How the grid adapts to renewable energy

Renewable energy is energy from sources that supplied nearly all energy before coal developed in the mid 19th century. The lessons answer how a grid can adapt to renewable energy, and help readers understand how to balance changing supply and demand. They connect generation, storage and the wider energy system.

3 articles, 1 video, 1 book · about 1 hr 33 min of reading and viewing

The reading path

1. Read
   

   renewable energy · Wikipedia · 60+ min read

   Renewable energy supply and demand can be flattened by using diversified renewable energy sources and smart grids. Building overcapacity for wind and solar generation can help ensure sufficient electricity production even during poor weather. Electrical energy storage supports renewable energy by returning electricity to the grid when production falls below consumption. Pumped-storage hydroelectricity accounts for more than 85% of all grid power storage. Renewable energy infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to climate-related extreme weather, including heat waves, wildfires, severe storms, and flooding. These stresses can threaten electricity-supply continuity in regions with high shares of variable renewables.

2. Read
   

   Five charts showing the EU's surprising progress on renewable energy - Carbon Brief · Carbon Brief · 3 min read

   Renewables contribute 26% of EU electricity, 17% of heating and cooling and 5% of transport. It's generally thought to be easier to decarbonise the electricity sector than heating or transport, where oil and gas continue to dominate.

3. Read
   

   The impact of renewable energy on electricity costs · Klement on Investing · 2 min read

   Wind and solar output is intermittent and volatile, which is a problem for the energy transition. This piece argues that energy storage and low-emissions sources such as nuclear power can fix it.

4. Watch
   

   Solar Energy| Energy Resources and Consumption| AP Environmental science| Khan Academy · YouTube · 7 min watch

   Passive solar systems absorb heat directly from the sun, while active systems use equipment to collect and store solar energy. Photovoltaic cells turn sunlight into electricity, but their use is limited by how much sunlight is available.

5. Book
   

   The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future · Bookshop.org

   The Grid by Gretchen Bakke describes a U.S. grid so rickety and near collapse that a strong wind or hot day can bring it to a grinding halt, and argues that the consequences of failure are significant.

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