Our power grid can’t take the heat — can cooler heads in DC fix the problem?
Amid all the horrors of last week’s assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump is a dangerous ongoing heat wave that is engulfing the nation, making temperatures — and tempers — soar.
In an Oval Office address on Sunday night, President Biden asked Americans to “lower the temperature,” meaning politically charged rhetoric. But we also have literal temperature problems due to loss of power.
How Future Hurricanes Could Stress Power Grids of U.S. Cities
A new analysis shows increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes could cause more devastating interruptions to the power grid.
The risk of hurricane-induced power outages could become 50 percent higher in some areas of the United States, including Puerto Rico, because of climate change in the coming decades, according to a new analysis.
Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Electric Power Research Institute mapped how future hurricanes could affect power supplies, allowing residents to see how vulnerable their electricity is.
Will California’s power grid be able to handle this heat wave?
All eyes are on California’s power grid to see how it will handle the first heat wave of the summer.
California Independent Systems Operator, otherwise knowns as CAISO, manages the energy flowing through the state and has not yet issued a Flex Alert. On Wednesday, they forecasted enough supply to keep up with the demand on the Fourth of July, but that can change.
“We don’t plan or have any plans to proactively shut down power to protect the safety of our customers, but as always with increased heat, there’s always a possibility of unplanned outages,” said Humberto Gurmilan, a communications manager with San Diego Gas & Electric.
Houston Power Outages Enter 4th Day Amid Heatwave Fears
Hundreds of thousands of Texans are without power for a fourth day after a devastating thunderstorm tore through Houston.
More than 225,000 people were still without power as of Monday morning, according to poweroutages.us, after the storm brought torrential rain, flooding and winds of up to 100 mph.
How to electrify trucking in the US, one step at a time
The Biden administration wants to promote electric long-haul trucks by focusing heavy-duty charging investments on key hubs and highways. Here’s the plan.
Deloitte Addresses Core Power Sector Challenges Amid Rising Demand
The electric power industry is expected to experience as much as a tripling of electricity demand by 2050. Further electrification of energy end uses, data center growth, and reshoring of manufacturing could all contribute to this trend. But while this new load could bring additional revenue, preparing for it could challenge the power sector in an increasingly complex and often resource-constrained environment. New policies, technologies, and market innovations could help the industry navigate these challenges.
Why natural gas will thrive in the age of renewables
In 2015, Hawaii’s state government signed into law a bold vision for the island’s energy future, pledging to generate 100 percent of its power from renewables, such as wind and solar power, by 2045. Hawaii’s steady trade winds and warm sunshine seemed to make it the perfect place to pursue a clean energy mix. Already, there are days when Hawaii generates nearly 60 percent of its electricity from renewables.
US utility firms spent big preparing power grid for storms – and still failed.
Electric utilities spent billions after 2014’s polar vortex to ensure power plants and the grid could handle extreme cold, but this winter it still wasn’t enough
Largest US grid declares emergency alert for July 27.
PJM Interconnection LLC has declared a level one emergency for the 13-state eastern US grid and called on all power plants to operate at full capacity Thursday during a heat wave.
Can solar energy save the crumbling electric grid during heatwaves?
As extreme temperatures strain electric grids in the U.S., many parts of the country could face blackouts. Solar energy can help protect the grid during extreme heat, but it comes with the added cost of increasing climate waste and decreasing efficiency. Photo illustration: Xingpei Shen
How the heat wave can affect the power grid.
A deadly heat wave is spreading across the U.S., bringing record-breaking temperatures to some states and affecting millions of people. WSJ’s Jennifer Hiller breaks down how the heat can impact our power grids. Photo: Ash Ponders/Bloomberg News
Texas power grid struggles with system-wide stresses caused by brutal heat wave.
A record heat wave, and its connections to climate change, are highlighting again the growing concerns around America’s electrical grid and whether it can withstand the added stress. In Texas, which operates its own electrical grid, power demand hit an all-time high this week. William Brangham discussed more with Michael Webber, a professor of energy resources at the University of Texas.
Power grids are teetering worldwide. Here’s why.
Extreme heat is increasing electricity demand as people crank up the AC. The strain could be too much.
This compendium collects ten articles from the first half of 2023 reflecting most important findings for the future of the energy transition.
Human-caused climate change is poised to heavily strain the U.S. power grid in the coming decades, and vast improvements are needed to enhance its reliability and ability to meet increasing electricity demands, experts say.
Adding capacity to the electricity grid is not a simple task.
Chill sun solar, a facility in Nevada with a generating capacity of 2.25gw, should produce enough electricity to meet 1.7% of California’s annual demand. The 4.1gw Berwick Bank wind farm, off the east coast of Scotland, will provide more energy over a year than could Britain’s two largest gas-fired power stations running full tilt.
A more orderly transition: Navigating energy in 2023.
This compendium collects ten articles from the first half of 2023 reflecting most important findings for the future of the energy transition.