Power Grids
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Power grids: opportunities in the energy transition?
Power grids move electricity from the point of generation to the point of use, while aiming to maximize the power quality, minimize costs and minimize losses. Broadly defined, global power grids and power electronics investment must step up 5x in the energy transition, from a $750bn pa market to over $3.5trn pa. But this theme…
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Load profiles in power grids?
Load profiles depict how the power running through a particular cross-section of the grid varies over time, ranging from individual homes, through giant GVA-scale transmission lines. Load profile data are unfortunately not widely available, however, we have aggregated a dozen case studies from technical papers, in this data-file, to help decision-makers with grid-modeling.
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Energy and national security: network risk?
National security risks are rising in developed world energy systems, as geopolitics grow more adversarial, and cyber-attacks are at new highs. This 16-page report finds that electrification is on balance making energy systems more vulnerable, then outlines mitigation measures, and opportunities?
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Water intensity of power generation?
The water intensity of US power generation averages 21 liters per kWh (5,600 gallons per MWH), but 95% of this total comes from evaporation at hydro reservoirs. Excluding hydro power, good estimates are that nuclear power uses 2.1 liters/kWh of water, coal power uses 2 liters/kWh and CCGTs use 1.2 liters/kWh, or less in some…
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Residential energy prices: reasons for optimism?
Residential energy prices tend to run 4x higher than underlying wholesale energy prices. This is a very wide margin, as by contrast, typical commoditized products in supermarkets are usually only marked up by about 2x, compared to their wholesale prices. Today’s data-file compares retail prices vs wholesale prices across a dozen different categories. A remarkable…
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eHighways: trucking by wire?
eHighways electrify heavy trucks via overhead catenary wires. They have been de-risked by half-a-dozen real-world pilots. High-utilization routes can support 10% IRRs on both road infrastructure and hybrid trucks. This 15-page report finds benefits in logistics networks and for integrating renewables?
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Smart Wires: grid capacity breakthroughs?
This Smart Wires technology review finds that Static Synchronous Series Compensators (SmartValve) and dynamic line rating software (SUMO) can increase throughput along existing transmission lines by 20-100%+. The patents confer a visible moat around SmartValve and focus on improving electrical performance reducing deployment costs.
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eHighway economics: costs of electrifying heavy trucks?
eHighways present an opportunity to electrify heavy trucking, by conveying medium voltage power via overhead steel catenary lines, through a pantograph, to an electric or hybrid-electric truck. This data-file captures the economics of eHighways, covering capex costs, returns and sensitivities, both for road operators and truck operators. The CO2 intensity of trucking can be reduced…
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Grid-forming inverters: islands in the sun?
The grid-forming inverter market may soon inflect from $1bn to $15-20bn pa, to underpin most grid-scale batteries, and 20-40% of incremental solar and wind. This 11-page report finds that grid-forming inverters cost c$100/kW more than grid-following inverters, which is inflationary, but integrate more renewables, raise resiliency and efficiency?
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Duck curves: US power price duckiness over time?
In solar-heavy grids, power prices trough around mid-day, then ramp up rapidly as the sunset. This price distribution over time is known as the duck curve. US power prices are getting 25-30% more ducky each year, based on some forms of measurement. Power prices are clearly linked to the instantaneous share of wind/solar in grids.
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