Building a Modern Grid: Increasing Reliability and Efficiency

The New Jersey Energy Master Plan (EMP) Committee is hosting a meeting titled “Building a Modern Grid,” which explores the utilization of new and developing technologies to allow the affordable distribution of energy to all customer classes. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, released the following statement:

“Modernizing New Jersey’s grid should include making the grid more reliable, flexible, efficient, and sustainable. Part of this includes overhauling the utility model as a whole. As we move towards a future of renewable energy, strengthening our power and energy grid is going to become necessary. We must be able to not only create energy with solar and wind power, but store and distribute it as well. We must also consider the increasing storm effects because of climate change, and how we’re strengthening our grid against those effects. Having a stronger energy grid will allow us to better adapt to the effects of climate change and provide an easier transition on our way to 100% renewable energy by 2050.

“There are different ways we can work to modernize New Jersey’s grid. One way to do this is by investing in smart meters and smart thermostats. These can help encourage people to use energy during off-peak times, resulting in less stress on the grid during peak hours. Another method to modernize the grid is by using net metering. Net metering allows electricity customers who generate their own electricity from renewable energy to bank their excess electricity in the form of kilowatt hour credits. We can improve net metering in New Jersey by increasing the capacity threshold.

“We also must work to make the grid more responsive. One way to do this is through battery storage. Battery storage will allow the grid to be more responsive to brownouts and blackouts without having to increase power, especially from dirty sources like gas power plants. We also need to consider updated technology such as direct currents for long-distance generation, DC lines instead of AC lines, and distributive generation, which allows energy to travel both ways along the grid. Tying distributive generation to renewable energy is even better for our environment and health.

“Micro-grids can provide efficient clean energy and local resiliency and stability for New Jersey. BPU should link micro-grids to renewable energy. Microgrids are important because they help guard against blackouts and make us more resilient. More importantly, they’re tied to distributive generation such as solar, wind, and combined heat and power to help reduce air pollution. Microgrid efforts are being proposed to prevent power outages like the ones experiences after Hurricane Sandy. This could mean that facilities powered by microgrids can help provide shelter during natural disasters.

“Power lines are another problem for our grid and we need to make them more affordable and efficient. Better insulation and more efficient substations will reduce the amount of power lost through these lines during transport. Utilities should also consider building their lines underground. During storm events, downed trees can take out lines completely. This can’t happen if the line is secured below ground. However, many utilities don’t want to do this because it won’t make them as much money as building them above-ground. We need to look at new technology to replace these large and dangerous powerlines that lead to more money for energy companies and more pollution for the people of New Jersey.

“We need our utilities to undertake major updates including replacing older and vulnerable lines and putting lines underground to prevent blackouts in the first place. Some of these lines fall down every year. Every time a line goes down, the companies make more money fixing the line rather than redoing it underground where it would be safer. They get a 12-14% return and can charge overtime. They won’t make this kind of money if the lines are underground. Their bondholders should be paying for these improvements, not the ratepayers. The Hudson Transmission Partners transmission line between New Jersey and New York City has not only proven to be a bad investment but has actually cost hundreds of millions of dollars in additional costs.  The proposed line from Salem to Maryland would undermine renewable energy and cause more problems for the grid while costing taxpayers more money.

“Investing in energy efficiency is an important way to reduce pressure on our energy grid. We need to help weatherize people’s homes by air sealing, improving ventilation, or adding insulation. This is also one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce greenhouse gasses and air pollution. For every dollar invested by a homeowner they save $4 and for every dollar invested by a business they save $16. These important standards could save consumers $11 billion dollars and prevent 25 million metric tonnes of climate pollution. Energy efficiency also reduces peak power needs and therefore saves people money and reduces pressure on the grid during these times.

“When it comes to allowing the affordable distribution of energy to all customer classes, we must consider community solar programs and expanded net metering. This allows those who can not invest in solar power on their own either because of economic or infrastructural barriers. Community solar allows any ratepayer to subscribe to an off-site solar installation. We ideally want at least 20% set aside for community solar in New Jersey and for the state to remove the size cap it has for these community projects to allow for larger projects that can extend to whole neighborhoods and even towns. We also need to remove the cap on the size of the systems themselves. We hope to expand beyond 50 MW a year to at least 100 MW a year as well and ideally 150 MW a year.

“We should also be targeting renewable energy and green jobs to environmental justice and low-income communities because they need it the most. We must help urban communities by putting panels on brownfields and rooftops and creating opportunities for them to use electric vehicles that plug into the grid. If we strengthen New Jersey’s grid we can make the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy easier and quicker. We can provide clean energy for people from all walks of life and all areas of the state. We can also help protect ourselves from future storm events.”