Energy Secretary Rick Perry wants to know if solar is eroding the electricity supply [View all]

[babylonsister]

Energy Secretary Rick Perry wants to know if solar is eroding the electricity supply

On Friday, the former fossil-fuel favoring governor ordered a study to see whether solar and wind development is making the electricity grid less stable.

April 17, 2017 Frank Andorka


The solar industry could save taxpayers a lot of money if Energy Secretary Rick Perry would only ask them for real-world examples of countries where solar and wind have stabilized the grid instead of destabilizing them.

The solar industry may only have 60 days to prove it’s not destroying the electric supply of the United States, or Energy Secretary Rick Perry will start dismantling its federal infrastructure, returning the United States to its rightful place as the world’s leading 19th century energy producer.

Reports out of Washington say Perry, who oversaw enormous growth in the wind industry in the oil-producing state of Texas while governor, has initiated a 60-day review of federal policies that support renewable energy, with an eye toward bolstering the myth that solar produces an unstable grid.

It probably goes without saying, but solar industry could save taxpayers money on the study by pointing out the following real-world examples of countries in the midst of aggressive transitions to renewable energy

Denmark has the highest portion of wind and solar in its electricity supply of any nation on earth. It also has the most 2nd-most stable grid in Europe, behind Luxembourg.

U.S. residents spend fourteen times as much time without electricity than the Danes.

Germany, one of the world’s most progressive countries on renewable energy and an early solar leader, also has a far more stable grid than the United States.

It is easier for grid operators to plan for shifts in wind and solar output, which can usually be predicted with forecasting, than planning for large power plants like nuke plants going down unexpectedly.

As of press time, however, it’s unclear whether Perry has asked the solar industry for its input, but suffice to say it’s unlikely someone will need to sit by a phone waiting for a call any time soon.

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https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2017/04/17/energy-secretary-rick-perry-wants-to-know-if-solar-is-eroding-the-electricity-supply/