The 2026 additions to the grid are solar, batteries, and wind - plus a little bit of natural gas
Tag: Grid interconnections
Here is a chart of the planned upcoming additions to the grid for each month of 2026. Projects can be cancelled or reduced in scope but it is unlikely any new ones will be added before the year is out.
Nuclear is getting a lot of publicity as an important technology for our future. I was surprised when I found out that no significant nuclear sources will be added to the grid for a few years. Many are somewhere in the development and approval process so it looks like new nuclear will become a reality. But not in 2026.
The inclusion of battery storage as generating capacity needs some explanation. Batteries provide power to the grid when discharging, but are loads on the grid when charging. Storage in pumped hydro and batteries has the function of moving power in time from when it is most available to when it is most needed. Pumps have an efficiency of about 70%. Batteries have an efficiency of about 90%. When we store electricity we lose some of it to heat and don’t get it all back.
Simplify the grid by eliminating wind and solar, the energy parasites:)
It seems that wind and solar power can only survive as parasites on the more efficient conventional generators. Lars Schernikau and William Smith have explained this unpopular truth in a slim and elegant book that demolishes some of the most cherished beliefs of the climate and energy warriors in the alternative universe.
It is a scholarly tour de force, combining the depth and detail of a doctoral thesis with crystal clear writing. This is a rare combination. People who don’t need the full story can get what they need to know from the beautifully illustrated 24-minute video produced to promote the revised edition.
https://rafechampion.substack.com/p/wind-and-solar-the-energy-thieves-a0c