California and the Midwest face ‘high risk’ of electricity shortages in next five years
Wind turbines and power transmission lines at a wind farm near Highway 12 in Rio Vista, California, on Tuesday, March 30, 2021.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images
America’s electrical grid is being pushed to the breaking point, and California, parts of the Midwest and parts of the South Central United States are at “high risk” for energy shortfalls, says the not-for-profit organization charged with managing and evaluating the grid.
“High risk” regions, marked in red on the map, may see shortfalls at “normal peak conditions,” according to the 54th annual assessment from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation released Thursday.
The reasons for the shortfalls vary.
In the Midwestern states and Ontario, more power generation is being retired than is being added back online, NERC’s Mark Olson told reporters Thursday. Projected energy shortfalls have been projected in that region since 2018, Olson said.
In California, the risk is due to a “variable resource mix” and “demand variability,” Olson said. That means there’s a lot of renewable energy in the state, and its generation is not coordinated with the times people need the most energy. NERC predicts that demand could fall below supply for 10 hours during peak summer months in 2024.
Much of the rest of the Midwest and the rest of the Western part of the United States are at “elevated risk” (yellow on the map), which means shortfalls may occur in extreme conditions, like during severe weather or hot spells where everyone is running air conditioners. In New England, the elevated risk comes in the winter when people use generators that depend on natural gas.
“The natural gas capacity can be insufficient for generators, leading to use of backup fuels, stored liquid fuels, and there are risks to being able to maintain sufficient fuel storage during long duration events,” Olson said.
The Southwest could also suffer when demand is high and wind energy generation is low in the region.
‘Extraordinary times’
“We are living in extraordinary times from an electric industry perspective,” John Moura, the director of reliability assessment at NERC, said on Thursday.
Increasing awareness of climate change is pushing utilities to phase out fossil fuel-based sources of energy that generate carbon emissions. Renewables like wind and solar don’t contribute to climate change, but have period where they don’t generate any energy (when the sky is dark or the wind is still).
Renewables also don’t necessarily map to where demand is, unlike fossil fuels, which can be transported and burned near where they’re consumed. That means more transmission lines are needed, and building them can take from seven to 15 years, Moura says.
Another area of note, according to NERC, is the increased power demand of cryptocurrency mining and the need to plan for energy usage there.
Then there’s the weather. It’s tricky to tie particular extreme weather events to climate change, but it’s generally true that a warmer world is a wetter one, according to NASA climate scientists.
“Year after year, we’ve seen extreme weather leading to increased reliability impacts. And so when we look at events over the last several years, it’s clear that the bulk power system is impacted by extreme weather more than it ever has,” Moura told reporters on the media call.
These factors are placing increased strain on the grid, and NERC representatives urge grid operators to be conservative in their planning.
“Managing the pace of our generation retirement and our resource mix changes to ensure we have enough energy and essential services are an absolute necessity,” Moura told reporters on the call. “We need to work with the entire ecosystem to make sure we’re managing that base, and to be very clear that we’re not retiring generation prematurely — that is done in an orderly fashion and especially in areas that are right on the edge.”
For its annual long-term electricity security assessment, NERC looks at the coming decade, but energy and capacity risk assessment goes out for the coming five years, from 2023 to 2027. There are too many moving parts and uncertainties for a risk assessment past the next five years to be worthwhile, according to NERC.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission certified NERC to measure and enforce safety standards for the energy grid in the United States in 2006. NERC is subject to the oversight of FERC, which is the federal governmental agency in charge of regulating interstate electricity transmission.
Tesla and Rivian have been embroiled in a lawsuit in which the former accused the latter of having stolen battery technology by poaching Tesla employees.
It sounds like the two automakers are finally about to settle the lawsuit, which has been going on for 4 years.
In 2020, Tesla filed a lawsuit against Rivian over allegedly stealing trade secrets by hiring former Tesla employees and encouraging them to bring documents. Rivian has denied the allegations.
When Tesla filed the lawsuit, it wasn’t clear what trade secrets Tesla was claiming Rivian had stolen. However, we noted that the employees listed in the lawsuits were two recruiters, an EHS manager, and a manager of Tesla’s charging networks.
The automaker claimed that these employees brought “documents consisting of highly sensitive trade secret, confidential, and proprietary engineering information” when they went to work for Rivian.
A year later, Tesla expanded the lawsuit, claiming more specifically that Rivian was “stealing the core technology for its next-generation batteries.”
At first, the companies tried to settle out of court, but it didn’t work out, so the lawsuit was moved to court last year.
Over a year later, we now learn that Tesla had notified the court that it expects to file to get the lawsuit dismissed after reaching a conditional agreement with Rivian. The company didn’t disclose the details of the settlement (via Bloomberg):
Tesla didn’t disclose specifics about the agreement in a court filing, but told a California state judge that it expects to seek dismissal of the case by Dec. 24 upon satisfactory completion of the terms.
Neither Tesla nor Rivian have commented on the reported settlement.
While Tesla has claimed that it somewhat open-sourced its patents, we have previously noted that it’s not exactly the case. Tesla claims to let other companies use its patented technology as long as they themselves don’t sue them over patent rights.
And in this specific case, Tesla alleges that Rivian has specifically hired employees to steal technologies. Again, Rivian has denied the allegation.
Electrek’s Take
The terms are unknown, but in similar cases, it often involves things like some level of access to make sure that no proprietary technology is being used or has been used.
