Description of need
According to Badar Khan, the amount of energy that flows through pipes to heat homes in winter, if we wanted to electrify all that in the US Northeast, we’d need 3x the power being delivered currently for the summer when everybody is air conditioning. That is a major problem! You can solve the supply problem (e.g. with offshore wind), but Electric Transmission and Electric distribution are a nightmare. Nothing in the distribution system can handle 3x the power flow.
Pablo Dueñas-Martinez et al. at MIT found that the distribution network can handle ~45% heat pump adoption. Even improved electricity rate design doesn’t let you go beyond 60% adoption. The limiting factor is actually the substations that convert from high voltage to medium voltage (not the distribution cables). So the natural question is why utilities don’t just upgrade their substations.
Problem severity (1-10)
7
Who has this need
Distribution system operators (DSOs)
Total addressable market (TAM)
Solutions today, and their shortcomings
Today’s distribution networks cannot handle 3x the power flow.
Potentially relevant capabilities
Batteries at the edge