Abstract

Planning Energy Zones for the Eastern Interconnection
Track: Renewable Energy
Authors: James Kuiper, Andy Ayers, Herman Green, Vladimir Koritarov, Jianhui Wang, Andrew Orr, Kevin Hlava

The Eastern Interconnection States' Planning Council (EISPC) is partnering with three U.S. Department of Energy Laboratories on a study to analyze the potential of low- and no-carbon energy resources within the Eastern Interconnection electrical grid that includes 39 states, the District of Columbia, and 8 Canadian Provinces. Eight categories of low- and no-carbon energy production technologies are being studied, including biomass, coal with carbon sequestration, geothermal, nuclear, solar, storage, water, and wind. Models for each resource will take into account factors such as resource availability, land use and management, environmental sustainability, engineering, and economics. Synergies will also be considered, such as collocation of complementary technologies. Products of the study will be finalized in 2012, including a comprehensive GIS of resource data and associated assessment criteria, models for each technology, and a Web-based application for EISPC members to identify and analyze potential energy zones or areas of high resource concentration.