Demonstrating Near-Carbon-Free Electricity Generation from Renewables and Storage

摘要

The declining cost of solar and wind electricity generation and large-scale electricity storage systems1 suggests that carbon-free electricity generation will soon be commercially competitive with thermal generation particularly in regions with a price on carbon emissions. Public expectations are high; California is requiring 33% renewable electricity by 2020 and 60% by 2030. In September 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 100, mandating that 100% of the state's electricity come from renewable and zero-carbon sources by 2045.2 California's investor-owned utilities have already contracted for 1.5 GW of energy storage in response to the California Public Utilities Commission's requirement that they procure at least 1.3 GW of energy storage by 2020. This corresponds to 4.5 GWh, assuming the storage is provided by Li-ion batteries with 3 h; today, U.S. Today Li-ion annual vehicle battery production capacity is 3.8 GWh, and worldwide capacity is 52 GWh. Bloomberg NEF projects that the battery storage market could grow to $620 billion by the year 2040.3