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Green Power = More Transmission Lines
 California will need 55,657 gigawatt-hours of new renewable generation to meet the state's 20 percent standard by 2013 and more than 100,000 GWh to meet the 33 percent standard by 2020, according to the ISO report.Independent System Operator Since large-scale renewable resources, like wind and solar generation, are located far from cities, California will need many new power lines to deliver power long distances to reach its renewable energy targets. But these would have disasterous consequences, so they can't be built in California. So how do they get to 33% green goal? According to the ISO's preliminary studies, meeting the 33 percent renewable goal will require more than 800 miles of 500-kilovolt transmission lines in operation by 2020. The ISO said the weather-dependent, intermittent nature of wind and solar resources place new demands on the electric system to prevent power disruption. Another cost of green energy. Another major regulatory change under consideration in the state is a once-through-cooling water use regulation that will affect more than a dozen coastal power plants that currently use ocean water for cooling. The ISO said the change, if implemented, may force the retirement or repowering of nearly 19,000 megawatts of existing generation - more than one-third of the grid's installed capacity - located near coastal communities by 2024. So close the power plants close to the people and build wind farms hundred of miles away? Posted by: Bobby 2010-03-29 |
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