Environment & Energy

Table of Contents

Renewable Integration
What is renewable integration?
History of renewable integration
Why is renewable integration important?
Benefits of renewable integration
Challenges facing renewable integration
Developments in renewable integration
Renewable integration at PNNL

…

Why is renewable integration important?

Carbon emissions drive climate change—predicted to increase global temperatures up to 2 degrees Centigrade by the end of the century and lead to more extreme weather events and changes in regional climate. Reducing carbon emissions by using more renewable sources of energy is critical to a zero carbon future. The International Energy Agency estimates that the majority of global electricity will need to be generated using renewables to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The U.S. has set a goal of generating 100% clean electricity by 2035 and many states have implemented targets for lower emissions—all of which will require an increased reliance on renewables. In the U.S., the use of renewables has increased significantly since 2010, but even higher levels of renewable integration will be needed to achieve a net-zero economy by 2050.

Benefits of renewable integration

Renewable integration is a critical element of a net-zero future that will reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower carbon emissions, which has far-reaching benefits for society. Generating just 35 percent of U.S. electricity using wind and solar would reduce carbon emissions by up to 45 percent.

Renewable integration supports job creation in the United States. In 2022, job growth in the energy sector outpaced overall U.S. employment, with more than 3 million new jobs added in renewable and green energy sectors. Transitioning to a net zero economy is predicted to create a net increase of one million new jobs while supporting the country’s economic competitiveness. In fact, for every million dollars the U.S. invests, renewables can generate up to 2 times more jobs than fossil fuels.

Renewable integration can support improved air quality and health outcomes by reducing pollution. Increased reliance on renewable sources of energy will decrease air pollution and could eliminate hundreds of thousands of premature deaths associated with poor air quality.

Renewable integration also supports the development of distributed energy systems, which are small-scale power generation and storage options. This includes things like solar panels that can power individual houses or local microgrids that could operate autonomously from the regional grid, decrease power demand during peak times, and lower costs. Distributed energy systems can also increase overall energy reliability and security by providing energy to remote areas and critical infrastructure, like hospitals or emergency response services.

Finally, renewables are sustainable. Unlike fossil fuels, wind, sunshine, and water, are self-replenishing resources that can provide enough energy to power a cleaner future.

…