Michael Giberson
In January we noted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s questions concerning the integration of “variable energy resources” to the electric power grid. FERC asked for comments; over 120 comments have been submitted in reply (so far). Peter Behr, of ClimateWire, characterizes some of the positions submitted in the FERC inquiry in an article available at NYTimes.com. Behr said more than 2,800 pages worth of comments have been sent to FERC on the issue.
The fundamental issue is whether or not current industry practices unnecessarily discriminate against variable power sources such as wind and solar. Behr said, “This debate opens another front in the continuing, behind-the-scenes struggle between the renewable power sector and some of the electricity industry’s old guard, whose historic ways of doing business are now under challenge.”