Integrative planning, incentives help renewable sector

Cape Town - Nuclear energy has been found to be the most expensive resource, normally going 50% to 100% over budget on projects, Angelina Galiteva, a principal at the NEOption told Fin24 on Monday.

NEOption is a renewable energy and new technology product design and project development firm and Galiteva also sits on the board of Governors of the California Independent System Operator Corporation.

She said nuclear also brings the risk of what to do with the nuclear waste, the risk of under-water contamination and the impact on marine life if a plant is on the coast.

"It is a balancing act where the energy system is changing to much more variable ones. Yet they are predictable so that they can be integrated," she explained.

"You need flexible resources and gas offers that as a balance."

She emphasised that the technology already exists to be 100% renewable. It needs to be a variable supply consisting of solar, wind, biomass geothermal. What needs to happen now is to incentivise energy storage for the future so that the cost can start going down.

"One needs to figure out how to have regulation that incentivises, but not dictates. It is, therefore, about how to structure incentives - which are not subsidies," explained Galiteva.

"It is about solutions, technology and vision - a long term vision."

She said California has two large nuclear power stations. The one has been lost due to a leak and then it was found the energy lost could be made up in other ways. The other plant already indicated it will not renew is supply after 2024 as the cost of renewables have become so much lower.

It is expected that California will end up being nuclear free and by 2030 the aim is to have it already 70% to 75% renewable. Currently the state is already more than 30% renewable. It is estimated that about 8 000 new rooftop solar installations are done in California per month on the distribution side.

The next major issue now, she pointed out, is how to electrify the transportation system as the bridge between renewable energy and transport is very important.

"We hope this will happen as electric vehicles become cheaper than fuel-driven ones," she said.

To her it is important to realise that the grid could be "democratized" by individual participation and consequent optimisation.

"It is all about people becoming more and more aware and that leads to resilience and public participation. It is a long term commitment," she said.

"Renewable energies like solar and wind are becoming main stream and some large companies even see it as a hedge. Renewables do not have the inflation aspect to increasing power rates."

Another very important aspect Galiteva pointed out was the interconnectedness of the grid.

"In California we made a map of where power can be integrated at the lowest cost. We looked at what would be best for the grid so that we could plan accordingly," she said.

"Integrative planning is very important. It is about good planning and conversation."

* The 86MW Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska PV project, one of the largest in Southern Africa measuring 125 hectares, was officially inaugurated in the Northern Cape recently. The plant was officially opened by Sonnedix CEO Andreas Mustad and South African developers Mulilo in the presence of Prieska Mayor Howard Tshume, who thanked Sonnedix and Mulilo on behalf of the Siyathemba municipality for investing in education and local business.