A Rational Look at Renewable Energy

TABLE OF CONTENTS Forward................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Wind Energy......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Fundamental Issue: Intermittency............................................................................................................ 3 Name-plate Rating versus Actual Energy Delivery............................................................................... 3 Wind is Weak at Peak.................................................................................................................................. 4 Texas ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 California...................................................................................................................................................... 4 The Pacific Northwest................................................................................................................................ 5 The Western United States........................................................................................................................ 5 Enter the “Twilight Zone”—A Control Area Nightmare......................................................................... 6 The Shadow Grid—The Fossil Fuel Stand-In for No Show Wind............................................................ 8 The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).............................................................. 9 Increase in Carbon Dioxide from Wind Power—It is Possible............................................................... 9 Got Transmission? Another Missing Cost Element............................................................................... 10 The Electric Continental Divide................................................................................................................ 11 Wind Energy Storage—Not Ready for Prime Time................................................................................ 12 Wind Turbines can Consume Electricity................................................................................................. 13 Value of Power—Demand versus Energy................................................................................................ 14 NEW IN 2.0 VERSION: Wind Power Compared to Natural Gas Power............................................... 14 Solar Energy....................................................................................................................................................... 16 Not All Sunshine is Equal.......................................................................................................................... 16 How Expensive is PV Solar?..................................................................................................................... 17 Large PV Solar............................................................................................................................................ 17 Concentrated Thermal Solar.................................................................................................................... 17 Solar Demand Versus System Peak........................................................................................................ 18 The Value of Solar Power—Demand Versus Energy............................................................................. 19 The Solar Synopsis..................................................................................................................................... 19 The Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) or How 20 Percent Can Easily Become 100 Percent of a Utility’s Plant Investment......................................................... 19 Summary............................................................................................................................................................. 21 Eyes Wide Open......................................................................................................................................... 22 Special Thanks.................................................................................................................................................. 22