2017年3月11日的晴朗中午,加州太陽能發電史來到了一個新里程碑!這是頭一次,太陽能發電量占「加州獨立電網營運商」(California Independent System Operator,簡稱CAISO)供電比重超過50%,寫下歷史新高。可是,由於太陽能發電量激增,當地原本已供過於求、筆直滑落的電價,竟一度掉到零、甚至變成負數,意思就是說:這段時間給別人用電不但免費,電廠還得倒貼。
加州推廣太陽能不到20年,如今便呈現發電過剩的「負電價」奇景。圖片來源:美聯社。
加州陽光好威,「負電價」時數暴增17倍
事實上,這種「負電價」的反常現象,未來可能愈來愈頻繁。美國能源情報署(U.S. Energy Information Administration,簡稱EIA)統計,2016一整年的「前一日市場」(day-ahead market)電價,只有3小時為負數,今年初才短短三個月,負電價時間就倍增到51小時,一季就達到去年的17倍!
「問題不在再生能源的多寡,而是政府的政策!」隸屬CAISO的組織Western Power Trading Forum總裁Gary Ackerman觀察,加州雖訂出2030年要有一半電力來自綠能的目標(目前約27%),可是如何把再生能源加入現有輸電網絡?卻缺乏清楚的施政藍圖與可行策略。當屋頂上的太陽能板愈裝愈多、或家家戶戶都有發電機組時,電網超載風險勢必大增。
好消息是,一如各種再生能源的成本下滑速度,儲能電池的價格近年也不斷降低。今年五月,「圖森電力公司」(Tucson Electric Power)就完成了一項太陽能整合儲電裝置的案子,不但可用綠電全面供給2.1萬住戶,平均每度電價更創下歷史新低的4.5美分(約台幣1.3元),比台灣聞名世界的超低電價還低!主跑能源產業的《洛杉磯時報》(Los Angeles Times)記者 Ivan Penn評論,「在亞利桑納州用太陽能配合儲能電池所得出的電價,簡直比天然氣還便宜了!」
位於沙漠地帶、占地超過五平方英里的太陽能電廠Ivanpah,已成功供電給大型電廠。(圖片來源:Los Angeles Times)
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.