Navigating the Quadrilemma: Delivering Secure, Reliable, Cheap and Clean Energy (Four Part Series) Part 2 of 4 – Energy Reliability

Energy Reliability and its Significance:

Why did the solar panel break up with the wind turbine? Because it was tired of the wind turbine’s “off and on” relationship with power—it needed someone more reliable, like a battery backup! This joke can serve as a humorous reminder that while renewable energy sources are essential for a clean energy transition, the reliability and consistency of energy supply are equally important to ensure a stable and sustainable future. Kristina Hamachi LaCommare and Joseph H. Eto in a research paper titled Cost of Power Interruptions to Electricity Consumers in the United States (U.S.) assessed the cost of power interruptions to US consumers to be around $80 billion / year!

Reliable energy has been a cornerstone of economic prosperity, as it underpins industrial activity, commercial transactions, and residential comfort. It encompasses the stability, predictability, and resilience of energy supply systems and is a combination of three components:

·???????? Raw material availability (supply vs. load requirements at a given time),

·???????? Transmission system reliability and

·???????? Distribution system reliability.

Stable supply is essential for maintaining economic activities, public services, and quality of life. The cost of power interruptions or outages extends well beyond financial losses, impacting overall well-being and development. Imagine the impact power disruptions can have on critical services like hospitals, emergency services, or on storage of perishable goods, damages to sensitive equipment or supply chain disruptions leading to other indirect costs like increased insurance premiums.

Building reliable energy systems involves thinking about two things:

·???????? Designing systems to withstand shocks, such as extreme weather events, cyberattacks, or equipment failures, and

·???????? Designing resilient systems to quickly recover from disturbances, to minimize downtime.

A reliable energy network directly impacts the GDP, and investor confidence. It encourages businesses to plan and operate efficiently and confidently invest in production, knowing that energy will be available when needed.

Challenges to Energy Reliability in Clean Energy Transition:

Availability of Renewable Energy: The availability of clean energy resources like solar, wind or hydro are largely dependent on time and location. To move this energy from where it is produced to other parts of the world requires extensive capital investment in storage, transmission, and distribution. Take for example solar energy. Solar energy is inherently available only during daylight hours. Grid operators must adjust plans to include generators that can quickly adjust their output to compensate for solar generation fluctuations. Otherwise, the excess energy generated during the day needs to be stored and used at night. Either of these two solutions requires investments in either battery storage cost or building new grid controls infrastructure. But in this example, night intermittency isn’t the hardest problem. An even bigger issue is seasonal variation between summer and winter months. In Calgary where I live, for example, the average sunshine hours in December are 3 hours, and in July about 11 hours. The problem is further exacerbated due to Chinook winds, causing challenges in solar energy forecasting and grid management.

Transmission and Distribution System Reliability: The power grid was originally designed around large, controllable electric generators. To integrate distributed energy sources like solar and wind power requires upgrading the existing electrical grid to smart grids that use two-way communication and automated control systems to optimize electricity flow and reduce outages. This involves enhancing the infrastructure with advanced materials, sensors, and control systems. Swift decision-making and cross-jurisdictional cooperation are necessary but often challenging in upgrading to newer capital-intensive infrastructure. US EIA in this article (Chapter IV Ensuring Electricity System Reliability, Security, and Resilience.pdf (energy.gov)) summarizes the challenges of integrating intermittent sources to the existing grid infrastructure.

Energy Storage and Back-up Systems: The fluctuations in output from renewables like wind or solar energy don’t only disrupt the long-term grid planning, but also the second-to-second balance between total electric supply and demand. Today, the grid operator sends a signal to power plants approximately every four seconds to ensure the total amount of power injected into the grid consistently equals the total power withdrawn. Because wind and solar increase the magnitude of sudden power generation shortfalls or excesses, the grid operator requires more reserve power ready to respond at a moment’s notice to ensure the grid remains balanced. World Economic Forum in this article (These 4 energy storage technologies are key to climate efforts | World Economic Forum (weforum.org) ) discussed four technologies that can help with energy storage. Technologies like pumped hydro storage, batteries, and thermal storage can store excess energy during low demand periods and release it during peak times, ensuring a consistent energy supply. Similarly, Backup power systems, such as uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and generators, can provide immediate energy during outages but all this adds to the green premium of clean energy transition.

Canada’s Pivotal Role in Ensuring Global Energy Reliability:

As the world grapples with the urgent need to transition to clean energy sources and challenge of energy reliability looms large, Canada stands at a crucial crossroads and has a unique opportunity to lead by example. Here are some of the ways that it can lead the path:

Clean Energy Diplomacy: Canada’s commitment to climate action and net-zero emissions provides a strong policy foundation. Canada already has one of the cleanest electricity systems in the world, with most of its generation coming from non-emitting sources, including hydro, other renewables and nuclear. The country boasts an abundance of renewable energy resources, including hydroelectric power, wind, solar, and biomass. Its vast hydropower potential alone could power the entire country and more. Leveraging these resources can contribute significantly to global energy reliability. Collaborative agreements can be forged to create interconnected grids, allowing seamless energy exchange across borders thus providing a lead to other nations in energy reliability, resilience, and risk management.

Indigenous Partnerships: Collaborating with Indigenous communities ensures equitable participation and sustainable solutions. Canada’s remote communities still rely on diesel generators for energy. Transitioning these communities to clean energy sources (such as microgrids powered by renewables), upgrading, and expanding existing transmission grids can serve as a model for other regions of the world to follow. Canada’s inclusive energy transition model can inspire similar approaches globally.

Investment in Energy Storage Research and Solutions: Canada has been actively advancing its energy storage capabilities with some notable projects like Quinte Compressed-Air Energy Storage System ( a 500 MW facility using compressed air to store energy and release it during peak demand periods), a 180 MW Ghost Hydroelectric Facility-Battery Energy Storage System (Combining hydroelectric power with battery storage), a 250 MW Oneida Battery Energy Storage System improving both grid stability and reliability. By sharing knowledge and collaborating on large-scale storage projects around the world, Canada can play a key role in enhancing global energy reliability.

As we navigate the complexities of the energy quadrilemma, the journey towards a future powered by secure, reliable, affordable, and clean energy is both challenging and imperative. The path forward requires a multifaceted approach, embracing innovation, fostering international cooperation, and investing in resilient infrastructure. Canada’s proactive stance in energy storage research, clean energy diplomacy, and inclusive partnerships exemplifies the collaborative spirit needed to surmount these challenges. By leveraging its strengths and sharing its learnings, Canada can not only enhance its own energy reliability but also catalyze a global movement towards a sustainable energy paradigm. As we conclude this exploration of energy reliability, let us reaffirm our commitment to a balanced and thoughtful energy transition.

Stay tuned for part 3 where we look at the intricate balance between achieving clean energy transition without breaking the bank!