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This year the European Union announced an unprecedented 1 trillion euro Green Deal Investment
Plan with the goal of bringing the entirety of Europe's energy generation to 100% renewables
by 2050. [1] An ambitious goal that has been echoed throughout the world. [2]
It is of-course possible to shift our energy generation from the current mix of fossil
fuel generation, nuclear and renewables to 100% renewables in just 30 years. The technologies
exist. That 1 trillion euro can go a long way to achieving this goal and in this new
Real Engineering series we are going to explore the type of projects this Green Energy Plan
will help fund.
To give ourselves the best chance of achieving that goal, hamfisted good will endeavers to
increase renewable percentages need to be avoided. We discovered with previous investigations
[3] into California’s move towards solar energy, that without careful analysis it is
incredibly easy to waste millions upon millions of dollars on renewable energy resources when
they are not properly integrated into the grid.
California has to disconnect a huge portion of their solar panels from the grid in the
summer months because there is no demand for the electricity they produce. [4] The wasted
power is continually rising as more and more solar panels are installed with a record high
curtailment of 190 thousand MegaWatt hours wasted in April 2019.
Enough to power 17,300 homes for an entire year. [5] Wasted energy is wasted money. But
what if I told you that this waste could have been avoided without the need to expensive
energy storage. In this episode we will explore the planned European supergrid.
The primary reason California curtailed that sickening quantity of power last year, was
because its level of interconnectivity with neighbouring states is dismally low. [6] California
has an opportunity. It’s climate is ideal for solar generation, so much so that they
produce more than they need. They have a few options. They could create new industries
that could use that excess power, like water desalination or hydrogen generation plants.
They could store the energy using pumped hydro or batteries, so they could use that solar
power at night. Both of these options get a lot of attention, and we will explore them
in future episodes in this series. However, today, we are going to explore a method that
would solve California’s excess power problem at a fraction of the price. A simple but effective
method to trade energy with its neighbours. Grid interconnectors.
Grid interconnectors are simple enough in principle. They are just large high voltage
transmission cables that allow traditionally separate grid markets to trade energy with
each other.
The Californian government has so far resisted the prospect of joining a wider regional interconnected
grid as they would lose governance of their energy market. The new larger regional market
would be under the control of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, who’s commissioners
are appointed by the president. [7]
It’s not my place to comment on American politics.
However, a number is now appearing on screen which corresponds to a highly detailed unbiased
paper in the references list in the description. [6] That paper will shed light on this complicated
political and technological issue.
Their primary concern is however, that joining the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will
force them into propping up carbon intensive energy sources like coal from other states.
[7] On the contrary, joining a regional market like this would allow California to export
all of that excess solar power for a profit, while importing cheap excess wind power from
states like Montana, Wyoming and New Mexico. Allowing California to reduce its dependence
on natural gas power plants to pick up the slack on darker days and ultimately reduce
the cost of electricity and move them closer to their clean energy goals.
Unity across borders will be essential to achieving the ambition of clean energy and
the European Union is in a strong position to be an example for the world on what this
will look like. The continental European electricity grid is already the largest synchronous electricity
grid in the world.
This is the map of Europe’s current cross border interconnections. [8] Each member state
is constantly buying and selling energy to each other to manage their supply and demand.
Denmark regularly produces excess wind power and instead of curtailing it, they will sell
it to its neighbours like Norway. [9] Who take advantage of the cheap power to fill
their pumped hydro reservoirs. They can later release the water and sell the electricity
when demand is high.
Interconnection like this creates a more diverse source of power. Where different regions can
benefit from their advantages in climate and geographic features. Norways, Sweden and other
mountainous regions can confidently invest in pumped hydro facilities knowing that they
will have a market to buy cheap electricity to fill them and a market to sell it at a
higher price. The western regions of Europe can take advantage of strong atlantic winds.
Iceland and Italy can increase investment in easily accessible geothermal power, while
sunny southern regions can continue building cheap solar farms. You don’t even necessarily
need to send power over long distances, which can result in transmission power losses. If
Spain is generating an excess of solar power, while Denmark is producing too little wind.
France can act as an intermediary. Buying cheap solar power from Spain, and selling
some of its own nuclear power to Denmark instead. [10]
This requires a common market and a high level of cooperation between members, but if it
succeeds it is estimated that a well connected grid will save European customers between
12-40 billion Euro annually by 2030. All the while reducing pollution from fossil fuels.
[11]
It’s clear that interconnectors can provide grid stability and reduce electricity prices.
And so, part of that 1 trillion euro green energy fund will be set towards strengthening
the connectivity between member states and creating the European Super Grid.
For example, the Celtic Interconnector, which will join Ireland’s grid to the French grid,
will receive 530 million euro in investment from the European Union, while the Irish and
French grid providers will fund the remaining estimated 470 million euro required to complete
the connection. [12] This interconnection will have a capacity of 700 Megawatts and
will be capable of powering 450,000 homes.
The connection will allow Ireland to continue benefiting from stormy position on the edge
of the Atlantic by growing it’s wind portfolio and selling the excess wind energy to the
continent, while also benefiting from France’s nuclear and hydroelectric plants during calm
days. [13]
This is just one of many interconnectors planned, and the European Union has stated a goal of
a minimum of 10% interconnection for all member states by the end of 2020. [14] That means
they must have interconnections capable of transporting 10% of their total electricity
capacity at any time. Countries like Spain have been lagging behind, but are gradually
catching up.
A new interconnection opened in 2015, tunnelling through the Pyrenees Mountains for 8.7 kilometres.
[15] Another subsea connection crossing the Bay of Biscay is expected to become available
by 2025. [16] There are many more interconnections under construction and this target level of
interconnection will raise to 15% for 2030, and continue raising over time. Eventually
this will grow into what is being dubbed the European Supergrid, which could eventually
grow to even include solar energy rich North Africa.
These developments may seem trivial, but they are a critical first step towards a cleaner
future. Europe’s energy market is undergoing a seismic shift. Oil pipelines and coal shipments
are being replaced with grid interconnectors and wind turbines. With the ability to export
excess renewable energy, countries are incentivized to continue growing their renewable portfolio
as they can increase their exports and ultimately improve their economy.
Our cities and countries are constantly undergoing change. In our short life times it’s easy
to think technologies like fossil fuel power are here to stay, but they just like the water
wheel will soon become archaic . We get a great perspective on the ephemeral nature
of our technologies and societal norms by learning about the growth of ancient cities.
My friend, Dave from the City Beautiful YouTube channel recently released an amazing documentary
detailing the rise of a city that spawned an empire. Ancient Rome. This is one of many
fantastic Original series on Nebula, the streaming platform created by creators for creators.
You can watch it and my new series, the Logistics of D-Day, where I discuss the logistical planning
and engineering that made the largest amphibious assault in history possible.
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