Session 15, Thursday, 27 January at 1:30 PM

As renewable energy becomes more prevalent, thought must be given to the impacts of this shift in power generation. As we move towards 100% generation from renewables, how can we ensure we will have the resources needed at critical times?

For this Presidential Session, moderated by Dr. Jeff Freedman (co-Chair of the 13th Conference on Weather, Climate, and the New Energy Economy) a panel composed of experts from the utility and atmospheric science communities will discuss the issues confronting grid reliance with deeper penetration of renewables in the context of a changing climate:

1.  How to guarantee firm generation/firm pricing: how much overbuilding is necessary, what is the “sweet spot” mix of wind/solar?

2.  What is the optimal electric system with renewables, what sort of meteorological information will be needed, and on what spatial and temporal scales for that system?

3.  Are there different ways for meteorological products to be used under the 100% renewable energy generation - what information will be needed and at what spatial and temporal scales (e.g., household level)?