Using Overbuilding + Curtailment to Achieve 100% Clean Electricity

As part of the Minnesota Solar Pathways project, Clean Power Research analyzed alternative pathways to achieving 100% renewable energy production across the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) service territory. The resulting Solar Potential Analysis—MISO Region showed that overbuilding plus curtailment of PV and wind resources was the most cost-effective implementation strategy. Overbuilding + curtailment acts as “implicit storage” enabling these resources to deliver 100%-ready power 24/365 without fail while using only a small affordable fraction of the seasonal storage reserves that would be required otherwise.

In this webinar, hosted by the Clean Energy States Alliance, lead analyst Marc Perez discussed the project’s findings and referred to similar projects that he has conducted for other locations around the world. Brian Ross, Senior Program Director at the Great Plains Institute, who served as lead facilitator for the project’s Technical Committee, discussed some of the challenges and solutions for implementing an overbuilding + curtailment approach.

This webinar was presented by CESA on behalf of the 100% Clean Energy Collaborative.