Strategic Technology Research Backgrounder
Renewables
The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI) conducts research and development relating to the
generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public.
With a staff of recognized industry experts, EPRI has established itself as a thought leader in the electric
sector worldwide. The organization is recognized for developing and demonstrating innovative
technologies, analyzing and enhancing current technologies, as well as seeking alternative methods to
produce and deliver electricity.
EPRI’s Technology Innovation (TI) organization has been integral in leading the development of key
technologies that have benefitted the electricity industry in numerous ways. The organization focuses on
stimulating innovation and developing enabling electricity technologies for adoption over a 5-10 year
period, or longer. For instance, EPRI research has lead to recognition of the global impact of mercury, the
development of a high-impact decontamination process and technologies to reduce carbon emissions
from coal generation.
The technology challenges that the electricity industry will face in achieving a low carbon future will
require groundbreaking technology development in a number of strategic areas. EPRI has identified 10
strategic programs that will be the focus of its longer term research efforts from 2009 and beyond. One of
the 10 is described here.
Renewables
Current Situation
What is the current state of the art?
Renewables account for about 10% of total U.S. electric generation, with conventional hydro facilities
producing the overwhelming majority. Wind turbines represent the country’s fastest growing energy
source, while geothermal systems and bioenergy plants make noticeable contributions. Deployment of
photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar thermal (CST) technologies is expanding rapidly, and additional
renewable generation options are entering the marketplace.
EPRI’s work in areas such as hydro relicensing, wind turbine control and drive systems, and biomass
cofiring has helped individual generation options achieve their current status and position them for future
growth. However, significant obstacles stand in the way of widespread deployment, effective integration
and economical long-term operation. Challenges differ by renewable resource but generally include cost,
accessibility, intermittency, reliability and grid interconnection and integration.
New technologies are needed to convert natural energy flows into electricity more efficiently, as well as to
reduce capital costs, improve operations and maintenance (O&M) practices, and extend lifetime for
distributed and central-station installations. In addition, advanced siting, forecasting, monitoring,
switching, control, and storage methods are required to effectively integrate renewables of all types and
scales within the transmission and distribution grid and to deliver bulk power from remote locations to
load centers.
Why is EPRI investing in this area?
Renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requirements, consumer demand for green power, and improving
cost-competitiveness are leading to the growth of renewable generation capacity. Large-scale
deployment of wind, bioenergy, solar and other technologies is anticipated in the coming decades in
response to concerns relating to energy security, fuel price volatility and climate change.
By developing new life assessment, failure prevention and energy conversion methods, EPRI hopes to
improve the cost-performance characteristics of existing and new renewable generation options. Power
producers may be able to reduce the economic impact associated with diversifying supply portfolios,
achieving RPS targets and cutting CO2 emissions.
EPRI also seek to create the knowledge and technologies required to accommodate—and optimize the
value of—growing amounts of renewable energy capacity at customer sites and in resource-abundant
locations. Improved integration capabilities could help to match intermittent energy production with
demand on both geographic and temporal scales and to maintain grid reliability and security even at high
levels of deployment.
The Opportunity
What are the potential superior innovations?
PV technologies offering very high efficiency could transform the electricity sector by delivering on-site
energy at costs competitive with retail prices and by supplying bulk power at costs comparable to centralstation fossil and nuclear generation options. New nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques could
prevent premature failure of wind turbine, geothermal piping, and other critical components. Development
of a renewable energy technology strategy is expected to identify additional R&D opportunities with highpayoff potential.
How could this research change the industry?
Commercial flat-plate PV systems being deployed today have efficiencies ranging from about 10% to
nearly 20%, depending on brand and cost. Third-generation PV devices offering two to four times higher
efficiency and other advanced renewable energy technologies could support the electricity sector’s efforts
to achieve RPS targets and cut greenhouse gas emissions at lower costs. They may also help to improve
energy security by reducing vulnerability to supply disruptions and fuel price volatility.
Advanced NDE methods for critical components may allow power producers to assess the condition of inservice equipment, optimize O&M practices, and extend lifetimes. This could enable reliable long-term
operation of existing renewable capacity while decreasing reliance on original equipment manufacturers.
