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“Until just a few years ago, the use of utility-scale battery storage was not apparent,” said Max Pyziur, EPRINC’s Research Director. “But some combination of Renewable Portfolio Standards coupled with commercial and operational needs such as frequency regulation, price arbitrage across periods throughout the day, and storage of excess wind and solar power generation have driven its development rapidly (https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50176).”
Growth: U.S. utility-scale battery storage systems have grown rapidly to 20,710 megawatts (MWs) in 2024 from 1,570 MWs in 2020; annualized, this is a rate of 90.6%. Through 2030, plans are in place for U.S. utility-scale battery systems to expand to 30,500 MWs (16.3% yearly)
On November 1, 2024, the Energy Policy Research hosted the second installment of the popular Electricity Series Workshops, entitled “Challenges in Meeting Surging U.S. Power Demand.”
The purpose of the workshop series is to develop a careful understanding of the growing risks to the resiliency of the US electric power system, the forces driving rising power demand and electricity prices, and proposals for cost-effective regulatory reforms that can bolster the long-term viability of the U.S. electric power system. A background discussion paper can be found here.
This virtual workshop featured presentations on the rising demand for power (from data centers, EVs, manufacturing) and some perspectives on the lost opportunities should electricity become much more expensive and much less reliable. The agenda for the workshop is here.
The presentations given at this workshop can be found attached at the bottom of this post.
Background Materials:
The first meeting in this series (on August 2, 2024) looked at risks to the power sector with presentations by Thomas Popik (Foundation for Resilient Societies), Isaac Orr (formerly of the American Experiment), Michelle Foss (Rice) and Max Pyziur (EPRINC). These presentations can be found here.
The Energy Policy Research Foundation has initiated its Electric Power Vision 2030 project, which is detailed further in this document. Alongside internal research into electric power demand and the effects of electrification on energy policy and US economics, the project also includes a series of workshops. The first workshop took place on August 2, 2024 and included presentations from a panel of very knowledgable speakers: Max Pyziur (Energy Policy Research Foundation), Michelle Foss (Rice University Baker Institute), Isaac Orr (Always On Energy Research) and Thomas Popik (Foundation for Resilient Societies). Those presentations can be found attached to this post.
To examine the effects of such a transition in energy economies, the Energy Policy Research has conducted an analysis of the CAFE rules implications on potential wait times at charging stations over the next 25 years. This briefing gives an overview of this topic and provides historical context, a discussion of key regulatory tools, a formal analysis of potential wait times in the absence of sufficient charging facilities, and concludes with a set of recommendations for policymakers.
The Energy Policy Research Foundation has published this interactive chart as a result of their research into the IEA critical minerals data.
Michael Lynch, Energy Policy Research Foundation Distinguished Fellow and President of Strategic Energy & Economic Research, has published a short piece in Forbes entitled “Vermont’s Attack On Big Oil Is Pandering Not Climate Policy“. In this piece, he examines Vermont’s decision to pass a bill intended to charge oil companies for the damage climate change has caused and the implications of that decison.
EPRINC Director of Research Programs Max Pyziur was featured in a story in Scripps News written by John Mone. In the piece, Pyziur provides commentary on the IEA’s predictions of an imminent glut in oil production capacity in its recent report.
One of Pyziur’s quotes is below:
Max Pyziur, the research director for the Energy Policy Research Foundation, said, “Electrical generation from intermittent resources such as solar and wind, I see that as being very difficult to commission. Consequently, you’re going to continue to need to rely on oil and gas and coal for the duration.”
We’re excited to present to you our latest video on global LNG terminal capacity. The animation delves into the significance of LNG for securing and diversifying energy supplies, while also highlighting its positive impact on the US trade balance.
This video is part of the Foundation’s ongoing animation series on critical topics in energy security and energy transition.
EPRINC Distinguished Fellow Michael Lynch has published another piece in Forbes, entitled “Oil Companies Should Listen To Activists—But Skeptically“. Click the link to read the full article on the Forbes website! A PDF of the piece can be found here.
