The world is on a time-crunch mission to save itself. Governments, corporations, and even individuals are making aggressive clean energy and sustainability goals to attempt to reverse the disastrous consequences of centuries of dirty energy production.
If no changes are made to our current emissions standards and energy production, the global temperature will increase 1.5º C between 2030 and 2052 (Tian et al., 2022). This is a stunning statistic considering that at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the global temperature was only 1.0º C warmer than at the beginning of the twentieth century (Clinton White House Archives).
In the United States, the government has made it clear that the transition to clean energy is a high priority. In fact, Executive Order 14057, executed on December 8, 2021 by President Joe Biden, created tangible, yet incredibly ambitious, goals for the U.S. One of the biggest items in the order was that electricity will be entirely carbon neutral by 2030 (Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer).
And so, it is no surprise that a large part of the effort to solve the climate crisis and to make electricity carbon neutral is expanding renewable energy production in the U.S. Yet, research into adding renewable energy assets throughout the grid has led to one concerning realization: that the transition to clean energy will put immense stress on the U.S. energy grid. Now, government officials, scientists, energy companies, and others have all been grappling with how to ensure that the grid can keep up with these pioneering clean energy goals.
The Grid Gloss
Three large––and remarkably separate––grids have emerged across the continental U.S. They are referred to as “interconnections,” and there are two major interconnections (Eastern and Western), and one minor (Texas).
The grid is then split up into even smaller pieces within each interconnection. These pieces provide power to their specific regions, and having these smaller areas allows homes and businesses to receive more reliable power. These smaller pieces are either Independent System Operators (ISOs) or regional transmission organizations (RTOs) (EPA, 2023). There is no clear difference between ISOs and RTOs, however, and in general regional transmission organizations are referred to as ISOs regardless of their technical classification.
Unfortunately, this segmentation into distinct ISOs is a major reason why the clean energy transition is fraught. The limitations with ISOs become abundantly clear during times of energy crisis, and in the scope of the transition to clean energy, it becomes an infinitely more concerning issue.
Our Problem with Power
The grid, in general, has limitations. Currently, through the use of fossil fuels and other unclean energy sources, energy is created on an as-needed basis. It is created at centralized power plants or other decentralized units when needed, and then it is quickly transported to the area where it is required. With renewable energy sources that rely on natural mechanisms to produce power, energy must be stored until it is needed. However, it is very difficult to store large amounts of energy at the scale that the US needs (EPA, 2023).
One way that these limitations come into play is the inability to share power between ISOs, whether in a timely manner or at all. Renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydro power do not generate electricity on an as-needed basis. Instead, they only function when natural conditions are favorable. So, there is a disconnect between the way the grid currently functions and the way that renewable energy sources operate.
Connection Confusion
Additionally, the ways that new renewable energy projects are incorporated into the grid are also complicated. This requires a process of interconnection, which entails installing new cables, energy stations, power lines, and more to ensure that the energy can travel to the homes and businesses that need it.
Many new renewable energy assets (wind farms, solar fields, etc.) are going to be placed so far from current transmission infrastructure that the U.S. is going to need an incredible amount of new connections. This is an incredible hindrance, especially considering that renewable assets take up a large amount of space, so they will need to be placed in undeveloped, often isolated areas. Offshore wind is an example––wind farms placed in the ocean seem ideal. They are far away from homes, and they are making use of extremely powerful winds at sea. But, the cables that need to be placed offshore and onshore make the projects incredibly complex.
The bureaucracy surrounding approving new renewable assets in the U.S. is yet another limitation. Projects that require installation of interconnection infrastructure have to submit Interconnection Requests to local RTOs and ISOs. Many of these projects are denied due to the large-scale upheaval that is required to connect them effectively to the grid. If approved, the interconnection process differs based on the ISO/RTO where it is occurring. But, overall, it takes around 3-4 years for the Interconnection Agreement to be executed.
Not-so-simple Solutions
The first step toward a clean energy transition must be to connect RTOs and interconnections more than ever before so that energy can be shared in a timely manner. Then, the next step toward a clean energy transition is to ensure that renewable projects are given the support they need to effectively connect to the grid. Truly, the U.S. needs all hands on deck.
References
Climate Change Over the Past 100 Years. (n.d.) White House Initiative on Global Climate Change, Clinton White House Archives. https://clintonwhitehouse4.archives.gov/Initiatives/Climate/last100.html#:~:text=Climate%20Change%20Over%20the%20Past,by%20about%201.0o%20F.
Federal Sustainability Plan. (2021). Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer. https://www.sustainability.gov/federalsustainabilityplan/.
Gielen, D., Boshell, F., Saygin, D., Bazilian, M.D., Wagner, N., & Gorini, R. (2019). The role of renewable energy in the global energy transformation. Energy Strategy Reviews, 24:3850.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2019.01.006.
Howland, E. (March 10, 2023). EPA, DOE issue framework for maintaining grid reliability during energy transition. Utility Dive. https://www.utilitydive.com/news/epa-doe-ferc-mou-agreement-grid-reliability/644670/
National Geographic Society. Nonrenewable Resources. (May 20, 2022). National Geographic. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/nonrenewable-resources/.
Tian J, Yu L, Xue R, Zhuang S, Shan Y. Global low-carbon energy transition in the post-COVID-19 era. Appl Energy. 2022 Feb 1;307:118205. doi: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.118205. Epub 2021 Nov 24. PMID: 34840400; PMCID: PMC8610812. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8610812/.
U.S. Electricity Grid & Markets. (April 18, 2023). United States Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/green-power-markets/us-electricity-grid-markets