Reporter Ben Storrow discusses how grid operators are managing much higher levels of renewable energy penetration than previously thought possible.
Assertion Partly supported
Storrow: ISO New England study finds rooftop solar stabilized regional grid
“And the study finds that, no, actually, New England's grid is, at least in the next couple of years, is actually in really good shape. And a big reason that it's in really good shape is that New Englanders have put so much solar on their rooftops that it is ef…”
Opinion
Storrow: New England Lags Most Regions in Utility-Scale Renewable Resources
“In terms of utility scale, renewable resources, I mean, you know, we pretty much are behind everybody.”
Insight
Storrow: Winter Renewables Extend New England Gas Plants' On-Site Oil Reserves
“These gas plants that we keep talking about as a sort of a reliability buffer, they've all installed oil fire backup. They have oil tanks on site. So if the spot price for gas gets really high, or the pipeline got constrained, they can switch over. And start b…”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Storrow: Solar generation mitigated Texas grid crises during summer heatwave
“They have issued some voluntary conservation notices, but it has not been quite as White knuckle driving as it has been in the last couple years, and a big part of that is, is the amount of renewable generation, and particularly solar, that they're having.”
Assertion Supported
Storrow: Subsidies keeping Mystic Generating Station open will end in 2024
“New England consumers basically are paying a subsidy and have been paying a subsidy the last couple years to keep that plan open, but that, those payments are gonna end next year”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Storrow: Texas historically neglected energy efficiency due to abundant cheap power
“Texas is an, I should maybe say energy resource poor region of the country, and Texas is an energy rich resource of the country in pretty much every sense of the word, right? And so I think when I talk to people down in Texas, the solar and the wind are a real…”