In an interview with Kevin Killough for Just the News, EPRINC’s Max Pyziur discusses the formidable efficiency gains that have been made by data centers helping to deliver increasing loads while questions remain as to their future electricity demand growth. The article, “America’s electricity grid is stressed, and new data centers may put even bigger demands on it“, was published February 18, 2024.
On Tuesday, December 5 2023, Energy Policy Research hosted a workshop called: “Pathways to Net Zero: Electric Power and EVs”. The workshop consisted of two panels to address the central tasks necessary to proceed with an energy transition that relies upon a rapid electrification of the national economy. We expect our attendees to participate in the discussion. Experts that are undertaking assessments on operational risks to the national grid from EPA energy mandates and the acceleration in power demand for EVs and other electrification proposals participated, as well as representatives from the automotive industry.
Our existing assessments on “Net Zero” have outlined cost risks, technology constraints, and regulatory obstacles for a rapid build out of the electric grid, including power requirements to meet demand from the expansion of EVs. Sound policy will require a careful understanding of the challenges ahead.
An agenda from the workshop is here, and some of the presentations that were given at the workshop can be found below.
EPRINC Trustee Larry Goldstein was quoted in two separate articles, one by CNBC and one by the New York Times, on the topics of the recent acquisitions by oil majors ExxonMobil and Chevron. Links to the articles are below:
CNBC – Why Exxon and Chevron are doubling down on fossil fuel energy with big acquisitions by Cat Clifford
Larry Goldstein (larryg@eprinc.org) is an internationally recognized authority on petroleum markets, and has extensive advisory relationships with energy companies, research institutes, and government agencies. He is a former president of the Petroleum Industry Research Foundation (PIRINC) now the Energy Policy Research Foundation (EPRINC), its successor organization, and continues to be on EPRINC’s Board of Trustees. He was a founder and president of the PIRA Energy Group, a major energy consulting firm that was acquired by S&P Global in 2016.
On Monday October 23, 2o23, RealClear Energy published an article titled “Streamline the Regulatory Process to Expedite U.S. LNG Exports”, coauthored by EPRINC President Lucian Pugliaresi and President & CEO of The USLNG Association (“LNG Allies”) Fred Hutchison. In the article, they make a strong case against “the current slow pace of the Department of Energy’s U.S. LNG export authorizations to countries with which the U.S. does not have a free trade agreement (FTA) that includes natural gas—which, by the way, includes all of Europe, including the United Kingdom and Türkiye.” They argue that “U.S. LNG exports are making substantial contributions to U.S. trade balances and domestic employment and bolstering the energy security of our allies. The disruption of pipeline gas shipments to Europe following the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a severe blow to European economic growth and security.”
The full article can be found on the RealClear Energy website, here.
On October 23, EPRINC Director of Energy Transition Research Batt Odgerel presented at the American Energy Transition Forum. His presentation, titled “Understanding the Cost, Risk, and Scale Challenge of the Net Zero Transition”, can be found here.
According to the American Energy Transition Forum’s website:
“The American Energy Transition Forum will explore the tools and technologies which will propel this decarbonization journey. The event will gather like-minded stakeholders from the public, business, scientific and innovation sectors. The event will tackle various decarbonization pathways, such as expansion of renewable energy production, carbon capture and storage technology, hydrogen, ammonia and advanced biofuels. Although one of the ultimate goals seems to be fossil fuel substitution with renewables, such sources of energy as LNG cannot be left out as part of successful energy transition. In addition to energy resources, such important areas as climate-tech investments, digitized solutions for energy transition acceleration, energy efficiency and many more topics crucial to the decarbonization journey will be addressed at the event.”
On Wednesday, October 18 2023, EPRINC President Lucian Pugliaresi participated in the Hudson Institute’s panel discussion entitled: “The Arab Oil Embargo 50 Years Later: Lessons Learned and Missed Opportunities”. Specifically, Lou was a member of the panel that focused on “Lessons Learned” from the embargo.
A recording of the event and more information about the discussion are available on the Hudson Institute’s website, here.
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