Does the electricity power grid have to be different to work for renewable energy?

asked 22 weeks ago in Alternative Energy & Fuels

lunafish

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Yes and no. Hydroelectricity already provides a substantial portion of electricity in some regions so the U.S. and the world and uses the same distribution infrastructure as energy generated from nonrenewable  sources.

However, hydroelectricity provides a constant source of power, whereas some renewable energy sources, such as wind do not. So the grid has to be able to handle fluctuating amounts of energy. Additionally, with the increase of wind farms in regions that have not previously generated significant amounts of electricity, new infrastructure is necessary to handle the high voltages that would be generated from these wind farms.

Citations:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123414242155761829.html

...posted 22 weeks and 4 days ago