Heat waves, droughts, and wildfires are increasingly straining the electric grid in the Western United States. Recent studies indicate that improved coordination of electrical resources throughout the region could greatly diminish the likelihood of power outages and hasten the shift towards renewable energy.
This summer’s heat waves in the West evoke memories of recent power cuts and record electricity demand. According to research from the Climate and Energy Policy Program at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, if utilities in the region were to enhance their existing electricity-sharing strategies, they could decrease the risk of outages by as much as 40%. The study suggests that such changes could also help maintain public support and favorable policies for renewable energy development. This discussion occurs alongside initiatives like the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative, led by Western regulators aiming to establish a multi-state grid management and planning entity.
“Extreme weather events cross state and utility lines, and so will the solutions we need to lessen their impact,” stated Mareldi Ahumada-Paras, a co-author of the study and a postdoctoral scholar in energy science and engineering at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. “Increased regional collaboration can enhance reliability during widespread stress.”
A Changing Landscape
Electricity providers in the West are struggling with three new challenges. Predicting demand and resource availability is becoming increasingly difficult due to factors like the rise in extreme weather events, a growing number of rooftop solar installations, and more frequent weather extremes. The swift increase in renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, along with energy storage solutions, necessitates new strategies for managing and planning electricity supply. Added to this complexity is a blend of state and federal clean energy goals that create varying incentives for utility operations and planning.
“Innovative grid management techniques can leverage the opportunities from our rapidly evolving electricity system while addressing the heightened stress from extreme weather, drought, and other climate-related issues,” noted study co-author Michael Mastrandrea, research director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program.
The focus of the research is on the power grid that spans from the West Coast to the Great Plains and from western Canada down to Baja California. In recent years, extreme heat and severe droughts have caused significant demand on the grid and reduced hydropower availability.
The research team utilized power system optimization models to mimic grid operations during stressful conditions similar to those experienced during the 2022 California heat wave, which set records for energy demand. Their findings indicated that increasing collaborative efforts could lead to a 40% reduction in the risk of outages, cut unfulfilled energy supply (when demand exceeds supply) by over half, and enhance reliability.
Policy Impact and Public Sentiment
The researchers describe these figures as “illustrative and directional” since incomplete data makes it challenging to precisely model how those responsible for power system reliability will react during stress periods. Nonetheless, the findings underscore how greater cooperation among utilities can enhance responses to local shortages or surpluses, provide increased flexibility in managing sudden disruptions, and ensure a consistent electricity supply during extreme weather situations.
Moreover, enhanced collaboration among utilities could optimize the value of the region’s expanding renewable energy resources. Since renewable power generation from sources like wind and solar can fluctuate (the wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t always shine), working together across a broader area can guarantee that renewable energy is utilized or stored when available. Critics of renewables often blame them for major outages, which could negatively influence public perception and lead to policies that hinder the growth or adoption of clean energy.
“Our findings indicate that improved cooperation is not just about financial benefits for utilities and their customers,” emphasized Michael Wara, another co-author of the study and director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. “It’s about ensuring consistent power supply as we navigate the challenges posed by transitioning to cleaner energy and the rising effects of climate change.”
Wara and Mastrandrea also hold senior policy roles in the Sustainability Accelerator at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.
