Event Recording: "Net Zero and the Future Power Grid"

"Examining Affordability, Reliability and Zero Emissions"
Presented by Randy Stubbings, P. Eng.
This is a recording of our Oct. 1, 2024 live event.
For over a century, the three pillars of the electrical power grid have been reliability, affordability and security of supply. Today, security of supply has been switched out for Sustainability, more commonly known as “Net Zero.” Conventional, dispatchable power from coal, natural gas, hydro or nuclear is being rejected on the basis of emissions - direct or indirect, while non-dispatchable, non-emitting sources of power, like wind and solar are slated to replace coal, and presumably natural gas one day.
Today wind and solar are promoted as ‘free’ energy. Advocates tout them as cheaper than their conventional energy cousins. Where conventional power plants take decades and billions of dollars to build, wind and solar farms can be installed within a year or two for a few hundred million. The wind/solar grid reliability is planned to be supported by grid scale batteries and interties with other regions.
In addition to that, to remove fossil fuel emissions from home heating and transportation, the idea is to ‘electrify’ everything.
That’s the vision of Net Zero electricity. How realistic is it?
Randy Stubbings has 40 years of experience working as a Professional Engineer in the Alberta electricity industry. He discusses the challenges of Net Zero electricity and the trade-offs of the three pillars, which he likens to the three legs of a stool. If one leg is weak, it all falls down.
Stubbings also asks fundamental questions about what we are trying to accomplish as we struggle to be climate leaders in the race for Net Zero. What are the costs? What are the expected benefits? What are the pitfalls?
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[@rabkad5673]

Excellent presentation. Thank you

[@user-db8kt8ti4c]

Goes to show that the term renewable energy should be replaced by unreliable or intermittent energy.

[@user-db8kt8ti4c]

It just occurred to me that I didn't hear nuclear mentioned. Nuclear is not as scary as people have been led to believe. It would make sense to use nuclear if you were seriously afraid of global warming from carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the use of fossil fuels.

[@fosmedia9986]

@@user-db8kt8ti4c At this point, Alberta does not have any nuclear facilities and there are no such plans on the table (at this time - though some discussion in progress). So the objective was to deal more with 'what we do have' and the realities within this short-term framework (i.e. by 2030/35 there could not be a nuclear plant, even if one was already in development). No intention to dismiss nuclear; just not part of the short-term realities.

[@Sjb-on5xt]

@@fosmedia9986 470 Mwh Small modular reactors (SMR) can be installed in about 500 days according to Rolls Royce. The main obstacle is more to do with planning permission.

[@chrisconklin2981]

Thank you for this presentation, it was a good dose of reality. Your presentation was about northwestern Canada. I live in the southeastern USA. It is a study in contrasts. When it comes to renewables, I consider your location less than ideal. So, adjustments have to be made. I know that there are those in Canada who advocate more nuclear, which I consider unwise. The issue for you is reliable, dispatchable, and cost effective base load. Down here, I advocate a decentralization of our power grid. For you, I would recommend looking into enhanced geothermal.

[@fosmedia9986]

Thank you for your comments. Our location is less than ideal - esp for solar; we do have lots of wind but it can be extremely erratic, esp with the Chinook winds which can be 'gale force' at times and not very stable. We did a report on geothermal some time ago. There are some new developments and a couple of test projects in Alberta, so we'll see how those fare. Here is our report: blog.friendsofscience.org/2019/08/13/geothermal-for-canada-questions-and-challenges/

[@anthonymorris5084]

The world needs more fossil fuels not less.

[@Gjehcyekcgev]

This man is the Director, Regulatory Policy at ENMAX. I wonder what he is pushing? I wonder why the "friends of science" didn't mention his current job? When we have excess wind power in Alberta we sell it to BC, SK and Montana. When the wind isn't blowing we buy hydro from BC. BC buys our wind because it allows them to throttle back their hydro and save it for when the wind isn't blowing. We could do the exact same thing or similar things here but we don't. I always thought Albertan's had a "can do attitude" but they suddenly turn into whiny, nay sayers once wind or solar is mentioned.

[@Sjb-on5xt]

The future for the Grid if this Net Zero madness is continued is candles and warm blankets.