Power Grid

To keep up with growing electric demand, new transmission equipment must be built, and existing transmission lines must be upgraded with the latest technology to move larger amounts of electricity, improve reliability and withstand Mother Nature.

During the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives’ (IAEC) annual meeting, Mike Partin, president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, sat down with Leslie Kaufman, IAEC executive vice president and general manager, to discuss important energy topics.

Electric cooperatives use a variety of generation and grid technologies to provide power, including battery energy storage – but not all battery storage systems are the same, and understanding the key differences between each is important.

The electric grid gathers and distributes power from many sources, including those considered baseload or intermittent. Learn about the differences, and why a diverse energy portfolio is necessary.

Electric reliability across America is in serious jeopardy, and frankly, it’s unacceptable.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) recently released a reliability report indicating that many states, including Iowa, are at an increased risk for power generation shortfalls this summer. What does this report mean for Iowa’s electric cooperative member-consumers?

If your smartphone battery has become a large share of your daily thoughts, just wait because the battery market is booming. Analysts estimate the world battery market value at more than $100 billion and project it will grow more than 10% annually over the next five years.

While the efficiency, cost-effectiveness and consumer applicability of battery storage solutions have a way to go for significant deployment, Iowa’s electric cooperatives are studying more about the ongoing advances in storage technology. 

An adequate inventory of power cable, transformers, utility pole hardware and other products is vital, especially in times of supply chain disruptions and inflationary challenges. That’s why 37 electric cooperatives in Iowa are members of the Rural Electric Supply Cooperative (RESCO) to ensure equipment and materials are readily available, regardless of the circumstances.

Like nearly all technological advancements, energy storage technology continues to evolve. Where storage technology is being evaluated to be most affordable and efficient for consumers is for larger scale, energy and electricity use.