The Road to 100 Percent Clean Energy

July 18, 2018

Currently, 29 states have their sights set on reaching 100 percent clean energy (1). California, Hawaii and Arizona, among others, have passed legislation to reach all clean energy in order to fight global climate change, but not everyone thinks this ambitious goal can come to fruition. In this debate over whether 100 percent renewables can be achieved, two sides have emerged.

Some argue fossil fuels and baseload nuclear are necessary to power the electrical grid, while others think the nation needs to transition completely to renewable energy resources. The problem with implementing fossils fuels is the multitude of hidden costs associated with doing so.

According to the EPA, 82 percent (2)  of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are caused by fossil fuels. Between environmental hazards, price fluctuations and effects on human health, fossil fuels have more negative effects than positive. States are increasingly taking action against the harmful effects of fossil fuels, and scientists agree that without a change, climate change will continue to get worse, impacting coastal areas and leading to more intense droughts.

Meanwhile, global energy use continues to increase. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects a 28% increase in world energy use by 2040 (3). As of 2016, about 40% (4) of total U.S. energy consumption was consumed by the residential and commercial sectors. Without fossil fuels as a viable option, finding an alternative solution to meet the need for energy isn’t just ideal – it’s imperative. As states continue to determine whether solar, water or wind alternatives will help achieve their goal, there is one solution that stands out – energy storage. Given the increasing interest state governments have in offering mandates and the undeniable benefits of energy storage, there’s no doubt energy storage is the solution to help states meet their 100 percent renewable energy goals.

Where energy storage can help

During peak hours in our current grid system, the demand for energy rises, creating a lower supply of energy and increasing costs for energy use. This price increase stems from the fact that energy consumption is at its highest during the day. Because the electrical grid is at or nearing capacity, utilities are forced to charge higher prices to meet the demand. To manage the costs associated with using energy during peak hours, there’s been an increased interest in using energy storage to balance renewable energy supplies.

Energy storage can provide a shift to off-peak energy utilization which helps building owners save up to 40 percent (5) of their cooling costs. Not only does this process save money, but it can also store renewable energy which provides critical resiliency and support to the grid, making it an ideal grid resource to assist in the transition to clean energy.

In recent years, building managers have begun to realize that relying on daytime power is not only unnecessary but also an expensive way to power buildings which is also unsustainable. In fact, daytime peaking power plants can be much less efficient, using 10-30 percent  (6) more energy to deliver power.  On the transmission and distribution side, losses of 5% (7) are normal and can go as high as 14% on hot days. (8)

By taking advantage of wind which mainly blows at night when ambient temperatures are lower to produce energy and storing it for day time use, energy storage changes how buildings are powered. Take for example, calculations from Dundalk Institute of Technology which have revealed that their on-site wind turbine in combination with thermal energy storage can cover 96 percent (9) of the chiller load. This ability to capture excess energy is a game changer.

During the day excess solar can be stored in batteries and thermal storage equipment, then used to flatten utility duck curves and provide a better path to net zero buildings. According to a new ASHRAE study, a storage system designed to optimize the fraction of chiller energy met by renewable resources will always be more cost effective and better at utilizing electricity from renewable energy resources than a building without storage. Building equipped with storage and appropriate chilling system control strategies, enable an increase in renewable energy utilization up to more than 50% (10) compared non-storage cases.

The climate for energy storage today

Clean energy is an emerging market. States are beginning to understand how viable of a resource energy storage is for renewable energy adoption, and now want to incentivize its investment. This new shift has resulted in 20% (11)  of the United States now having energy storage targets and mandates.

Hawaii and California lead the way with legislation like SB 584 (12)  and SB 665 (13) . They demonstrate all the intentions for a renewable transition. By May of 2017, 67 percent (14) of California’s grid was already powered by renewable energy and a goal for 1.3GW of energy storage by 2020 (15)  was set. Through mandates, states like California, Massachusetts and New York are influencing greater adoption of energy storage solutions demonstrating how clean energy can provide grid stability while reducing the impact of climate change.

