Welcome to Grid Brief! Here’s what we’re looking at today: Virginia’s efforts to meet oncoming demand from data centers and EVs, the U.K. shuts down its last coal plant, and GM uses AI to boost racetrack performance.

Can Virginia’s Grid Support Oncoming Demand?

As states and utilities scramble to meet future demand, one of the more interesting case studies is Virginia. The Commonwealth has quickly emerged as the national data center leader. Northern Virginia alone is home to over 200 data centers. In total, the state has 479.

While much of the focus has been on AI and cloud computing, utilities in Virginia are also paying attention to the impact that electric vehicles will have on the grid, reports Charlie Paullin and Nathaniel Cline of The Virginia Mercury.

While EV use in Virginia is not nearly as high as leaders California (1.3 million registered EVs) and Florida (255,000 registered EVs), it is expected to grow in the future. At the end of 2023, there were about 85,000 registered EVs in the state. In June of this year, that number jumped to 91,000 and is expected to hit 220,000 by 2027. Peak demand from these EVs is projected to reach 1,600 megawatts by 2038.

While Paullin and Cline report that Dominion Energy, the state’s largest utility, and Appalachian Power, a southwest Virginia utility, are “confident the power grid will be able to support the increase in demand for electricity,” some are less confident given the state’s clean energy mandates. The Virginia Clean Economy Act, signed into law in 2020, law directs Dominion and Appalachian to transition to net-zero generation by 2050.

As seen in states across the country, hitting net-zero power generation is easier said than done. However, Dominion is investing in all technologies including solar, wind, nuclear, and potentially carbon capture. The utility is also constructing the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project off the coast of Virginia Beach. Once operational (expected in 2026) it will be the nation’s second offshore wind project to come online (and the largest) and generate 2.6 gigawatts of power.

Meanwhile, Governor Glenn Youngkin has made advanced nuclear power a cornerstone of his energy strategy. Favorable policies have enabled Dominion to publish a request for proposals for a small modular reactor at the North Anna nuclear plant near Richmond.

U.S. News and World Report ranked Virginia’s grid 42nd overall in the country in terms of reliability. Perhaps this “all of the above” strategy will change that and allow the Commonwealth to meet its surging energy demands.

United Kingdom Shuts Down Last Remaining Coal Plant

142 years ago, the United Kingdom turned on the world’s first coal-fired power plant. On Monday, the country closed its last remaining plant—Ratcliffe-on-Soar—to become the first economy in the world to move off of the fossil fuel.

In 1882 the Holborn Viaduct power station, built by Thomas Edison, became the first operating coal power plant in the world. The energy generated there was used to light the streets in London. The creation of Holborn Viaduct was a pivotal point in human history and kicked off the Industrial Revolution. Since that time, global poverty levels have declined, prosperity has risen, and innovation (especially energy innovation) has accelerated.

The closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar may very well be a Holbron-like turning point in history. And while many are celebrating its closure, the benefits that fossil fuels have provided to humanity cannot be overstated.

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Conversation Starters

• How GM is using AI to boost performance on the racetrack (Tech Brew)

  General Motors is integrating AI into its motorsports division to improve performance on the racetrack, using machine learning for real-time race analysis, competitor behavior prediction, and rapid vehicle optimization. This AI-driven approach not only aims to win races but also serves as a testing ground for technologies that could potentially be incorporated into GM's production vehicles.

• Chevron bets on ‘green’ hydrogen (Trellis)

  Chevron is investing in a green hydrogen project in Richmond, California, partnering with startup Raven SR to convert biogenic waste into zero-carbon hydrogen for transportation applications. The project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help waste management companies meet environmental regulations, and supply hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

• Ford to give away free charging units to new EV buyers (Axios)

  Ford is offering new EV buyers a free charging unit and installation during Q4 2023, aiming to address "charging anxiety" and boost lagging EV sales. This industry-first initiative, called the Ford Power Promise program, seeks to simplify the EV ownership experience by eliminating the typically time-consuming and potentially intimidating process of acquiring and installing a home charging unit.

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