CL-August 2024 - 18

CUTTING EDGE
Renewable power sources
such as solar and wind farms
are increasingly used to
supply electricity.
Preventing Gridlock
The diff erence between baseload and intermittent power
by Scott Flood, Contributing Columnist
I
t's one of those incredibly hot
days when even the air becomes
unbearable. You crank up the air
conditioner on the way home from
work, and the fi rst thing you do when
you get home is turn the thermostat
down a couple of degrees.
Th roughout your area and the entire
region, thousands of other people are
responding the same way. Every air
conditioner and fan starts working at
full speed to keep everyone cool and
comfortable. Th e end of the workday
creates a massive surge in the amount of
electricity needed to meet the demand,
and it's up to the people who oversee
the operation of North America's power
grid to make sure there's an adequate
amount to keep you comfortable.
Th e national electric grid gathers and
distributes power from many sources,
including power plants that convert
fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil
into electricity; nuclear power plants;
and renewable energy sources, such as
wind turbines, solar farms, hydroelectric
dams and even landfi lls. Th e electricity
supplied from all of these sources is
categorized as baseload, peaking or
intermediate power.
When the demand for electricity
shiſt s - either gradually or suddenly
- grid operators turn to either
intermediate or peaking power plants.
Th ese plants are designed to start up
quickly and adapt their power output
to meet the varying demand. In most
cases, peaking plants supply more
frequent and sudden changes, whereas
intermediate plants supply more
gradual or slower changes.
Because intermittent power
Our electric grid
gathers and
distributes
power from many
sources.
sources like wind and solar depend
on unpredictable weather conditions,
they can't be relied upon to deliver
predictable and constant baseload
power. Th is is why changes in
electricity demand are usually met with
intermediate or peaking generation
powered by more traditional sources
like natural gas. If co-ops and other
electric utilities switched completely
to intermittent sources, they likely
wouldn't be able to meet consumers'
needs for reliable power.
Renewable energy technologies
are always improving, however. One
promising technology involves the
development of energy-storage devices
16 * Cooperative Living * August 2024
Reliable power is essential
for everyday life.
such as batteries that can be used to
store excess power generated by wind
and solar so it's available even when
the weather isn't cooperating. While
that technology is advancing, it's still
evolving, and large-scale use of such
batteries is many years away. Batteries
also require large amounts of elements
such as lithium that must be mined,
creating additional environmental
concerns.
While electric co-ops are working
hard to shiſt to environmentally
friendlier sources, the realities of
diff ering power needs are why most
maintain a diverse mix of energy sources
and fuels. Electric co-op members can
help by taking steps to reduce their own
energy use. For example, switching to
more effi cient lighting and appliances
will not only reduce your monthly
electric bill, but also reduce the amount
of electricity that's needed.
Contact your local electric co-op
to learn more about practical ways you
can use less electricity without sacrifi cing
comfort and convenience. Th e less power
we all use, the less the power producers
will have to generate.
*
Scott Flood writes for the National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association.
co-opliving.com
http://www.co-opliving.com
CL-August 2024

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