Planning Hawai'i's Transition to 100 percent Renewable Power
Date: Fri, February 26, 2021
Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm
Location: online via Zoom, email us for details
Speaker: Matthias Fripp, Associate Professor, EE
In 2015, Hawaii became the first region of its size to adopt a 100% renewable power target (100% by 2045). Renewable energy is an appealing power source because it provides clean, self-sufficient power at a lower cost than imported oil. However, wind and solar power cannot be turned on and off as needed, so they must be complemented with flexible resources such as storage, demand-response and biofuels. This adds unprecedented complexity when designing our future power system. In this presentation, I will discuss the Switch power system optimization model, of which I am the lead author, and the new capabilities it offers for addressing this challenge. I will also discuss how I have used Switch to assist in electricity planning in Hawaii, and in analysis of alternative compensation methods that could encourage Hawaii's electric utilities to adopt renewable energy more quickly.
Dr. Fripp's research interests include: Optimal design of power systems with large shares of intermittent renewable energy; using demand-side response to facilitate integration of renewable resources.
Education:- Ph.D., Energy and Resources, UC Berkeley, 2008
- M.S., Energy and Resources, UC Berkeley, 2003
- B.S., Environmental Studies, 1999