The challenges of achieving a 100% renewable electricity system in the United States

Quantifying the challenge of reaching a 100% renewable energy power system for the United States

“…Our objective is to robustly quantify the cost of a transition to high penetration RE system in a way that provides electric sector decision makers with the information they need to assess the cost and value of pursuing higher penetration RE systems. Furthermore, given the frequent emphasis on using the electricity sector as the foundation for economy-wide decarbonization, 7,26,27 we believe this work extends understanding of what is required to decarbonize this sector.…”

“…This interest is evident in state, local, and corporate RE goals and mandates, 1,2 and in the increasingly large set of literature that examines the benefits and challenges of moving to 100% RE. [3][4][5][6][7] Because 100% RE systems at the scale of the United States power system do not exist, researchers primarily rely on models to better understand systems with high RE penetrations. [8][9][10] Modeling high penetration RE power systems at the national scale is complex 11,12 because of the heavy reliance on variable generators (wind and solar) 10,13,14 and storage resources, where chronology plays a significant role (e.g., how storage was used yesterday impacts how it can be used today).…”

“…15 Although some aspects of 100% RE are fairly well established (e.g., wind, solar, storage, and transmission all play an active role in 100% RE systems), many aspects remain ambiguous as have been discussed in review articles on this topic. [3][4][5]7 Additionally, the definition of 100% RE can vary. Some definitions expand eligibility to include non-RE clean energy technologies such as nuclear or carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), while others limit it to explicitly renewable technologies.…”

Seasonal challenges for a California renewable- energy-driven grid

“…Adequate supply of electricity to maintain reliable grid function will be a key element for successful implementation of a renewable-energy driven grid. Decarbonizing the electricity grid ( Lombardi et al., 2020 ; Denholm et al, 2021 ; Victoria et al., 2021 ; Tröndle et al., 2020 ) is a long-term target for a growing number of countries. During the widespread heat wave in California in August 2020, resource inadequacy around the time of sunset forced California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to cut electricity supply to customers ( California Independent system Operator (CAISO) et al., 2021 ).…”

Mission net-zero America: The nation-building path to a prosperous, net-zero emissions economy

“…The national level findings of the NZA study are broadly supported by results of other modeling studies, including economy-wide energy-system studies [6][7][8][9] and sector-specific studies. [10][11][12] Yet no prior studies have mapped thousands of low-carbon energy and infrastructure assets at politically and socially relevant scales, as the NZA study has done, to illustrate what the transition could look like ''on the ground'' (Figure 1). The study's geospatially resolved methods put in sharp relief the extraordinary scale and pace of change that a successful transition to net-zero emissions by 2050 entails.…”