Planning Hawai'i's Transition to 100 percent Renewable Power
Date: Fri, February 26, 2021
Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm
Location: online via Zoom, email us for details
Speaker: Matthias Fripp, Associate Professor, EE
In 2015, Hawaii became the first region of its size to adopt a 100% renewable power target (100% by 2045). Renewable energy is an appealing power source because it provides clean, self-sufficient power at a lower cost than imported oil. However, wind and solar power cannot be turned on and off as needed, so they must be complemented with flexible resources such as storage, demand-response and biofuels. This adds unprecedented complexity when designing our future power system. In this presentation, I will discuss the Switch power system optimization model, of which I am the lead author, and the new capabilities it offers for addressing this challenge. I will also discuss how I have used Switch to assist in electricity planning in Hawaii, and in analysis of alternative compensation methods that could encourage Hawaii's electric utilities to adopt renewable energy more quickly.
![photo, Dr. Matthias Fripp with solar panel test array on roof of Holmes Hall photo, Dr. Matthias Fripp with solar panel test array on roof of Holmes Hall](http://ee.hawaii.edu/gfx/content/headshots/75_hs.jpg)
Dr. Fripp's research interests include: Optimal design of power systems with large shares of intermittent renewable energy; using demand-side response to facilitate integration of renewable resources.
Education:- Ph.D., Energy and Resources, UC Berkeley, 2008
- M.S., Energy and Resources, UC Berkeley, 2003
- B.S., Environmental Studies, 1999