BECCS: Strengthening the Power Grid to Counteract Extreme Weather

Author: Raj Swaminathan, Senior Vice President, North American Projects

This week, we in the United States will celebrate Independence Day. It is a holiday where we take time to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy, and for many, it can also be a day to consider the freedoms we continue to actively pursue in the future.

After more than 25 years in the energy industry, I may be a little biased, but I truly believe that one of our nation’s most important aspirations is energy independence. When we hear the term “energy independence,” many of us think of having enough energy deliver to avoid dependence on imports from other countries – but there is another key ingredient to energy independence that is just as important: energy reliability.

As storms and temperature swings become more severe due to climate change, the power grid needs greater resilience to handle the load of above-average air conditioning or heating usage. When the load becomes too great, the grid can shut down, leading to dangerous or even life-threatening situations for those exposed to extreme weather.

At the same time, Energy demand is growing rapidlyand an increasing percentage of our energy comes from renewable sources such as wind and solar power, which cannot be switched on-demand to compensate for the extra load.

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is one of the few renewable technologies that can diversify our country’s energy portfolio, provide stable base powerAND contribute to US energy independence – while removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Diversification of our country’s energy portfolio thanks to BECCS

Texas experienced an unusually cold winter in 2021. During that time, about 42 percent of the state’s electricity was generated from natural gas, and more than half of the deliveries were affected weather conditions, including power outages and frozen equipment. Overall, the natural disaster caused 4.5 million homes will lose electricity57 people lost their lives and material losses amounted to over $195 billion.

Just as a diversified stock portfolio helps reduce investor risk, a diversified energy portfolio helps reduce the risk of a specific energy source failing. Sustainable biomass, the fuel that underpins BECCS, is a unique renewable energy source that further protects power grids from supply and production issues that can become points of failure with less diverse energy mixes.

BECCS anchors intermittent energy sources

Historically, when unusually high demand strained the grid, power plants could use more fossil fuels to temporarily generate more power. As these traditional fuel sources are phased out to minimize emissions, intermittent alternatives like wind and solar are playing a larger role in the U.S. energy mix.

Because solar and wind can’t be scaled up on demand, this can become problematic when extreme weather hits and energy demand increases. Powered by sustainable biomass, BECCS offers a unique renewable energy source that can be scaled up 24/7. For this reason, BECCS can serve as the backbone of renewable energy grids—a role often filled by fossil fuels today.

BECCS will contribute to US energy independence

As demonstrated in fall Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reliance on other countries for energy supplies exposes our country to geopolitical risks.

BECCS will not only help diversify energy networks, but also provide more power to the grid at a time when experts warn that a massive energy crisis is fast approaching. Modern technologies such as AI and blockchain continue to move towards widespread adoptionthe data centers on which they are based could see Energy consumption will double by 2030Without exponentially more power generation, this means a shrinking buffer against blackouts on the grid, while at the same time climate change worsens the frequency and scale of extreme weather events – and the high energy consumption that comes with them.

Drax US BECCS plants will also be built in regions where they can source biomass locally. This not only makes the plants more sustainable by reducing transport emissions, but it also means they will produce renewable fuel domestically. This production can be scaled up if needed, and sustainable biomass storage can be held in reserve for emergencies.

While multiple solutions are needed to meet America’s projected energy needs, Drax’s planned BECCS facilities in the US will contribute to both the energy supply and diversification that will help our country achieve an independent and more reliable energy future. And they will do so by permanently removing legacy CO2 emissions.

I hope everyone in the United States has a safe and meaningful Independence Day.

To find out more about Drax BECCS, please visit www.draxcarbonremovals.com/beccs-technology