Bret Biggart’s Post

The US grid is adding Energy Storage at an unprecedented pace in the recent months. The decrease in the raw material price (notably lithium) as well as the availability of components made the industry catch up. But as residential and CCI are lagging, we can clearly see a trend that this is not just a matter of supply, but of clear demand from Utilities to cover the peak hours with some instantly available power, as well as providing ancillary services for the reliability of the grid. I hope this will in turn translate to a reduction in DER curtailments as well as less power outages this summer! #energystorage, #der, #greengrid

It's clear that Texas needs more reliable power. By leveraging our abundant fossil fuels in combination with carbon sequestration and storage, we can support added resilient electricity capacity. https://bit.ly/40RRerN #txenergy #power #electricity

Important to follow. The demand growth in Texas is really adding a wrinkle to trying to balance the grid. #ERCOT #EnergyStorage #EnergyTransition

Summer is two months away, yet the Texas power grid is already swooning. On Friday the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (Ercot) asked power generators to postpone scheduled maintenance early this week “to help alleviate potential tight conditions” as temperatures rise into the not-so-sizzling 80s. The grid typically has excess power-generating capacity in the spring owing to mild weather. There’s also an abundance of solar and wind power. This is why plants go off-line for repairs in the spring to prepare for the summer when electricity use surges as people ramp up the air conditioning. Yet merely warm spring weather is now enough to push the Texas grid to the brink. Tuesday’s high is forecast to be 89 degrees in Dallas and 84 in Houston. These temperatures shouldn’t force grid operators to break a sweat to keep the lights on, but they are. One culprit is skyrocketing electricity demand from population growth, new data centers and manufacturing plants. A surge in Bitcoin prices has also made cypto-mining more profitable. Many miners located servers in Texas because—get this—they can arbitrage grid crunches to get paid to reduce power usage. Data centers accounted for about 2.5% of U.S. electricity in 2022 and are expected to make up more than 20% by 2030. Artificial intelligence is magnifying this demand. A web search uses less than one watt of power while an AI-powered search can require 100 watts. Training an AI search uses around 1,000 watts. The spring grid S.O.S. doesn’t augur well for the summer or the rest of the country. The past winter was one of the mildest on record, which eased the growing strain on the grid. Yet this summer is forecast to be one of the hottest, which means Americans will almost certainly be told to conserve power to prevent outages—i.e., don’t plan on plugging in your Tesla after getting home from work. One risk is that power-plant maintenance that is delayed or canceled will lead to more plants failing in the summer when they are needed. Better get that emergency generator while it’s still in stock.

Could microgrids be the key to energy resiliency? We think they are! The existing U.S. energy infrastructure shows signs of strain, resulting in frequent outages and a lack of resilience. As extreme weather events become more common and the utility grid's reliability wavers, businesses increasingly worry about safeguarding their locations from power loss, operational halts, and subsequent financial setbacks. Let us know what you think in the comments 👇🏼 #RenewablePower #MicrogridSolutions #SolarEnergy #ResilientEnergy

We’ve got a big problem, and that problem is the nationwide electrical grid, writes W. David Stephenson, CEO of Stephenson Strategies.  "It is both poorly maintained and has nowhere enough capacity to distribute the huge amount of #electricity from #renewable sources — #solar, #hydro, and #battery — that will be coming online both to meet growing national power demand and to replace polluting conventional-generating facilities." Moreover, he adds, "a nationwide Smart Grid is at least a decade away." How to deal with the crisis? "That’s where a patchwork, bottoms-up approach may be part of the solution." And that's where #microgrids come in. https://lnkd.in/eXzsQUv7 #smartgrid #powerdemand #powergeneration #IndustryWeek

Texas Power Grid Faces Record Demand Amid Heat Wave ☀️⚡ TL;DR: Texas' power grid is bracing for record-high energy demand this week, with temperatures predicted to exceed 100°F on August 7 and 8. While demand could peak at 86 gigawatts, ERCOT assures that supply will meet demand, alleviating blackout fears. Businesses like H-E-B are exploring alternative energy solutions as grid challenges persist. Highlights • ERCOT forecasts unprecedented energy demand during extreme heat • Current supply is expected to adequately meet energy needs • Previous warnings of rolling blackouts underscore grid vulnerabilities • Recent weather events have provided some temporary relief • Companies are turning to microgrid technology for reliable energy sources • Consumers are encouraged to monitor energy use closely #TexasPower #EnergyDemand #ERCOT #HeatWave #SustainableEnergy #MicrogridSolutions Article Source https://lnkd.in/g27qeM3f

More signs that electricity cost and reliability are at a crossroads.

https://lnkd.in/e2VDXJbG This Op Ed from the The Wall Street Journal raises many of the critical issues that require immediate attention that Electric Power Supply Association and others have been raising for some time. Load growth for the first time in a generation or more, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) warnings that policy choices are creating reliability risks, and a lack of resolution of permitting and siting reform are creating conditions for real problems. And to be clear, these issues are systemic and not limited to one type of business model or another as recent experience in cold weather events has demonstrated. We need a holistic approach and reality-based thinking to ensure reliability, not merely slogans and arbitrary timelines and targets. An orderly approach is required to meet the energy trilemma. Period. #reliability #power #powerdemand #energy #growth

2.3 million businesses and community members without power in Texas due to hirricane Beryl related power outages. Microgrids and onsite energy systems often make economic sense on merit paying for themselves quickly through utility cost savings. Factor in the value of resilience and the ability to ride through grid outages, and they are priceless. Particularly in states like #Texas where power can be cheaper, businesses often overlook the value of onsite power….until the power goes off and everything grinds to a halt. Huge opportunity to proactively turn risk into opportunity. Learn more in the latest episode of #RenewableRides with Peter Asmus - link in the comments below. VECKTA #power #grid #outage #microgrid #onsiteenergy #platform