Unpredictable Fluctuations in Renewable Energy Create Challenges for Utilities
PULLMAN, Wash. — One of the challenges of relying on renewable energy, such as solar and wind, is that changes in weather conditions can lead to sudden drops in the amount of power provided. Such unpredictable fluctuations create challenges for utilities that require a constant balance of sufficient electric generation to meet customer demand reliably.
And because it can sometimes take quite a while to bring backup generators online or arrange to purchase additional power from outside the region, energy companies, like Avista Utilities, need to be able to respond to such sudden drops in renewable generation. One way to achieve this is by “shedding,” or reducing, some of their electrical load — which means asking certain customers to quickly cut back their electrical usage.
As an institution committed to the research and development of clean energy technologies and one of the larger energy consumers on Avista Utilities’ regional grid, Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman, Wash., is well positioned to support the continued development of renewable energy and help stabilize the grid in the face of sudden losses in power generation.