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Topic: Renewables Integration

Renewable energy integration is having its moment in the sun.

While not central to most utility systems today, wind and solar power are growing nationwide, propelled by improving economics, renewable portfolio standards and positive consumer sentiment.

Because these resources cannot generate around the clock, utilities must alter the dispatch of other plants to compensate for their output. This increasing need for grid flexibility is driving investment in fast-acting natural gas plants and energy storage, while disadvantaging baseload coal and nuclear generators.

Amid concerns that these changes could threaten power reliability, the Department of Energy’s grid study concluded last month that increasing wind and solar penetrations have not made outages more likely. While reliability threats could exist in the future, DOE analysts concluded that renewables at present are helping form a diverse, resilient power mix.

The findings confirmed what utilities and grid operators across the country already know — changes to power system planning and dispatch are making it possible to integrate more renewable energy than ever before.

How is the sector doing it? That’s the subject of our latest Spotlight issue, featuring input from utilities and system operators across the country. See an integration trend we missed? Let us know at the e-mail link below.

Gavin Bade
Editor, Utility Dive
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