California will focus on solar thermal power generation

According to the latest data published by CPUC, the renewable energy used after 2002 was 28,844 GWh (GWh), of which only about 1,300 GWh. However, the installed capacity of projects that have been approved and are currently under development is 30,505 GWh, of which solar photovoltaic is about 10,300 GWh and solar thermal power is about 17,100 GWh.

The actual installed capacity will be affected by the market trend. Comparing the status quo with the basic examples, we can see that solar photovoltaic power generation has made some progress, but on the other hand, the construction of solar thermal power generation is relatively slow. There is currently a shift from solar thermal projects to photovoltaics, and the initial public offering of well-known companies, such as solar thermal power generation company, has been postponed. Companies are waiting to see if the world’s largest solar thermal power project “Ivanpah” will succeed.

The large-scale use of renewable energy requires additional transmission lines. California established the Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative to analyze the feasibility of using renewable energy and building a transmission grid in 30 districts across the state. At present, it is exploring which areas should be developed first and the construction of transmission lines. California Independent System Operators that develop transmission investment plans are reassessing their transmission plans every year to ensure reliability and promote the adoption of renewable energy.

In Japan, which actively promotes the use of renewable energy sources, this transparent transmission line plan can be used as a reference. The United States is also faced with many problems such as the need to obtain the consent of the landowners and the adjustment of the cost burden in the construction of transmission lines, and its solution has been slow to see progress.

There has also been a trend to re-evaluate the advantages of decentralized power supplies. In March, CPUC released a survey on distributed solar power generation. The decentralized solar power generation capacity without the addition of transmission lines was calculated.

Currently, if a dispersed power source with a capacity exceeding 15% of the peak demand of the substation is used, a detailed grid-connected investigation is required, which has become an obstacle for enterprises to enter the field. The report pointed out that if the existing rules are reduced to the level of "prohibition of power backflow," the maximum amount of dispersible power sources can be expanded from 7,000 megawatts to 15,000 megawatts. Although there are technical issues, the installation capacity will change greatly depending on the grid connection rules. This is of great concern.