Interregional Renewable Energy Zones [IREZs]

CleanTechnica: “Can we connect renewable energy hubs with electricity consumption hubs?” ‘Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) led the analysis with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) studying the economics of building long-distance, high-voltage transmission lines that are anchored to interregional renewable energy zones (IREZs), or areas with very high concentrations of the lowest-cost developable renewable energy potential.’ High-voltage long-distance transmission lines, some piggybacking on railroad + highway rights of way, will need to run hundreds of miles. “Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) led the analysis with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) studying the economics of building long-distance, high-voltage transmission lines that are anchored to interregional renewable energy zones (IREZs), or areas with very high concentrations of the lowest-cost developable renewable energy potential.” Most of the country’s best onshore wind + solar resources are sites hundreds of miles from demand centers. “Nearly all wind IREZ regions are in the Midwest, and all solar IREZs are in the Southwest.” States critically need to cooperatively pursue optimal cost-effective options + means to compensate landowners impacted by proposed transmission lines. “The study also explored the implications for tribal lands, notably those in western Oklahoma, northwestern Montana, and southeastern Arizona.” All the folks involved in this efforts represent a classic ‘convocation of nerds.’ Ya gotta love it.