Plan connects U.S. grids to transport solar, wind

A proposal to use superconducting cables to transport renewable energy across the United States will be unveiled Tuesday.

The Tres Amigas Project would act as a hub to connect the three major electricity grids in the U.S. and a conduit for solar and wind power, according to a press release. New Mexico governor and former energy secretary Bill Richardson is expected to lay out the details of the plan at a press event in Alburquerque, N.M.

The U.S. has substantial renewable energy potential, such as wind power from the Midwest and solar in the southwest, but the bulk of electricity demand is far away from those resources. To take full advantage of the available renewable energy, more transmission lines need to be built, said Tres Amigas CEO Phil Harris, who used to head PJM Interconnection, the largest grid operator in the U.S.

(Credit: American Superconductor)

The Tres Amigas Project would act as a high-speed control point for the electricity generated by solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal resources. For example, when the wind turbines at night are generating more electricity than can be used in one grid, it could be transferred to another region.

The plan calls for using direct current superconducting cables from American Superconductor to transfer the electricity among the different regional grids--known as the Eastern Interconnection, the Western Interconnection, and the Texas Interconnection.

The idea of using high-temperature superconducting material in direct-current transmission lines was proposed more than a decade ago as a way to cut down on the loss of electricity that happens with traditional overhead alternating current cables. American Superconductor has used this technology with utilities in a handful of places over short distances.

The Tres Amigas plan calls for building a substation with three high-voltage converters able to connect up to five gigawatts, or 5,000 megawatts, worth of electricity from one grid to the others. Underground superconducting power cables would link the three terminals using direct current, rather than alternating current. Tres Amigas would act a broker, distributing and selling power among the three grids.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Jon Wellinghoff said that it is too early to endorse the project but added that FERC needs "more of these creative proposals to allow for more renewable-energy development." In addition to regulatory approval, the Tres Amigas plan needs financing to get off the ground. According to the Journal, the project could cost around $1 billion.

[garpsbrother]

This isn't my field, but from a strictly logistical point of view, this looks like a great idea. But from a monetary/economic point of view, who's going to pony up and make it happen?

[tinlizziedl]

It will have to be either the Federal government funding it and promising right-of-way (or whatever it's called) through emminent domain, or a consortium of state governments acting in concert. <br /> <br />I am very skeptical that we could see such a beastie in my lifetime (I'm only 35) due to the innumerable legal and legislative hurdles in its way. The feds would have to bulldoze states' rights to force it through. There are also way too darn many "nimby" idiots out there....

[texaslabrat]

Well 1) Let's wait to see the plan before we arbitrarily shoot it down. 2) Feds bulldozing state's rights? It's the state of NM that is a major partner in this..nothing needs to be "bulldozed". And 3) Have you ever been to Clovis, NM? I assure you..there's not much there and thus not much in the way of a NIMBY factor unless the cows get a vote. And just as in Roscoe, TX...I would imagine all the ranchers whose land is utilized in such a project (for the transmission lines coming in from the 3 grids) will probably get a royalty check so I'm pretty sure they'll get on board. But, like I said, lets wait for the detailed plan and go from there.

[xcopy]

Regarding your "nimby idiots" comment, what about the idiots that say "do whatever it takes, harm whatever and/or whomever you need to, just get it done"? What do you have to say about THOSE idiots?<br /><br />With logic like yours, we'd go from one ecological disaster to another, but I'm OK with it if we just destroy your property. Sign me up, we're coming to put a nuke in your living room. I can't wait to see you whine then, but it's going to be too bad for you because we decided to do it regardless of what you want...<br /><br />Regarding the original article, I think it's a possible, but not necessarily the best solution. Either way, it's time we cut the middle man out of the equation and make this a national priority. <br /><br />Solving the energy problems we face today, and will undoubtedly face in the next decade, are best not left those only interested in how they can skim off the top, which appears to be Tres Amigas' raison d'etre.

[dbargen]

Puh-lease. Do you really think they can really put a grid completely on wind power? I'm sure there are places where the wind blows almost all the time, but those are relatively few in number. Don't forget how much current is lost over distance here. <br /><br />If you greenies want clean energy everywhere, just reprocess some of the nuclear fuel and build a plant. There are many times fewer maintenance issues to deal with (think of all those moving parts!) not to mention the current grid system can carry the load. The turn-around time for execution would be much faster than this idea, not to mention private companies can actually afford to finance and develop this system, rather than piling on more debt.

[texaslabrat]

congratulations for completely missing the point!

[WinNoMo]

Thanks for reminding me why we voted your type out! Go buy a Hummer.

[Anonymous2345]

dbargen, I'm no greenie and most would lump me into the same category as you but you completely missed what the article was saying. Do us all a favor and don't post. Getting interconnection between the grids is a great idea from a flexibility standpoint and I am sure that it would allow more power generation in areas that don't have grid access. I am HIGHLY skeptical of the 1 Billion dollar price tag. That seems awefully low for a project like this.

