MODULE 5 –
Energy Systems: Renewables, Grids & Storage
Estimated time: 5 hours | Format: Lecture + Grid Balancing Lab
Learning Objectives
- Describe variable renewable integration challenges and solutions.
- Compare storage archetypes (short vs long duration; power vs energy heavy).
- Explain the role of demand response, flexibility markets, and transmission.
Core Topics
- Merit Order & Cannibalization: price effects at high VRE penetration.
- Flexibility Portfolio: storage, interconnection, dispatchable low-carbon, DR, forecasting, hybridization.
- Resilience: weatherization, microgrids, islanding, black-start.
- Equity: energy poverty, tariff design, rooftop vs utility-scale access.
Lab: 24-Hour Balancing Puzzle
Given an hourly load + solar/wind profile, meet demand with least cost while keeping reserve margins. Explore effects of 2-hour vs 8-hour storage, and a 10% demand response option.
Assignment
Short report: “What is the minimum firm capacity required to keep LOLE within target at 70% annual VRE?” Include trade-offs among storage sizing, transmission, and DR.