The US desperately needs more electricity transmission, but new lines take forever to permit & build. Happily, there is a set of technologies that can help us get as much as 40-50% more capacity out of the grid we've already built! I discuss these "grid-enhancing technologies" with the head of their trade group.
No, no, no! Topology is not the same thing as topography, though they share a greek root. Topology is how things are connected, the classic example being a doughnut and a coffee cup, which are topologically equivalent (they each have one hole), even though their topography is completely different. David, you're usually so careful and correct with words and concepts, like a good philosophy student--it's one of the reasons I enjoy listening to you so much. So this brashly incorrect statement was painful. I hoped the guest would correct this, but she didn't, so I guess I have to be the pedantic jerk. (You're welcome!)
to everyone here: Are there any serious efforts either nationally or state-by-state to reform utility incentives? As David does indeed frequently point out, utilities are disincentivized to be a part of the solution, and they are deeply dug in. And as many are publicly regulated but privately owned, I'm sure that there would be hell to pay on the legal question of "takings", but it also seems like this is a really urgent problem to solve. Any emerging answers here?
This is the right question. See podcast on CT regulator Marissa Gillett. If PUC members were selected to vigorously represent the public interest things would be far better. Unfortunately the utilities use their political clout to maintain regulatory bodies that are friendly to their financial interests (i.e., captured regulators). See https://spectrum.ieee.org/u/ari_peskoe
My point is why would you give financial incentives to very wealthy utilities? One would give incentives to clean energy builders as in the IRA. As I commented below, CA did, in fact, pass a state mandate that required the utilities to have a sizable percentage of their power mix specified as clean power by 2035.
My point is that the utilities are set up to make money by building generation, as David says often. So these kinds of GETs don’t fit the scheme of things they would choose to do. I think we should restructure their charters so that they profit by delivering the maximal amount of clean energy, or however it needs to be defined.
Does the IRA offer any utility incentives? Regardless, I know that the 3 CA utilities only seem to change anything if the state legislature and governor vote a mandate, or their PUC hearings are consistently packed with commenting renewable energy advocates.
Great podcast. Julia was very tactful, but we seem to need incentives to more quickly adopt these and/or have penalties for harming ratepayers and slowing decarbonization by ignoring cost-efficient options. This article is germane: https://spectrum.ieee.org/u/ari_peskoe
These techs seem like such a win-win. Many were developed/invented right here in the USA and they don't get no respect.
One question that pops into my squirmy little mind. Don't substations, transformers, etc., need to be upgraded at considerable expense to handle this extra juice on the lines? Though less expense and impact than new/upgraded lines themselves.
I just sent David an email with a proposal for a deeper dive on re-conductoring - hoping he considers it! I have not seen this topic covered elsewhere yet
I’d also like to understand the economics of re-conductoring vs HVDC lines and a deep dive on HVDC lines in the US
Great content as always. The problem as in most things is that the incentive for suppliers is financial, and not to improve the grid and certainly not to lower costs to consumers. Hopefully as local production of power with solar and wind increase, and batteries level out peaks and troughs, producers will have more financial pressure to lower consumer costs. The biggest problem is that we do not have enough representation in government with adequate knowledge and their hands are in the cookie jar with Lobbying (illegal in our Original Constitution).
Came here to ask this question - would be great to have a deeper dive into re-conductoring, which seems like it could enable a large increase in transmission on existing corridors without the environmental permitting challenges (although presumably it will face the exact same cost allocation challenges all new transmission projects face).
No, no, no! Topology is not the same thing as topography, though they share a greek root. Topology is how things are connected, the classic example being a doughnut and a coffee cup, which are topologically equivalent (they each have one hole), even though their topography is completely different. David, you're usually so careful and correct with words and concepts, like a good philosophy student--it's one of the reasons I enjoy listening to you so much. So this brashly incorrect statement was painful. I hoped the guest would correct this, but she didn't, so I guess I have to be the pedantic jerk. (You're welcome!)
This episode is fire and you're on a roll. Converted me to get off my a$$ and become a paid subscriber. Keep it up Dave!
to everyone here: Are there any serious efforts either nationally or state-by-state to reform utility incentives? As David does indeed frequently point out, utilities are disincentivized to be a part of the solution, and they are deeply dug in. And as many are publicly regulated but privately owned, I'm sure that there would be hell to pay on the legal question of "takings", but it also seems like this is a really urgent problem to solve. Any emerging answers here?
This is the right question. See podcast on CT regulator Marissa Gillett. If PUC members were selected to vigorously represent the public interest things would be far better. Unfortunately the utilities use their political clout to maintain regulatory bodies that are friendly to their financial interests (i.e., captured regulators). See https://spectrum.ieee.org/u/ari_peskoe
My point is why would you give financial incentives to very wealthy utilities? One would give incentives to clean energy builders as in the IRA. As I commented below, CA did, in fact, pass a state mandate that required the utilities to have a sizable percentage of their power mix specified as clean power by 2035.
My point is that the utilities are set up to make money by building generation, as David says often. So these kinds of GETs don’t fit the scheme of things they would choose to do. I think we should restructure their charters so that they profit by delivering the maximal amount of clean energy, or however it needs to be defined.
This would be a great topic for a podcast, assuming that there are in fact some efforts along these lines.
Does the IRA offer any utility incentives? Regardless, I know that the 3 CA utilities only seem to change anything if the state legislature and governor vote a mandate, or their PUC hearings are consistently packed with commenting renewable energy advocates.
Great podcast. Julia was very tactful, but we seem to need incentives to more quickly adopt these and/or have penalties for harming ratepayers and slowing decarbonization by ignoring cost-efficient options. This article is germane: https://spectrum.ieee.org/u/ari_peskoe
These techs seem like such a win-win. Many were developed/invented right here in the USA and they don't get no respect.
One question that pops into my squirmy little mind. Don't substations, transformers, etc., need to be upgraded at considerable expense to handle this extra juice on the lines? Though less expense and impact than new/upgraded lines themselves.
I just sent David an email with a proposal for a deeper dive on re-conductoring - hoping he considers it! I have not seen this topic covered elsewhere yet
I’d also like to understand the economics of re-conductoring vs HVDC lines and a deep dive on HVDC lines in the US
Great content as always. The problem as in most things is that the incentive for suppliers is financial, and not to improve the grid and certainly not to lower costs to consumers. Hopefully as local production of power with solar and wind increase, and batteries level out peaks and troughs, producers will have more financial pressure to lower consumer costs. The biggest problem is that we do not have enough representation in government with adequate knowledge and their hands are in the cookie jar with Lobbying (illegal in our Original Constitution).
do you cover re-conductoring technologies such as https://tsconductor.com/ ? I've been curious about how much capacity these can add.
Came here to ask this question - would be great to have a deeper dive into re-conductoring, which seems like it could enable a large increase in transmission on existing corridors without the environmental permitting challenges (although presumably it will face the exact same cost allocation challenges all new transmission projects face).