Green Tech Update - August 25, 2024
Robert Redford, East and West Coast challenges, and the Australia-Asia Power Link
50 years ago yesterday, at the Vail Symposium in 1974, Robert Redford called for solar energy, according to Vail Daily. According to its website The Vail Symposium “was conceived as a once-annual, weekend ‘think tank’ by Vail Town Manager Terry Minger in 1971” and continues to be held annually as an independent conference where ideas and topics are discussed. In a photograph of Redford at the 1974 symposium, he chats with Raquel Ramati, the principal urban designer, planner, and chief architect for the New York City Planning Commission. The Vail Trail reported at the time that Dr. Beatrice Willard of the President’s Council on Environmental Quality was also in attendance and “added the hope if the nation put as much activity toward developing solar energy now as it did 20 years ago on nuclear energy, the nation could be entirely solar by the year 2000.”
California’s adoption of solar energy has been so successful that it can meet total demand on some spring days. According to the Washington Post in April, “when there’s not as much demand, electricity prices go negative” and electricity is “essentially, thrown away.” When electricity is thrown away, the price goes back up, but this can affect customers who are supposed to be paid for the energy their solar panels contribute to the grid. Recently, California adjusted this system so that customers are paid what the price is at that the time of day they provide it. This means customers who could provide electricity still won’t see much compensation unless they install batteries to store the electricity for the dark hours when prices go back up. California is looking into installing more of its own batteries for storage and is already selling electricity to nearby states.
Massachusetts is retooling its solar power incentive program after the rate of installations slowed. “In 2022 and 2023, less than 400 megawatts were installed each year” compared to “more than 600 megawatts of new solar installed” in 2021, according to Energy News Network. The Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050 aims to bring Massachusetts to “Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions” by 2050.
According to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, strategies include workforce development and “ensuring a thriving and just economic transition that will benefit everyone.” However, low-income households have been challenged. The rates they would be paid for electricity provided to the grid have not been enough of an incentive. As a result, the state is considering changing some aspects of the plan. For example, they could calculate the rate each year, instead of setting rates years ahead when factors such as inflation aren’t known yet.
Another proposed change in the program is to raise the limit on the size of projects that can be subsidized. Instead of just residences, subsidies could also be available for small businesses and organizations. Several other changes are being discussed as well. “We need to spur more development,” said Samantha Meserve, director of renewable and alternative energy division in Massachusetts. “We know, based on historical deployment rates, that we’re falling behind those goals.”
Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday that the Australia-Asia Power Link program to export solar power to Singapore has gotten to the environmental approval stage. A giant solar farm would be built in the Northern Territory and electricity would travel by underwater cable. More planning and processes are needed, and the Final Investment Decision (FID) is projected for 2027. FID “means that stage in the project planning process where decisions to make a major financial commitment is taken,” according to Law Insider.
Green Tech Update provides context about news in green technology innovations and public policy changes related to the environment and climate change.
NOTES
Robert Redford:
California tops out:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/04/22/california-solar-duck-curve-rooftop/
Mass:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-clean-energy-and-climate-plan-for-2050
Australia and Singapore:
https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/final-investment-decision