Variable Views in Spain, US on Gas Use to Backup Renewables

摘要

The US might want to take some lessons from Spain when it comes to using gas-fired plants to provide backup power for intermittent renewables such as solar and wind power. Spain for the first time overtook Germany as Europe's leading producer of wind energy in 2010, and it did so with less wind capacity installed — and lower utilization of gas plants. The US, in contrast, will need more preparation for gas-fired backup electricity if renewable energy is to see rapid growth in the coming years, warns a new ICF International study commissioned by the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (Ingaa).