Page 36 - CARILEC CE Journal Nov 21

ways you would like to be engaged? In goal setting, no sustainable way to provide balancing or even
there are often interim goals set for solar, wind, baseload in a world where renewables now takes
or storage. It’s less often that we see interim goals over for the baseload. So, while I say the possibility
set for thermal. Should there be interim goals? If certainly exists for thermal to be phased out, it
so, from a broad perspective, what types of goals might not happen in our lifetime, or any time soon,
would be helpful and necessary to think about as but considering the developments and where the
the energy supply in many countries is shifting over technologies are going, it certainly creates the
the years? possibility that renewables will now be the new
baseload for the future. Having said that, we have to
FP: I think Murray will be better suited to answer be careful about how we make such statements. The
this question being on the grid side. However, I think facts are that today batteries are not enough in an
to start, you will probably depend on the existing area where you are trying to have huge renewable
infrastructure, the existing location, the geographical penetration. We are still seeing as a fact today
landscape. There are several things that will affect that without traditional thermal, and for us, we’re
how fast you can integrate renewables. You can’t talking flexible thermal, not thermal planned to be
decide on a number, in my opinion, just because baseload because that’s gone. The thermal of the
it’s a great number. The grid must support the future has to be flexible, with the ability to work with
integration of renewables. Consider the economics, the renewable penetration most governments are
can the country afford to have the necessary energy planning for the future.
storage to allow for the integration of renewables? Is
there enough land available to integrate renewables? CB: I’m interested in hearing your thoughts
There are many things to consider. regarding this audience question:
We need to have thermal; we need to have it be
MS: Yes, you’ve nailed the issues that we face as flexible, we need planning, we need to take a holistic
a utility trying to develop renewables. Specifically view, and decide what is the role of thermal as we’re
to the question, yes, the goals for thermal are not developing large electricity supply diversification
necessarily the same as set for renewables. Such plans. If we get to 80% renewables instead of 100%,
as, we want X% of thermal energy. I think the goals or even 75%, engines will not be running as much. Is
to be set for thermal are determined by what is the it worth making upgrades today? From your vantage
most efficient way and least-carbon-intensive way of point, looking at assets and how you manage them,
providing thermal generation that is flexible and can how do you consider investments in light of some of
effectively support the renewable integration that the government goals where you operate?
everybody wants and that we’re all driving towards.
EP: Investment in a new thermal plant, typically the
The goals are not so much to say, okay, we want design life, is anywhere between 25 to 30 years. So
to put in X MW of thermal generation. It’s what whatever you decide to do now you should be able to
do we need to support our program of getting hold well with the future. Having said that, it is a big
renewables in. We understand that Wartsila supports decision, however, it’s a need as we see it now. Those
the philosophy of having reciprocating engines, are the facts. Yes, you can look toward installing
potentially some working on gas and support 80% renewable in your system, but please consider
infrastructure for renewable development. It’s less the time after the hurricane passes and there is no
setting a thermal goal as it is planning. It comes down sunshine or wind, and there is an extended period
to long-term planning and how do we support the of no sunshine or no wind, no water, we still need
infrastructure. How do we support our renewable something, to replace that 80% of renewables that
energy development targets? just went out of your system. What we’re saying
today, thermal is still the best option for that because
EP: It’s only a matter of time that the traditional batteries are still not economically feasible to rely
means of generating, as in thermal, will somehow on over an extended period of time for storage. We
go away. However, while we state that, a lot needs have seen that the more renewables you install, you
to happen for that to occur. First of all, there is still also need to look at a parallel amount of thermal.

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