Conditions that usually accompany the kind of intense hot and cold weather that strains power grids may also provide greater opportunities to capture solar and wind energy.
Conditions that usually accompany the kind of intense hot and cold weather that strains power grids may also provide greater opportunities to capture solar and wind energy.
A Washington State University-led study found that widespread, extreme temperature events are often accompanied by greater solar radiation and higher wind speeds that could be captured by solar panels and wind turbines. The research, which looked at extensive heat and cold waves across the six interconnected energy grid regions of the U.S. from 1980–2021, also found that every region experienced power outages during these events in the past decade.
The findings, detailed in the journal Environmental Research Letters, suggest that using more renewable energy at these times could help offset increased power demand as more people and businesses turn on heaters or air conditioners.
Read more at: Washington State University
Photo Credit: Bob Hubner/WSU Photo Services.
