Energy policy and transmission

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 encouraged investment in electric transmission and provided the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) with "backstop" siting authority under certain circumstances. Transmission operators responded by rapidly increasing their already aggressive transmission expansion efforts and incorporating "economic" projects in their plans. Economic transmission projects are those projects whose purpose extends beyond the ability to enhance reliability.

The Department of Energy also pushed for massive grid build-outs to promote wind generation and lower energy costs on the east coast. Conceptual plans were put in place that consider transforming the entire mid-section of the United States from North Dakota to Texas and Nevada to Ohio into a massive wind energy facility. Delivery of the power to the east and west coast states would require 19,000 miles of new 765 kv transmission lines towering 200 feet tall criss-crossing the Country. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) introduced legislation this month that envisions a green-powered electricity transmission system to move the country in the direction of more renewables. But few in the public understand the massive scale - both in costs and impacts - should Reid's legislative concept gain traction.

The National "green" grid system was the topic of several presentations at the 12th annual Midwest Energy Conference in Chicago March 4-5 sponsored by the Midwest Chapter of the Energy Bar Association. The keynote speaker, FERC Commissioner Marc Spitzer, delivered a clear message to conference attendees that the states needed to take steps to support the plan or risk the federal government imposing siting decisions for them.

The message was sobering.

Windaction.org's executive director, Lisa Linowes presented her response to the proposed National grid in a slide presentation entitled "Transmission to Everywhere". In short, Windaction.org encouraged energy policy representatives to begin differentiating between the different forms of renewable energy with particular focus on those renewables best able to meet peak demand and/or be built closer to load. If the renewables subsidies can be adjusted to reward base load renewables the right market signals would be sent that would discourage the building of intermittent, unpredictable sources in remote locations and the need for thousands of miles of new transmission would diminish.

Windaction.org wishes to thank the Midwest Energy Bar Association for inviting us to participate at their conference. Ms. Linowes received a very positive response to her recommendations suggesting that those outside of Washington, DC have not fully vetted their grid ideas and that more public engagement is needed.