[Seaspray0]

dbargen does bring up one thing that most people overlook. How much energy is projected to be generated by wind and solar, and how much demand is there. There's a huge gap there and something has to fill it. I approve of wind and solar, but nuclear is the only thing that will fill that huge gap and it will do it cheaper than wind and solar.

[xcopy]

dbargen,<br /><br />Just checking... How's your reading comprehension? Not good, right? Keep working on your GED, you'll get it some day....<br /><br />The point of the article is that wind, solar, and other forms of clean energy will be shared depending on load balancing. The idea is to use several sources, transmitted on lines that don't lose power as quickly as the AC transmission lines we use today.<br /><br />Someone else can explain what all the big words mean.

[harchh]

I just don't get it. The TresAmigos is shown within a box that's labeled as 22.5 sq mi. That means that (if square) it would be less than 5 miles on a side. How close are these three grids today? I can't believe the all pass this closely to Clovis, NM. If they do, that means the lines are running a thousand miles already, with high voltage AC links, and the savings in that last 5 miles would be small compared to the losses getting it there. If the three nets are not in the area of Clovis, NM, then why would anyone run regular AC lines to there so that TresAmigos could make a buck acting as the broker?

[carlhage]

Yeah, I don't understand either. Instead of putting in a 4 mile superconducting line, why not just put the AC-DC converters at the same place and extend the regular 3 wire the 2.5 miles each to the Y center? I also thought the main idea with HVDC was that you could transmit power a long distance with lower losses-- here it's just being used to transfer between non-synchronized interconnects.

[SteveChicago]

Yeah, I saw the same thing around Clovis. Can you see another Enron trying to pop up here. <br /><br />"Let us handle the interconnect between grids and we will sell each power from the other."

[Bill_I]

Another pipe dream project conceived by dreamers with no concept of reality. --- What nobody talks about is the fact our existing grids waste about 50% of generation in the distribution process. The next time you walk by a transformer humming loudly which is doing regulation by magnetic saturation, giving off a lot of heat in the process, consider that the heat is wasted energy.

[DCpowergirl]

However, this project would distribute power using DC semiconductor cables which are inherently less wasteful than their AC counterparts. <br /> <br />www.nextekpower.com

[HeavyJim]

There are also way too darn many "nimby" idiots out there....<br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />This is usually the attitude of people who live in cities, or have no land they have to protect from runaway development.

[mister scoop]

Too bad cnet doesn't pull many feeds from the Wall Street Journal. Here is some pertinent information: <br /><br />"The first point to understand is the role of Al Gore, who is a member of the Apple board and perhaps the leading supporter of President Obama's cap-and-tax anticarbon legislation. Mr. Gore has also invested in renewable energy technologies that could make him even richer than he already is if new climate rules make renewables more competitive with carbon energy.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Apple's Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook happens to sit on the board of . . . Nike. We're told that Nike CEO Mike Parker didn't discuss the Chamber move with his full board of directors before it was announced, and Nike didn't return our phone call asking for comment. In any case, we doubt it's an accident that Nike and Apple acted against the Chamber at the same time?and just when Democrats are trying to build new momentum for cap and trade in the Senate. "

[Joe Real]

This is where the DC (Direct Current) would truly be more efficient and practical than the AC, all thanks to the superconducting materials at higher temperature. Without these superconductors, only the AC would be practical.<br /><br />Thanks to the latest advances of research in superconductors. The new higher temperature limit has been pushed to the temperature that your refrigerators and freezers (254 kelvin, or -19C, or -2F) are capable of achieving. Here's also the exciting news about superconductors at higher temperature:<br /><br />http://www.superconductors.org/254K.htm<br /><br />With these superconductors, there is much efficiency to be gained and that would be an excellent application for the Tres Amigas project.

[earthholderplz]

All very good points (except the part about nuclear being a viable long term energy solution) (sweeping spent fuel under the rug for future generations when the containers they are stored in only last a couple of hundred years so far doesn't sound very appealing to me...or my future grandchildren)<br />I am a firm believer in envisioning a goal and then plotting the path to it. This plan seems totally do-able and frankly i was surprised that it might only cost $1 billion.<br />How ever; the thought of the whole nation's power being controlled from one spot is really scary from a national security point of view. There would have to be power grid back ups locally in the event of a disaster. As a matter of fact ;why not have each sector of the nation, and even down to local municipalities run their energy with what ever renewable sources are at hand. For instance in the pacific NW hydro power is king, but also geothermal and some wind. Even solar is possible there. In the southwest solar is abundant and in the midwest wind and solar.<br />Anything is possible. Including 86ing nuclear power and carbon sequestration - both of which save our crap for future generations. Envision a clean renewable energy future and then find a responsible path to it.