Written on: December 23, 2024
If electric heat pumps, electric cars and other electrified appliances are to lower greenhouse gas emissions, then the grid electricity that powers them needs to be a lot cleaner. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, our country’s power industry accounts for roughly one-third of U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.
Today’s power grids are still overwhelmingly dependent on coal, natural gas and other generation sources that render them far from green. How can we make the electricity we use more eco-friendly without sacrificing reliability or vastly increasing the cost of our electrical power? Unfortunately, this process of decarbonizing our grids requires clearing some significant hurdles.
To understand the challenge of making American electricity greener. We need to look at how we generate our power right now. Here’s a breakdown of our current generation sources:
| Generation Source | Percentage of U.S Electrical Generation |
|---|---|
| Natural Gas | 43.1% |
| Nuclear | 18.6% |
| Coal | 16.2% |
| Wind | 10.2% |
| Hydroelectric | 5.7% |
| Solar | 3.9% |
| Biomass | 1.1% |
| Petroleum and other | 0.8% |
| Geothermal | 0.4% |
[Source: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/electricity-in-the-us.php]
Much of the advancement in lowering the carbon intensity of the grid over recent decades has involved moving plants from coal to natural gas. But many electrification advocates want to push out all fossil fuels in favor of wind and solar generation.
However, there are some significant issues with this. Traditional generation sources like natural gas, coal and nuclear can be deployed when demand requires more power, which we often see on the hottest winter days when homes are running their air conditioning systems. Wind and solar are contingent on external conditions, which may not coincide with demand. Moreover, battery storage is not where it needs to be to store solar and wind-generated electricity for use during peak periods.
Plus, there will undoubtedly be more peak demand periods if home heating shifts dramatically from traditional oil and gas systems to electric heat pumps. Similarly, more EVs will cause surges in demand — and that’s before you account for the fact our grids are already struggling to meet the demand of power-thirsty data centers powering AI.
Efforts to add more wind and solar generation have run into a series of logistical and budgetary roadblocks:
Implementation of wind and solar projects is hampered by an interconnection bottleneck. Because these renewable generation sources are intermittent and not always located where the demand is, there are tremendous challenges in safely and reliably transmitting the power.
Recent projections have found that at least $20 trillion will be needed to update power grids and make them renewable. These costs will likely fall on consumers in the form of higher rates and more infrastructure fees. And that’s before the added cost of electrifying buildings and switching to EVs.
Faced with the massive challenges and high costs of decarbonizing our grids, it’s clear that Americans need a broader climate plan that involves more than just electrifying everything.
Low-carbon bio-energy — including not only renewable propane but also biodiesel, renewable diesel, biofuel-blended heating oil and renewable natural gas — is an essential pathway to lower the carbon impact of buildings and vehicles today. Homeowners, motorists, municipalities and businesses can now employ these green energy sources without modifying their equipment.
There’s also a strong role propane and renewable propane can play in generating green electricity, including micro-grids, EV-charging stations, and combined heat and power. It needs to be an integral part of our nation’s broader decarbonization strategy.
For more information about the role renewable propane is playing in making our homes, businesses and roadways greener, please consider becoming a member of the Renewable Propane Alliance