Our centralized for-profit energy industry has resulted in Big Oil titans who have put their personal profits before the common good and the good of the planet. In these days of their waning political power, the fossil fuel titans are talking green energy in order to stay in control of whatever energy future the nation realizes.
We cannot trust them with it.
Now that all of the pumping, piping, mining, and fracking must cease for the good of the planet, the costs of energy research and development is more manageable. We do not need the titans in order to install wind farms and solar arrays. They have become as anachronistic as the giant reptiles upon whose bodies they have relied to line their pockets.
No more ‘business as usual’. We can take a better path.
Big Oil has used their power and profits to obstruct innovation that might offer us cheaper and cleaner energy. We are only now breaking free of their grip. A new modeling paradigm of the complementary relationship between utility-scale power and the distributed energy resource of small residential generation turns out to be the very best way to manage costs, peaks. and other Texas-sized shocks to the power grid. Imagine no more brownouts and no more expensive power plants (which were built for infrequent peak demands) sitting idle.
The Vibrant Clean Energy, LLC December 2021 report Why Local Solar For All Costs Less: A New Roadmap for the Lowest Cost Grid reveals some surprising results. The debate is over how we can best manage this huge energy transition. Economies of scale argue for utility-scale power, which is cheaper to build than widespread distributed residential energy; however, long-range planning coupled with the complementary relationship between these two energy sources argues for both as the most economical and stable energy grid.
This report uses new software (WIS: dom-P) modeling that, rather than ignoring the residential Distributed Energy Resources (DER) as prior modeling has done, includes it and analyzes how it affects overall efficiency, cost, carbon emissions, and other potential benefits for the electrical grid. They examined 15 different nationwide simulations during this study, focusing on two major questions: Can DERs lower total costs and offer reliable service? And can DERs help us reach clean energy goals?
The four scenarios simulated for the present report were:
Business-As-Usual, Traditional (“BAU”): Allow economics to drive the changes in the electricity system, while including existing policies, mandates, and incentives through 2050. Deploy WIS:dom-P in a manner that mimics traditional models.
Business-As-Usual, Augmented (“BAU-DER”): Allow economics to drive the changes in the electricity system, while including existing policies, mandates, and incentives through 2050. Deploy the augmented version of WIS:dom-P that includes detailed modeling of the distribution-utility (DU) interface.
Clean Electricity, Traditional (“CE”): Enforce a nationwide clean energy standard (CES) that reduces emissions by 95% from 1990 levels by 2050. Deploy WIS:dom-P in a manner that mimics traditional models.
Clean Electricity, Augmented (“CE-DER”): Enforce a nationwide clean energy standard (CES) that reduces emissions by 95% from 1990 levels by 2050. Deploy the augmented version of WIS:dom-P that includes detailed modeling of the distribution-utility (DU) interface.
The Business As Usual, Augmented (BAS-DER) scenario would result in savings of $301 billion by 2050 over Business As Usual (BAS). The savings rise to $473 billion when a nationwide Clean Energy Standard (CE) is included. The final scenario (CE-DER) is lower than what we are now doing (BAS) by $88 billion. More benefits (including 2 million local jobs) are listed below.
The main takeaways from the advanced modeling show:
● Deploying at least 247 GW of local rooftop and community solar on the grid would be the most cost-effective way to transition to a clean energy system by 2050. It is also the most cost-effective way to reach 95% emission reductions from 1990 levels.
● A clean electric grid that leverages expanded local solar and storage is $88 billion less expensive than a grid that does nothing different than we’re doing today (no clean electricity mandates and not leveraging expanded local solar and storage). This proves that moving to clean electricity targets can save the country money versus the status quo.
● Under a national 95% clean electricity target, leveraging expanded local solar and storage can save the U.S. $473 billion by 2050 compared to a clean electricity grid that doesn’t expand local solar and storage. Expanding local solar and storage on the distribution system reduces the need for power plants that only run on peak power days. It also better manages and reduces demand on the distribution system by offering more local energy products that customers want, which can increase grid resilience and reduce overall costs on the distribution and transmission grid.
● More local solar unlocks the potential of utility-scale solar and wind. The lowest cost grid requires a lot more utility-scale solar. In fact, retiring fossil-fueled power plants that run infrequently and deploying local storage more efficiently will help integrate 798GW of utility-scale solar and 802 GW of utility-scale wind by 2050.