What’s next for energy storage

While mandates are helping to kick-start the transition to renewable energy, it is important to realize that they aren’t long-term. Mandates won’t last forever; instead many energy storage investments, are subject to the laws of supply and demand. In the case of thermal energy storage and other storage types, the investment is viable even without any utility incentives. The real obstacle is the status quo. Therefore, the race to clean energy will also depend on energy consumers becoming educated on clean energy solutions, energy pricing and how commercial buildings are really charged for energy. Design professionals must continue to create ways to construct better, smarter buildings that reduce environmental impact and which are cost effective.

The transition away from fossil fuels is entirely possible in the coming decades as society is converges to a tipping point where all types of energy storage technologies will function to manage time-dependent renewable energy supplies. One recent study (16) shows that 100% renewable energy (wind, water, solar) by 2050 using existing renewable and energy storage technologies is technically and economically feasible. Batteries are coming down in price. Thermal energy storage is easier to control through advances in the internet of things and advanced building management systems.  Strategic integration of building equipment and holistic green building design is streamlining the design and installation process. Will your building be ready?

[1] State Renewable Portfolio Standards and Goals. (2017 August 1) National Conference of State Legislature. Retrieved form http://www.ncsl.org/research/energy/renewable-portfolio-standards.aspx

[2] Environmental Protection Agency. Overview of Greenhouse Gases. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases 2018 January 8.

[3] Energy Information Administration. (2017, September 14). EIA projects 28% increase in world energy use by 2040. Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=32912

[4] Energy Information Administration. (2017, May 10). How much energy is consumed in U.S. residential and commercial buildings?  https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=86&t=1

[5] CALMAC evaluation. Retrieved from http://www.calmac.com/lower-cooling-costs (2018 January 8).

[6] CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION. Source Energy and Environmental Impact of Thermal Energy Storage. (1996 February) P500-95-005.

[7] Energy Information Administration. (2017 February 16). How much electricity is lost in transmission and distribution in the United States? Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=105&t=3

[8] NOURAI, ALI. Load Leveling Reduces T&D Line Losses. IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery. (2007, August 29) TPWRD-00189-2007.

[9] DONNELLY, EDEL. Comparison of Ice-Bank Actual Results Against Simulated Predicted Results in Carroll Refurbishment Project DKIT. (2012 January 1) Journal of Sustainable Engineering Design. Vol 1. Issue 2. Article 3.

[10] DOUGLAS REINDL. Design and Utilization of Thermal Energy Storage to Increase the Ability of Power Systems to Support Renewable Energy Resources. 2017 March. ASHRAE Research Project Report 1607-RP.

[11] WEAVER, JOHN FITZGERALD. (2017 December 1) New York state signs law – 20% of USA has energy storage targets and mandates. Electrek. Retrieved from https://electrek.co/2017/12/01/new-york-energy-storage-targets/

[12] Senate Bill 584. (2017 May 1). California Legislative Information. Retrieved from https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB584 (2018 January 8)

[13]  Senate Bill 665 SD2 HD1. (2017 May 1). Hawaii State Legislature. Retrieved from https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=665 (2018 January 8)

[14] FRACASSA, DOMINIC. (2017 May 18) California grid sets record, with 67% of power from renewables. SF Gate. Retrieved from http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/State-breaks-another-renewable-energy-record-11156443.php

[15] CPUC Sets Energy Storage Goals for Utilities. (2013 October 17) California Public Utilities Commission. Docket #: R.10-12-007. Retrieved from http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M079/K171/79171502.PDF

[16] Jacobson, Mark Z. 100% Clean and Renewable Wind, Water, and Sunlight All-Sector Energy Roadmaps for 139 Countries of the World. Science Direct. (2017 September 6) Joule Vol 1. Issue 1. Page 108-121. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542435117300120?via%3Dihub