TRANSMISSION CRITICAL

Some energy experts argue the discussion about new U.S. transmission is misplaced and that the system is adequate at present to handle current New Energy capacity. They argue that present investment would be better made in energy efficiency measures to reduce the load on the existing grid.

This argument misses the point. New transmission is not about present needs and current capacity. New transmission is about future needs and coming capacity. For the rapidly arriving future, existing transmission is inadequate.

President-elect Barack Obama’s energy plan calls for the U.S. to get 10% of its electricity from New Energy sources by 2012 and 25% by 2025.

To achieve the 2012 goal, individual solar power plants and wind installations will certainly need new transmission from their remote locations to the existing grid.

To achieve the 2025 goal, new high-powered lines are required so that massive new capacity developed from wind power on the Great Lakes and the Midwestern plains and solar energy from the Southwestern deserts can be delivered efficiently to population centers on the blue coasts and central cities.

In addition, installations all over the country developing resources such as wind power off the Atlantic coast, wave power off the Pacific coast and biogas-generating plants in the South will need new local systems.

Substations will also be needed to integrate this New Energy-generated electricity into the highpower transmission superhighway.

New, high-tech control centers will also be crucial to enable the coming smart grid's 2-way interactions between suppliers and consumers.

Other benefits of grid investment: (1) Access to more sources encourages cost competition; (2) access to more sources promotes economic development; and (3) access to more sources increases electric system reliability (perhaps the most important benefit).

Doug Collins, Executive Director, ITC Midwest: “…adequate transmission lines probably aren’t at the top of electric customers’ list of priorities…But we need to work now if we want to continue to enjoy reliable and renewable energy resources in the future…”

The Department of Energy and the wind industry believe $60 billion in new transmission will be necessary for wind to fulfill its potential nationally. (click to enlarge)

Electric transmission critical to Iowa’s wind energy success
Doug Collins, November 5, 2008 (West Branch Times)

WHO
ITC Midwest (Doug Collins, Executive Director)

WHAT
The U.S. can’t fully develop its wind energy potential (and its New Energy potential) without robust electric transmission.

Iowa leads the U.S. in percent of electricity from wind. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
- 2007: ITC Midwest bought the high-voltage electric transmission system from Alliant Energy’s Interstate Power and Light Co. (IPL) and has helped bring hundreds of megawatts of wind generation on-line.
- 2008: ITC Midwest expects to have connected almost as much NEW wind capacity as existed in Iowa 3 years ago.

WHERE
- ITC Midwest is based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Iowa has the 3rd most installed wind capacity (Texas is 1st, California is 2nd)
- Wind power is best in open areas away from structures so power lines are needed to move the electricity it to urban areas where demand is the biggest.

WHY
- Transmission is a critical gap in the U.S. New Energy vision. Addressing it will allow the vision to be achieved.
- Iowa gets 5.5% of its electricity from wind power, the highest percentage of any state in the nation.
- Iowa has 1,000+ turbines in operation and is building.
- As the home of a major wind equipment manufacturing facility, West Branch, Iowa, benefits from wind energy development.
- ITC Midwest will build and upgrade hundreds of miles of lines and substations in the next few years to meet growing energy demands and improve the system’s reliability.

click to enlarge

QUOTES
Doug Collins, Executive Director, ITC Midwest: “Just as Iowa has taken advantage of its soil and climate to grow crops that feed the world, the state is now ready to harness its wind for the nation’s benefit. But our wind “road-to-market” is becoming clogged. We won’t be able to keep growing our wind resource unless we invest in the energy superhighway that can deliver that product to customers.”