As the price of oil and gas has skyrocketed in recent weeks due to turmoil in the Middle East, some countries have inexplicably continued their practice of shutting down production of renewable energy during times of peak production.
In response, some advocates and policymakers have proposed a program whereby residents would be given electricity for free rather than shutting down renewable power generation, according to Euronews.
The seeming paradox is the result of outdated electrical grids designed to transport power generated by power plants fueled primarily by coal and gas.
When the electricity produced by renewable sources peaks, for example, on particularly windy days, these antiquated grids experience the equivalent of an electricity traffic jam.
"This creates rush hour traffic on the grid, and the energy can't get to where it's needed," explained Octopus Energy, an energy provider in the United Kingdom, per Euronews.
To deal with this issue, authorities regularly shut down renewable energy production in a process known as curtailment.
However, curtailment comes at a price. For example, last year, the United Kingdom wasted nearly $2 billion worth of electricity because of curtailment. In Germany, that figure was roughly $500 million, per Euronews.
In response, some advocates and policymakers have proposed giving away this excess electricity to ratepayers for free rather than allowing it to go to waste.
The practice of curtailment serves as a prime example of how renewable energy from sources like solar and wind can help alleviate many of society's energy issues, but antiquated policies and infrastructure continue to get in the way.
Even at the household level, home solar remains one of the best ways to save money on electricity while protecting your budget from unpredictable price fluctuations brought on by world events.
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To further the benefits of home solar, homeowners can pair solar panels with energy-efficient electric appliances, such as heat pumps. With HVAC being one of the biggest drivers of home energy costs, switching to a heat pump can help slash household utility bills.
To learn more about heat pumps, you can check out this helpful website from TCD national partner Mitsubishi.
In the U.K., advocates have also been pushing for incentives that would encourage ratepayers to adopt electric appliances.
While the government has agreed to conduct trials of a free electricity program, experts have criticized such trials as insufficient, pushing instead for permanent measures.
"Permanent changes would mean you could buy an electric car, or a heat pump, or batteries to use power when it's cheap," said Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, per Euronews. "These would all shift demand far more effectively than we will see in any trial.
"Indeed, trials would be pretty ineffective without this."
For homeowners looking to take advantage of renewable energy without waiting for government policymakers to catch up, the Palmetto Home app allows users to earn rewards that can save them as much as $5,000 on home upgrades.
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