One of the more positive opportunities afforded by COVID-19 was the chance to reflect on where the industry is going. While most are on the consumption side of the curve, some work on the supply side of the electricity equation. The supply side has had a tough run in the past few decades with nuclear, coal, and even natural gas plants falling out of favor in the face of regional regulation, development opposition, and the public’s desire for cleaner energy.
On the opposite side of the generation equation from coal and natural gas is renewable energy — primarily wind and solar but certainly including hydro, biomass, and thermal. Renewables, by definition, generate power without hauling a limited resource out of the ground or harvesting it, and they have no carbon footprint. The U.S. government considers hydroelectric a renewable energy source. Some refer to it as sustainable. Many will argue that captive water for hydroelectric use has significant negative environmental impacts. Today, the focus is on utility-scale photovoltaic solar and the emerging accompaniment of colocated energy storage.