The lawsuit is not exactly clear, but based on the timeline and the allegations of “next-gen batteries”, Tesla could have been talking about its 4680 battery cells, although those are cells. It could also be the structural battery pack.
Rivian is expected to use a taller 4695 battery from LG Energy Solutions for its next-generation vehicles.
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French infrastructure specialists Proviridis have partnered with EVSE manufacturer Kempower to deliver a novel, underground charging solution for electric semi trucks designed to easily integrate into existing truck depots.
By installing its high-powered charging cabinets underground and integrating the charging cables into a solid metal pipe, Kempower and Proviridis have been able to make room for high-powered charging points in an existing truck depot that didn’t have enough space to install either conventional EVSE or overhead “drop lines.”
For the pilot, the metal pipe is painted in a striking yellow color to make it easier to see while maneuvering the lot, and keeping the dispensers themselves more protected than conventional concrete bollards. The 600 kW power cabinet is positioned a few yards away – a typical space-saving Kempower solution – and connected to the charge points by underground cable.
Proviridis believes their solution provides enough of a competitive advantage that fleet buyers looking to electrify will be eager to give it a try.
“The product is durable across a wide spectrum of temperatures and conditions, requires minimal ventilation, and can cater for a wide range of customer needs,” explains Olivier Verdu, Technical Director at Proviridis. “These are features which perfectly place the Kempower solution for this type of charging configuration in a logistics environment.”
Electrek’s Take
While traditional charging equipment can cause up to 20% of an existing truck depot’s parking capacity to be lost, the Kempower products have already gained recognition for the efficient size footprint of its overground Satellites. If this underground version proves to be even better, you can expect to see a lot more Kempower installations near you.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Kempower.
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In honor of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, eBike specialist Buzz Bicycles is offering an exclusive discount for Electrek readers on its Centris Class 2 Folding Bike.
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Buzz Bicycles is back with an exclusive new deal
Buzz Bicycles has been a mainstay on Electrek for a few years now, as we have covered several of its electric bikes, which suit riders of all skill levels and help them “Buzz through life.” Buzz is an omnichannel eBike brand that prioritizes direct-to-consumerism and has found success in its mission to deliver ultimate transportation solutions at an excellent value for its growing base of eBike enthusiasts.
The company strives to deliver riders a “Wow moment,” which is usually brought on as they feel the pedal assist function kick in. This feature delivers all you need to conquer hills and longer rides while enjoying new adventures with friends.
The Buzz team has utilized decades of industry experience into its portfolio of eBikes, all conceived and designed in Dayton, Ohio. The company, which operates under the United Wheels umbrella alongside brands like Huffy Bicycles, Niner Bikes, and Batch Bicycles, has adopted an ethos that the freedom of riding should be fun and accessible for everyone, no matter what adventure lies ahead.
By leveraging the global presence of its parent company, Buzz Bicycles can make good on its promise to deliver affordable eBikes that are comfortable, powerful, and safe, much like the Centris Folding eBike, which is as versatile and compact as it is fun. The exclusive deal Buzz Bicycles is offering on the Centris makes it even more fun. You can take advantage of it below.
But first, you’ll want to learn about the capabilities of this foldable eBike to truly understand its value, as well as what accessories are available to level up your purchase.
The Buzz Centris is an easy to ride foldable eBike for all
The Buzz Centris is a Class 2 Folding eBike built for comfort and convenience no matter where you take it. At full size, the Centris’ step-through frame offers a low step-over height of just 16 inches, perfect for riders of all sizes, enabling easy transitions from ground to saddle for its riders.
When you’re not riding, the Centris from Buzz Bicycles folds neatly to 34 inches in length and 22 inches in height, making it easy to store at home or to carry in a vehicle on the way to your next ride. Furthermore, the assembled bike only weighs 68 pounds, making it easy to transport.
You can easily navigate tougher terrain on the Centris thanks to the eBike’s 20″ x 4″ knobby tires and front suspension. The bike is powered by a 48V, 500-watt-hour (Wh) battery pack that can propel it to a top speed of 20 mph for an all-electric range of up to 40 miles on a single charge.
Additionally, this folding model from Buzz Bicycles comes equipped with both a front and rear rack, offering versatile cargo-carrying options so you can customize your ride with a variety of Buzz accessories.
Like all Buzz eBikes, the Centris is tested and deemed compliant with the UL2849 standard. This standard covers the entire electric bicycle system, including the motor, battery, controller, and charger, offering the highest safety standards for added peace of mind.
The Centris Class 2 folding bike from Buzz is available in two colors: Gloss White or Matte Black. This $1,199 eBike is currently reduced to $899 – and you can score an additional $200 off with this exclusive promo, but only for a limited time.
With the purchase of any Buzz eBike, including the Centris, you are guaranteed the following:
- 10-year limited warranty (lightweight aluminum frame protected for full 10 years)
- 2-year limited warranty (electrical components covered by 2-year warranty for peace of mind)
- 6-month limited warranty (additional bike components protected by a 6-month warranty)
Are you interested in the Centris from Buzz Bicycles? You’ve come to the right place. Starting today, while supplies last, you can take advantage of an additional $200 off the sale price by using promo code “ELECTREK200.“ That’s a $500 discount in total!
Don’t wait, because this deal only runs through 11:59 PM on December 8, 2024.
We highly recommend perusing Buzz’s entire lineup of products. They are designed for commuters and casual riders, with technology and features that help you quickly feel comfortable riding. If you are new to the world of E-transportation, Buzz Bicycles is the brand for you.
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