
Solar Delivers Far More Than Renewable Energy - Breadmaker
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/shout-it-from-the-rooftops-solar-delivers-far-more-than-renewable-energy
======
howard941
Some media (not greentech which is pretty good) have a hard time explaining
the problem from the utility side. There are valid utility side issues much as
I hate the electric company as much as everyone else.

This piece missed an opportunity to deal with these utility-side problems. How
to pay for the grid side modernization that's needed to prevent grid
destabilization as intermittent producers start to exceed the 5% figure most
utility people find is the point where grid instability becomes a real
problem.

Forward-looking states like California and Hawaii, particularly California by
way of Rule 21 [0], seem to have found the proper technical balance by
requiring new producers to install equipment that provides "grid support"
power intelligently with constant 2 way communications rather than looser
"grid interactive" standards where if the grid is on frequency and the voltage
is within tolerance it's like an open spigot.

What remains are problems to solve at the utility side. Who'll pick up the tab
for the utility-side communications and dispatch enhancements needed effect
use of the grid support features? How to incentivize the utilities to quicken
adoption of these enhancements, given that utilities never plan on timelines
shorter than 10 years?

[0] for ex
[https://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/equipment/inverters.php](https://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/equipment/inverters.php)

