Distributed Energy Resources, GHG Emissions, Wind  -  July 29, 2023

Weekend Reads: Federal Methane Task Force; EVs and Grid Reliability

It’s the weekend! Kick back and catch up with these must-read articles from around the web:

EVs' flexibility can improve grid reliability, utilities say (Utility Dive)  Utilities are preparing for unprecedented demand growth from electric vehicles but say it is a “misconception” that the power grid will be overloaded and become unstable. New system planning and load management tools must be developed, but EVs are a flexible load that experts say can improve grid resilience. A policy brief published Monday by the Zero Emission Transportation Association examines key energy considerations associated with the rise of electric transportation and provides case studies of how major utilities are approaching the EV transition.

Federal government launches Cabinet-level task force to tackle methane emissions (The Hill)  The White House on Wednesday held a summit aimed to address the planet-warming gas methane and launched a new task force dedicated to the issue. The White House said its new task force will seek to “accelerate” plans to reduce emissions and “advance a whole-of-government approach to proactive methane leak detection and data transparency, and support state and local efforts to mitigate and enforce methane emissions regulations.”

Net zero carbon to stop climate change: ISO Standard 50010 (CleanTechnica)  Dr. David B. Goldstein, Energy Co-Director for the Climate & Clean Energy Program at NRDC, and his colleague Ju-Myon Park of Korea discussed the content of ISO 50010, the reasoning behind it, and its implications in a paper presented on July 12, 2023, at the ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry. The paper and its presentation described the development and content of IOS PAS 50010, and this blog offers a summary.

New generation of medium voltage wind converters holds the key to sustainable wind power (Windpower Engineering & Development)  Medium voltage (MV) wind converters help wind park operators to maintain profitability by offering clear benefits, including higher efficiency, lower total cost of ownership and greater reliability, at the higher turbine power levels now demanded by new offshore wind parks. There may be challenges, such as sourcing suitable materials to construct high-power MV converters, the availability of advanced testing facilities and supply chain delays. But heavy investment in offshore wind turbine research and development is helping to leap these hurdles, enabling the construction of even larger offshore wind turbines and even better fuel economy.

While everyone was yelling about gas stoves, the incandescent light bulb went away (Politico)  It’s lights out for the incandescent bulbs that people have known, changed and singed their hands on for 140 years. The modern descendant of Thomas Edison’s most famous legacy is set to formally meet its demise in the U.S. at the end of this month, despite years of efforts by Republicans to extend its lifespan. As of Aug. 1, the Energy Department will fully enforce new efficiency regulations that the old bulbs can’t meet, effectively prohibiting their retail sale.

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