new dams or reservoirs . The goal is to be able to then decommission two of SMUD ’ s natural gas power plants by the end of 2025 . That shores up the bulk of its plan .
Renewables , such as solar , wind and hydropower , are the paragons of energy generation , but they have limitations . When the sun doesn ’ t shine or the wind doesn ’ t blow , or if there is a drought ( like now ), renewables don ’ t generate enough power . Fossil fuels — those like petroleum , natural gas and coal — do . Because they ’ re reliable , for now . And reliability is key to the way forward .
To cross the finish line of its ambitious goal , SMUD must reconfigure its remaining three power plants . That depends on technologies that aren ’ t scalable yet . “ We ’ re exploring biofuels and looking at hydrogen or other resources to be able to run through the plants instead of natural gas , and we ’ re also exploring carbon capture , carbon sequestration . In all honesty , I think that the biofuels get us to the absolute zero ,” Anguay says . While biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel are primarily plant-based and burn cleaner than fossil fuels , their production has its own set of environmental consequences , such as deforestation and the perpetuation of monocultures that reduce biodiversity , compete with food production , and tax water and land resources .
Anguay says SMUD is involved with research and development projects on biofuels , carbon capture technology and long-duration energy storage , inhouse as well as in partnership with organizations such as the Electric Power Research Institute in Washington , D . C .
Long-duration energy storage ( above four hours ) is considered to be a key to the state ’ s clean energy goals , but it ’ s still a relatively new technology that isn ’ t yet scalable for large commercial use . The cost to build the infrastructure and operate the system still outweighs the savings generated by replacing current energy generators such as power plants . While the lithium-ion battery has been the front-running technology for long-duration storage , some believe the
Nick Rarick , an electrical engineer , works on building an electronic power conversion board in a workshop at Terzo Power Systems in El Dorado Hills . PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES
goal will be best met with a multitude of options that offer flexibility in terms of cost , efficiencies , technologies and suitability to different regions . The state may be getting closer to that . In October 2020 , eight California public energy agencies jointly put out a request for offers for a 10-year contract for long-duration storage technologies . They received bids for 18 different kinds of technology , but without legislative policy to support long-duration storage the investment may be too great of a risk .
SMUD is also partnering with Open Systems International to develop a control system that enables a virtual
power plant . Modernized grids will accommodate diverse sources of energy generation rather than energy that is solely produced by electric utilities , and that energy will not only flow out to customers but also from customers back to the grid .
“ Our industry hasn ’ t changed in the last 100 years as much as it has in the last five to 10 years . And so the way our customers are using energy is changing and we need to make sure that our infrastructure , our grid , can support the different manner in which they use energy ,” says Bradford , of Roseville Electric . Examples of
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