Naysayers about renewable energy often claim that it is unreliable. It is true that the sun sets every night and sometimes the wind doesn’t blow. But with the growing use of battery banks to store excess power generated by renewables, the lack of reliability of renewable energy is turning out to be a myth.
A new study published in the journal Renewable Energy looked at the deployment of renewable energy in California last year. From late winter to early summer, renewable sources supplied 100% of the state’s electricity demands for up to 10 hours on 98 out of 116 days. There were no blackouts during that time thanks in part to the presence of battery backup power. During peak generation periods, the renewables provided as much as 162% of the grid’s needs.
The main finding of the study is that the electricity grid can be kept stable even as it adds more and more renewables. Beyond that, every major renewable energy source – geothermal, hydroelectric, wind, and especially solar – is on average lower in cost than fossil fuels.
Despite the low cost of renewable energy, Californians pay the second highest rates for electricity in the country. Part of the reason is that electrical equipment from utilities has set off wildfires, notably the 2018 Camp Fire that devastated the town of Paradise and killed 85 people. California’s utilities are now passing the costs that come from lawsuits and from burying transmission lines to their customers. Overhead power lines are especially prone to falling in high winds and igniting fires.
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California just debunked a big myth about renewable energy
Photo, posted December 16, 2024, courtesy of EDF Renewables / Bureau of Land Management California via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio
