ARPA-E: A Good Beginning for U.S. Energy Innovation Part 5

TL;DR

Grid management and transmission play a crucial role in balancing intermittent renewable energy sources, but compact sources of base load power, such as cleaner fossil fuels or nuclear power, will still be important this century.

Transcript

the all these things look all these things are difficult and technologically uh hard to imagine but does grid management and transmission begin to balance the question of whether you really need 10 gigawatts of storage to deal with it yes at some level it absolutely does we've done experiments internationally in that experiments meaning if you look... Read More

Key Insights

• 🔬 Grid management and transmission can help balance the need for large-scale storage, especially for intermittent wind and solar energy. Long-distance transmission and compact energy sources will still play a crucial role this century.
• 🌞 Solar chemical storage shows promise as a storage solution, using photons to produce hydrocarbons. Solar thermal storage, storing heat instead of electricity, also has potential. The path of dependence on energy sources is complex and depends on various factors such as economics and technology.
• ⚡ Novel ways of storing heat are being explored, including triggering and recovering heat chemically, and large-scale heat storage using insulated tanks. Heat storage can significantly impact cooling and heating needs in buildings, cities, and hospitals.
• 🌬️ Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) presents technical and cost challenges, leading to a focus on CO2 utilization for enhanced oil recovery and building materials instead. However, a long-term price on carbon is still necessary to incentivize CCS.
• 💡 The underinvestment in CCS and policies regarding long-term solutions for carbon emissions is a global issue. Utilization of CO2 does not offer enough positive economic uses on its own to justify capturing 7 billion tons annually.
• 💰 Although utilization is a short-term solution, carbon capture technology should continue to be developed and improved for the next few years. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) can be a useful application of captured carbon dioxide.
• ⚖️ A balanced portfolio of innovation is required to address carbon emissions, with focus and funding on both storage and utilization methods. However, a long-term price on carbon is crucial for achieving significant emission reductions.

Questions & Answers

Q: Is long-distance transmission the only solution to balancing the grid with increasing amounts of intermittent renewable energy?

Long-distance transmission is one of the solutions, but compact sources like cleaner fossil fuels or nuclear power are still essential. As the fraction of renewable energy increases, other solutions like solar chemical or solar thermal may also play a role in reducing the need for storage.

Q: Are there any promising developments in heat storage for cooling purposes?

Yes, there have been advancements in using large tanks of hot or cold water to cool buildings. By storing process heat or chilling water during off-peak hours, energy can be saved and used for cooling when needed, resulting in cost-effective solutions.

Q: Should the focus shift from deep storage to the utilization of captured carbon dioxide?

While utilization of carbon dioxide has limited economic uses, deep storage is crucial for preventing global warming. However, there is a need for both deep storage and utilization strategies to effectively reduce emissions. Incentives and policies, including a long-term price on carbon, are necessary to drive investments in carbon capture and utilization.

Q: Why is carbon capture and sequestration underfunded compared to other areas?

Carbon capture and sequestration has been underfunded due to past mistakes and a lack of international competition. However, there is promise in this area as a possible pathway for emission reduction, and more investment and international collaboration are needed to accelerate its development.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) transmits a significant portion of its intermittent wind and solar energy to the rest of Europe to balance the grid, but as the fraction of renewable energy increases, transmission becomes more challenging.

• While long-distance transmission or compact sources like cleaner fossil fuels or nuclear power are necessary, there is a possibility for solar chemical and solar thermal solutions that may reduce the need for storage in the future.

• Heat storage methods, such as chilling water or using large tanks of hot or cold water for cooling, are becoming cost-effective options, and further advancements in heat storage could have a significant impact on various sectors.