In addition, it could reduce risk for future investments in renewable generation.
New grid integration technologies may make interconnection easier and less costly while maintaining
system performance and service reliability. They also could endow the grid with improved power handling
and control capabilities, facilitate power market access for owners of distributed and large-scale
installations, and create business opportunities for electricity providers.
What other applications are possible?
Advanced renewable generation and integration technologies may help transform how energy is supplied
to and purchased by residential, commercial, and industrial consumers. These advances could also
revolutionize the building supply and construction industries, with clean and intelligent energy
technologies integrated in the design of roofing, cladding, window, and other systems.
The Program
How are innovations being developed?
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In the “High-Efficiency PV Research Project,” EPRI, EdF, and European agencies are supporting
exploratory work by a consortium of 20 international laboratories and universities. Initial research, started
in 2007, involves development and application of models and laboratory assemblies to assess spectrum
matching (both splitting and shifting), multilevel absorption, and thermoelectric concepts. The goal is to
identify advanced PV materials and structures with potential to achieve energy conversion efficiencies
exceeding 40% in commercial devices.
Results to date indicate that state-of-the-art spectrum-shifting technology—involving the use of novel
optical coatings to adjust photon energy levels to increase the fraction that may be converted into
electricity—offers the most promise for rapid progress. In fact, a new class of materials has been
discovered with prospective near-term application via very efficient up-conversion of infrared photons to
better match the solar spectrum to conventional silicon PV cells. Focused studies are under way on the
possibility for an efficiency gain of at least 1% from today’s workhorse PV materials as exploratory
research continues on all third-generation PV technologies. For the highest-potential options, proof-ofconcept device development and testing are scheduled to begin in 2011.
EPRI is taking a leading role in the development of new NDE techniques for wind turbine blades,
geothermal piping and other critical components. Non-intrusive, easily deployed NDE methods will help
power producers assess the condition of in-service equipment without reducing capacity factor, helping
them save money while securing the data required to optimize operations and maintenance practices and
extend lifetimes. Turbine blade NDE methods are being pursued first by screening techniques developed
for aerospace and other applications, including shearography and digital image correlation. Promising
methods will be evaluated using test specimens collected from turbine blade manufacturers and vendors.
NDE technologies for detection of scaling and corrosion in geothermal system piping also are being
developed.
EPRI is partnering with the American Council on Renewable Energy to create a technology strategy
identifying the near-, mid-, and long-term research, development, demonstration, and deployment
(RDD&D) priorities to expand the role of renewables in meeting energy needs and objectives at national
and global levels. A discussion draft of Growing Renewable Energy: Technology Strategy for Improving
Security, Creating Jobs & Reducing Emissions was released at the RETECH 2009 conference in late
February. The strategy defined within this roadmap document will inform future RDD&D investments by
EPRI and the public and private sectors.
When will applications occur?
Because strategic research is inherently risky, the renewable energy technology innovations being
pursued by EPRI will pan out over uncertain time frames. Field-deployable NDE technologies for wind
turbine blades are expected within five years. Preliminary EPRI research may yield substantial increases
in the efficiency of today’s PV technologies over the same time frame, while commercial devices based
on third-generation PV technology are anticipated within a decade.
Value
What are anticipated costs and benefits?
Potential societal benefits associated with accelerating widespread deployment of high-efficiency
renewable generation technologies and commercial application of NDE methods and other improved
asset management techniques total in the billions of dollars. Not only could these innovations reduce the
industry-wide costs and risks of meeting RPS and climate policy objectives, they could also help to
improve energy security by reducing vulnerability to supply disruptions and fuel price volatility.
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About EPRI
The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) conducts research and development
relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. An independent,
nonprofit organization, EPRI brings together experts from academia and industry as well as its own
scientists and engineers to help address challenges in electricity generation, delivery and use, including
health, safety and the environment. EPRI's members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity
generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to 40 countries.
EPRI's principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.;
and Lenox, Mass.
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Contact:
Don Kintner
EPRI
Manager, Communications
dkintner@epri.com
704-595-2006
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