Angelina Galiteva, the vice chair of the California Independent System Operator, joins Energy Insiders to discuss how the world’s fifth biggest economy intends to reach 100 per cent renewable energy target by 2045, a target that is now written in law. Galiteva, who has been on the board of the ISO, the equivalent of Australia’s AEMO, for eight years, says there was huge resistance from many in the industry to high levels of renewables, but once it became clear the technologies were at hand, the target was quickly lifted to 50 per cent and beyond, and finally to 100 per cent. The key is sourcing cheap power through wind and solar, and combining this with fast, and flexible technology, as well as upgrading transmission lines. This also means a focus on demand response, pumped hydro (she would actually like more), and batteries, which are beating gas despite the low cost of gas in the US.
Renew Economy 20th Feb 2019 read more »
Letter: I WAS dismayed to read your report that Government advisers have proposals which mean a ban on gas cookers and gas central heating in new-build homes in only six years’ time (“Gas cookers could be banned to defeat climate change”, The Herald, February 22). I expect that this is likely to be only phase one of a more comprehensive ban. Considering that in 2040 it is intended that no petrol and diesel vehicles can be sold in the UK, the challenge for power generation to feed the national grid is very obvious. When people arrive home from work and plug in their car to be charged and at the same time put on the electric central heating and electric cooker how can we be certain that all this power will be available? The UK Government’s own 2017 figure of percentage share of electricity by fuel type indicates that in Scotland 51.7 % was from renewables such as the wind and 36.6 per cent from nuclear power stations. This determination by the Scottish Government may satisfy the Green Party by leading the way within the UK renewable energy targets, but may well be its downfall. Any proponents of a “renewables-only” electricity future and who is complacent that all will be well, have yet to convince me that any form of weather-dependent electricity generation is reliable 24/7. The need for a system which is flexible enough to meet sudden peaks in demand and could consistently satisfy the future home scenario I have described, would require greatly increased pumped water storage dams to feed new hydro-electric power stations. What will most likely happen is that Scotland will be forced to buy in electricity to maintain the appearance of being “green”. The UK is already heavily reliant on importing electricity from France where they are not so hypersensitive about nuclear power generation and this import is bound to increase – if they are still talking to us.
Herald 25th Feb 2019 read more »
