Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
must ensure suicient investment in both generating capacity and T&D
infrastructure. In many nations, investment in T&D infrastructure tends
to lag behind power generation capacity expansion and this inevitably leads
to the problems experienced in the United States and China where delays in
connecting wind projects to the grid result in stranded generating capacity
or where unacceptably high levels of power are lost during the T&D process.
10.3.2 Technological Factor 2: Energy Mix
As should be apparent from the case studies, energy mix plays an instru-
mental role in a nation's capacity to accommodate higher levels of wind
power without adding generating capacity. As the Canadian case study sug-
gested, 30 to 40% wind power contribution is viable given that 62% of the
nation's electricity is currently produced by hydropower, which is the most
responsive of all utility-scale electricity generation technologies. Conversely,
in Japan, prior to the Fukushima disaster dominant contributions from
nuclear power and coal-ired power hindered Japan from incorporating
high levels of wind power capacity without adding backup capacity or stor-
age. One of the few promising developments to come out of the Fukushima
nuclear disaster is that the Japanese energy mix has changed—natural gas-
ired power systems have increased. As a result, Japan's electricity network
is now able to accommodate much higher contributions from wind power
due to the responsiveness of natural gas systems.
he lesson for policymakers is that in order to accommodate higher
amounts of wind power capacity, a nation's power mix needs to be strategi-
cally managed in order to minimize costs. he starting point should be max-
imizing hydropower capacity. he next step should be to replace base-load
technologies (coal-ired power plants and nuclear power plants) with
peak-load technologies (natural gas and geothermal power). his will not
only provide much-needed lexibility for balancing stochastic power lows,
it will also enhance economic stability because the capricious nature of coal
and oil prices are emergent threats to energy-intensive industry.
10.3.3 Technological Factor 3: Technological Regimes
he economic and political might underpinning dominant energy technol-
ogies can engender technological lock—a degree of entrenchment that is
highly impervious to competitive market entry eforts. Insights from the
case studies suggest that this is particularly evident in nations that have
