The inevitable decline of nuclear and rise of energy storage
July 28, 2016
The world is at a tipping point when it comes to energy. The rush to incorporate more renewable energy at the expense of reducing fossil-fuel generation sources has left a major gap in the grid's energy mix. Most recently an impending closure of a nuclear power plant in California caused some to wonder if nuclear closure was the best way to deal with climate change.
Nuclear in decline
There are currently three well-known facts in the energy transformation in the United States:
- Nuclear plants are closing with less than 100 reactors remaining in the U.S.
- Renewable energy generational capacity is growing, but with few places to store it.
- Natural gas has become so cheap that it's fueling the gap left behind by nuclear closures.
The lack of energy storage utilization for renewables is breeding a new system reliant upon cheap natural gas after nuclear plants shut down. Case in point: the Vermont Yankee nuclear facility, which shut down after 42 years in 2015. It was a simple cost-benefit analysis, according to Martin Cohn, spokesperson for the plant's operator, Entergy. Cohn told National Geographic that the cost of improvements would have outstripped the price of the energy source, rendering the renovations useless.
"Nuclear plant closures are perpetuating a need for more energy storage."
A more recent decision was made by Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) to close down the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. According to The New York Times, this was the oldest and last remaining facility in California. The crux of this move is based upon the state's need to have 50 percent of its electricity generation borne from renewable energy by 2030, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Natural gas has been seen as a stop-gap by California as the state looks to bridge to low carbon energy and away from nuclear. However, that decision has met some criticism. The Aliso Canyon underground storage supply in Porter Ranch, California, suffered a massive leak in 2015 that not only displaced thousands of families, but also let out into the atmosphere the carbon emissions equivalent of artificially adding hundreds of thousands of cars on the road. This leaves Southern California vulnerable to rolling blackouts during heatwaves this summer due to a sweeping natural gas shortage.
Energy storage to the rescue
While California has been increasing reliance on natural gas, there are alternative solutions being created. Energy efficiency measures and plans to reduce vehicle emissions will help. California has also been pioneering a massive integration of energy storage onto the grid. This proliferation of energy storage, will provide a solid bridge between the closure of nuclear plants and the reduction in use of fossil fuels.
Energy storage has the ability to serve in the same role natural gas plants have been playing - the safety-valve when the grid reaches its breaking point. Low-emission, high-capacity forms of storage could effectively store renewable energy for when the grid demand for energy rises.