● Scaling local solar and storage results in over 2 million local jobs by 2050. The cost analysis accounted for direct costs and benefits only, but local solar and storage brings additional societal benefits to communities such as jobs, increased economic development, increased resilience, and more equitable access to the benefits of renewables.
Biden is ramping up battery research and production. Affordable home wind turbines are already on the market. Americans are looking at a future where they will have ownership control over their own low cost energy generation while providing energy to their communities when needed.
No Big Oil titans needed.
During this huge transition to regenerative energy production, America needs to recognize energy as essential infrastructure that simply cannot be trusted in the hands of secretive profit mongers who have proven themselves unworthy of public trust. Our national security is at risk if pipeline owners can refuse to even notify the government that they have suffered a ransomware attack or even a significant spill. Our entire planet is at risk when fossil fuel producers claim that carbon scrubbing technology (for which ExxonMobil is asking public money) will allow them to continue to pump and produce oil with no harm.
No more coal. No more oil. No more fossil fuel CEOs.
Take Action
We can all act to further this regenerative energy revolution by taking the small step of checking the box on your household electrical bill to support regenerative energy projects which raises your rate by a tiny amount and accumulates with other’s choices to fund local solar projects. The Pacific Power Blue Sky program offers grants for regenerative energy projects across Oregon, Washington, and California.
One small community in Oregon is launching its own solar energy revolution with a combination of financial resources including Pacific Blue Sky program, the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, and the Oregon Clean Power Cooperative.
“We’ve found that Corvallis residents have been eager to put their money to work in ways that benefit both the planet and our community,” says Annette Mills, facilitator of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition. “The response has been tremendous.”
The regenerative energy revolution begins on the ground. Is your community ready to make use of the abundance of financial resources which are only going to increase? You can begin by attending your next city or county board meeting and asking the question. Perhaps they already have a climate change committee which you can support.
As we fire Big Oil, we must be ready to step up and make an energy future which works for the people and the planet. Let’s get to work!
INDIVIDUAL WAYS TO SAVE THE PLANET: SUMMARY
- Turn out the lights when not in use
- Avoid creating nighttime light pollution
- Don’t waste water
- Avoid burning wood (or other things), as wood fires are both pollutant and carcinogenic
- Don't use pesticides
- Limit your use of cars and planes (if possible)
- Don't use gas powered vehicles
- Take out grass and put in a garden or pond (or xeriscape )
- Mow, blow, and whack with electric or by hand
- Plant for the animals (bees, birds etc)
- Plant trees
- Don't micro manage yards, go wilder
- Try to use solar
- Take a bus, trolley or train
- Encourage your city/town to use electric buses
- Use energy efficient products or products that work on clean fuels
- Reduce dependence on non-biodegradable items
- Walk, bike or carpool
- Turn down the heat or AC
- Reuse items- give to Goodwill or Craig's list rather than dumping
- Cut down or cease eating meat
- Use reusable carry bags for groceries; second choice, paper bags; not plastic
- Compost
- Save the bees
- Be informed
- Write your representative, sign petitions
- Elect pro-environment candidates and demand action
- Support the Green New Deal
- Get involved
- March
- Blog about the environment
- Control population
- Tell a friend!
🌍
Regenerative Culture for an Altered Planet (RCAP) diaries post every Thursday evening at 9 PM Eastern time. Each may be written by a different group member. RCAP focuses on individual actions that will help the climate. We hope you will join us for reading, following, even writing for us! Here is a handy link to RCAP.
IF YOU LIKE RCAP, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE GROUPS:
GreenRevolution (GR): GR is the sister action group to RCAP. GR is a direct action environmental protest group seeking institutional action to help the climate. The two groups work in conjunction to help transform our planet before it is too late! Here is a handy link to GreenRevolution.
Climate Change Anxiety Support Group (CCA): Once convinced that the world is in a crisis, it is common to have anxiety, even grief. CCA is a nonpartisan support group in conjunction with the Kosability group (a group for those coping with physical and/or mental health issues). Here is a handy link to CCA.
Climate Fight (CF): DKos group inspired by Governor Jay Inslee, who is putting the climate fight first. Bringing change sooner rather than later. This began as a support group for Inslee’s presidential run, but continues as support for making change to limit climate damage. Here is a handy link to CF.
AND LINKS TO A COUPLE OUTSIDE GROUPS OF INTEREST:
Climate Psychology Alliance: A group of academics, therapists, and others who “believe that psychological understanding can help with the wide range of complex individual and cultural responses to the environmental crisis.”
350.org: “An international movement of ordinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-led renewable energy for all.” Click the link to see how we get there.