Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures is developing an open-source platform aimed at modernizing grid planning models by incorporating a wider array of data sources. This initiative, still in its early phases, seeks to enhance the efficiency of renewable energy integration, planning, and forecasting.
As the transition to renewable energy accelerates, grid operators face challenges in long-term demand forecasting and real-time monitoring. With peak demand projected to rise by 38 GW by 2028, there is an urgent need for improved planning to expand generation and transmission capacity. A recent GridStrategies report indicates that planners nearly doubled their five-year load forecasts for 2023, increasing expected growth from 2.6% to 4.7%.
Advanced modeling tools are expected to alleviate congestion and assist in adapting the grid to the variability of renewable sources like wind and solar. While Breakthrough Energy Ventures has not released specific details or timelines for the grid modeling project, its launch comes at a critical juncture for the energy market.
Transmission Technology Innovations
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that achieving a 100% clean electricity goal by 2035 will require a 60% increase in transmission capacity by 2030, with further expansion needed by 2050. Rising electricity demand, fueled by increased electric vehicle adoption and building electrification, adds urgency to this challenge. However, the aging electric grid struggles to accommodate such growth, as infrastructure expansion has slowed significantly over the past decade.
Breakthrough Energy Ventures has invested in startups focused on advanced conductor technologies to optimize existing transmission systems and enhance new ones. For example, TS Conductor offers a lightweight, durable conductor that promises three times the capacity during peak demand with significantly lower line losses. Meanwhile, VIER markets superconducting transmission lines, which can potentially extend capacity tenfold while minimizing energy losses.
Advancing Geothermal Energy
As part of its strategy to invest in reliable carbon-free generation resources, Breakthrough Energy Ventures supports firms like Fervo, which is pioneering advanced geothermal drilling techniques. Fervo’s innovative horizontal drilling method has reduced drilling times by 70%, enabling the development of geothermal plants more efficiently. Their upcoming 400 MW Cape Station project in Utah aims to supply power to 350,000 homes in Southern California.
Innovations in Energy Storage
To address the intermittency of solar and wind energy, Breakthrough Energy Ventures is also backing various energy storage technologies. Battery capacity additions are projected to break records this year, nearly doubling existing capacity. Companies like Malta and Form Energy are developing novel storage solutions, including long-duration electro-thermal storage and iron-air batteries, to enhance grid reliability.
Future of Nuclear Energy
In addition to these initiatives, Gates supports TerraPower’s Natrium project, which aims to construct an advanced nuclear plant in Wyoming. Expected to begin operation by 2030, the Natrium reactor will utilize a sodium-cooled fast reactor design paired with a molten salt energy storage system to provide firm power, complementing the growing reliance on renewable energy sources.
Through these innovative projects and partnerships, Breakthrough Energy Ventures is positioning itself at the forefront of the energy transition, tackling critical challenges and paving the way for a sustainable future.