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The human side of virtual power plants — This Week in Cleantech

The human side of virtual power plants — This Week in Cleantech
A solar power system is installed on a residential rooftop. (Courtesy: Flckr Creative Commons)

This Week in Cleantech is a new, weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in cleantech and climate in 15 minutes or less. Produced by Renewable Energy World and Tigercomm, This Week in Cleantech will air every Friday in the Factor This! podcast feed wherever you get your podcasts.

This week’s episode features CNET senior editor Jon Reed, who visited an energy-efficient home in Vermont that will eventually be part of a virtual power plant, or VPP.

This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week” is Jim Kapsis, CEO of the Ad Hoc Group, who recently wrote about his 531-mile trip from Virginia to Maine in an electric vehicle. Jim wrote about his experience traveling the long electric miles, both the good and bad. We’ll link his piece in our YouTube bio. Congratulations Jim!

1. Big Tech’s bid to rewrite the rules on net zero — The Financial Times

Big tech companies like Amazon and Meta claim to be net-zero because they purchase renewable energy certificates from clean energy projects to offset the carbon pollution from their energy use. However, these offsets might not directly reduce their real-world carbon pollution because the local power mix they draw from still includes fossil fuels. 

Reform discussions have started, but have sparked disagreements among the Big Tech companies themselves. Google and Microsoft believe certificates should be sourced from the same grid and hour of the day to ensure accurate accounting of emissions. Amazon and Meta believe certificates should be sourced from different locations, allowing companies to invest in clean energy where it is most impactful, such as on a coal-dependent grid.

They note that with current rules, a data center can run on dirty electricity at night and offset that by buying a credit for solar energy generated in the middle of the day halfway across the country. The flawed carbon accounting rules allow companies to offset their emissions without directly reducing their own pollution, and Big Tech is funding and lobbying to keep it that way. 

2. EVs are starting to overtake gas-powered cars in a surprising place — CNN

This year, Ethiopia became the first and only nation to ban the import of all gas-powered passenger vehicles. Now, the country is seeing a major uptick in electric vehicle adoption. This ban has also encouraged local EV production, making EV prices much cheaper. 

EVs are mostly adopted by high-income groups in this country. As a result, some people are pushing for the Ethiopian government to invest in electric public transportation, to provide efficient vehicles to all income groups.

3. Clean Fuel Startups Were Supposed to Be the Next Big Thing. Now They Are Collapsing. — The Wall Street Journal

Several companies that make clean jet fuel have either shut down or scaled back their production. This is mostly due to aviation’s high energy requirements, on top of high interest rates, supply-chain disruptions and a recent rise in electricity rates because of grid upgrades. 

Plus, the production, transportation, and logistics prices have been high, especially for hydrogen. 

As a result, many aviation and shipping companies have slowed their investments in clean fuel. Some hydrogen and biofuel companies have seen their shares drop as much as 90% since the IRA passed. 

Watch the full episode on YouTube

4. Coal Power Defined This Minnesota Town. Can Solar Win It Over? — The New York Times

In the small town of Becker, just north of Minneapolis, one of the nation’s largest coal plants, Sherco, is being replaced by thousands of acres of solar panels and a test of long-duration batteries. Through the IRA, Minnesota utility Xcel Energy received tax credits that reduced the solar project’s cost for ratepayers. The demonstration battery systems at this project will have the capacity to power 2,000 homes for up to 5 days. 

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Xcel Energy has closed 24 of its 36 coal-fired power plants across the country, and just a single burner in a power plant like Sherco can consume up to 120,000 pounds of coal per hour. Coal produced about 16% of the nation’s electricity last year, down from 52% in 1990.

5. The US Power Grid Has a Problem. Your House Could Help Solve It — CNET

Reporter Jon Reed visited an energy-efficient home in Vermont that will eventually be part of a virtual power plant, or VPP, where all the neighborhood homes work together to ensure consistent power, reduce stress on the grid, and lower energy rates. The home has solar panels, backup batteries and all-electric appliances. 

The existing grid, designed for peak demand, may struggle as demand rises, potentially leading to more frequent and longer outages. But, utilities are turning to VPPs to help level out these spikes in electricity demand, and the limited generation and infrastructure we have right now.