7.26.24 - The Hudson becomes the link in the two power grids
It was the hottest of summers, it was the coolest of summers, it was the age of energy consumption, it was the age of conservation, it was the epoch of innovation, it was the epoch of status quo.
In our age of ever increasing complexity, polarization, and extreme weather events, finding ways to bridge gaps and build flexibility into our lives becomes crucial.
That’s the challenge for New York State’s electrical power infrastructure. It has been a “tale of two grids.” The electrical grid in upstate New York already utilizes about 90 percent of renewable energy sources and is far less reliant on fossil fuels to supply power. For New York City, the exact inverse is true. Importantly, the two grids are also largely separate.
Local temperatures last week – the hottest of the year so far – reached the mid-90s with a ‘real feel’ of more than 100 degrees. Homes and businesses had fans and air conditioners running continuously to beat the heat. The reverberations on the electrical grids are numerous.
Such increasing demands for power strain the existing electrical grids, increase the risk of power outages and also exacerbate all the environmental complications of energy production and delivery. The growing demand will make it all the more challenging to meet New York State’s already tough commitment to become 100 percent carbon-free by 2040, as set by the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.