Drops in solar and wind energy production, also known as energy droughts, could potentially last for hours in the Pacific Northwest. New research is aimed at helping grid planners better understand these energy gaps and where solutions, like battery storage, could be best utilized.
A study by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that Oregon and Washington could experience energy droughts, but noted that those hits to energy production could happen less frequently than other parts of the nation.
Solar panels and wind turbines work to create clean electric power, at Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility, May 24, 2022. Portland General Electric partnered with NextEra Energy Resources to build a first-of-its-kind facility that will use an innovative battery technology that supporters are calling a “game changer” for Oregon’s renewable energy transition.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
“For solar energy, it would be when it’s…
