clean firm power<\/a> resources to meet these goals.<\/p>\n

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According to the study, California can fully eliminate carbon emissions without markedly increasing the cost of electricity or undermining the reliability of service. The study considers how much infrastructure would be required, how quickly the state would need to build it and how much land would be needed.<\/p>\n

And while each model approached the challenge differently, the study finds costs can be contained (between 7 and 10 cents per kilowatt hour) if the state makes strategic investments into clean firm power resources. However, if the state invests only in renewables and short duration batteries, then generation and transmission rates could more than double under the same time frame.<\/p>\n

That is because California would have to significantly over-build the amount of renewable infrastructure, which represents a challenge both in terms of cost and availability of land.<\/p>\nClean firm power is the key to affordable, reliable grid decarbonization in California <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n

Invest now in clean firm technology<\/strong><\/p>\n

The study suggests that while California develops its interim plan for 60% renewable energy by 2030 it should also plan for roughly 30 gigawatts of clean firm capacity by 2045. This would give policymakers plenty of flexibility, so they can evaluate a variety of options to meet our goals. For example, the state should ensure there is a market signal available for clean firm power technologies including but not limited to:<\/p>\n