I'm writing in response to Alan Forbes' guest column, "Solar panels should not be allowed in a historic district." (Opinion, January 25). With all due respect to Mr. Forbes, much of what he writes is incorrect and represents a misunderstanding of solar energy and how the district grid works.
Every kilowatt-hour produced by solar panels connected to the distribution system will be used to provide electricity to someone; — Who uses electricity in the production of solar energy? This solar energy offsets the need to produce the same amount of energy in other ways. The more solar energy is produced, the less energy is needed from other sources.
All of us in New England, when connected to a local utility, are in turn connected to the New England Regional Power Grid. The power plants in this system serve the aggregate demand for electricity in the New England region, not individual customers. The generated electricity is then transported through the transmission system to distribution facilities, which in turn deliver electricity to homes, businesses and other end users. While it's theoretically possible to track power from a single source until it's consumed, in reality it's a useless practice, except for those whose job it is to keep the grid balanced; providing energy needs in everyone. The area, as this demand fluctuates throughout the day, can be satisfied with the energy and the ability to supply this energy to the area. According to Forbes, if all the rooftops in Portsmouth were equipped with solar panels, the energy produced would more than offset the need for electricity from the Seabrook nuclear power plant. Because this power plant is connected to the grid through several high-voltage transmission lines, it will be consumed elsewhere in New England, reducing the need for fossil fuel energy.
Mr. Forbes is simply wrong when he writes that solar energy will not affect the amount of electricity produced by other sources, especially gas turbines. Gas turbine power plants connected to the regional system regularly operate in "acceleration" or "peak" mode. Rotating power plants, including gas turbines, are typically dispatched by grid operators to adjust their output based on real-time power demand. During times of high demand, these plants can be turned on quickly to provide additional capacity, and during times of low demand, they can be slowed down or turned off.
This feature makes them suitable for responding to changes in electricity demand, which can fluctuate throughout the day. Therefore, increasing the use of solar panels on residential roofs clearly helps to reduce the use of fossil fuel energy, including gas turbines, during the daytime when solar energy production is at its peak. By offsetting the need for electricity from fossil fuels such as natural gas, solar energy reduces carbon emissions and reduces reliance on non-renewable resources. In fact, the growth of solar energy production in New England is a major factor in the recent shutdown of many coal-fired power plants in the region and one reason for the questionable economic viability and continued exploitation of waste. . power plants. Coal-fired power plant. In the bow.
This does not mean that there is a problem with the solar panels on the roof. Solar energy is a volatile source. it only produces energy when the sun is shining. The rest of the time, the solar rooftop house gets its energy from the grid and fossil fuel sources. A better solution that should be encouraged is a combination of battery and solar storage on the roof so that the extra energy generated during the day can be stored and used to power the home when the sun is not shining. Hopefully this will become more common as battery prices continue to fall, or as more people own EVs and can use them in the evenings.
Ultimately, the history of solar initiatives in Portsmouth, both within the historic district and beyond, is positive and certainly beneficial for our future.
Gary Eppler of Portsmouth is the former chief regulatory counsel for Unitel Corp. Prior to joining Unitil, he served as General Counsel for the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission. He currently consults with several environmental organizations. He has more than forty years of experience in the electric power and gas industry. The opinions expressed here are his own.
This article originally appeared in the Portsmouth Herald. Eppler. Rooftop solar panels help protect the climate and reduce the need for fossil fuels
