Ilaria Rosella Pagliaro An MIT study shows that exploiting the complementarity between sun and wind can reduce system costs and storage needs, making the energy transition more sustainable and efficient thanks to strategic planning
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In the fast-changing world of renewable energy, decisions over the siting of wind and solar installations are normally left to individual developers. Now, a groundbreaking paper in Cell Reports Sustainability authored by researchers at MIT brings down a transformative approach that contrasts with this: regional planning in concert. Variability as Opportunity
A common trait among renewable resources, such as solar and wind energy, is variability. What seems like a limitation to some, however, is actually an opportunity to the researchers behind the study, Liying Qiu and Rahman Khorramfar. Using high-resolution meteorological data, the team was able to show that synchronizing peaks of different energy sources is possible by strategic distribution of installations. As Qiu says:
“Each source has its strength: wind blows at night when the sun is absent, while the sun shines when the wind dies down. The real challenge is understanding where and how to best harness this complementarity.”
Precision planning: case studies in the United States
To test their theory, the researchers focused on three major U.S. regions: New England, Texas, and California. Using advanced energy models integrated with meteorological data at a resolution of just 1.2 miles (2 km), they analyzed more than 138,000 potential renewable energy sites. This level of detail marks a significant improvement over traditional planning methods, which often rely on coarser data with a resolution of about 19 miles (30 km).
In Texas, for example, wind blows strongly in the morning in the west and in the afternoon along the coast. This natural complementarity allows for a more consistent energy supply throughout the day. In New England, the study suggests prioritizing windy nighttime areas to balance the absence of solar energy. As Khorramfar says:
“Our method significantly lowers the cost of the systems by better aligning production and demand.”
Saving storage: a welcome surprise
One of the most unexpected results from this study is about energy storage systems. The more complex planning could reduce reliance on expensive battery systems, generally one of the major contributors to the overall cost of such a decarbonized energy system. Another co-author, Saurabh Amin, sums it this way:
“We found considerable savings potential simply by looking at daily variations in sun and wind-a detail that has gone largely unnoticed to date.”
A universal methodology for smarter renewable energy
The proposed methodology is not limited to the United States. Its flexibility allows it to be applied worldwide, adapting to local geographic and climatic conditions. This approach paves the way for a more sustainable and economically viable energy transition. Michael Howland, another co-author, sums it up:
“It’s not just about building more installations but doing it intelligently, ensuring every kilowatt-hour produced finds its place in the grid.”
