Topic / Energy / In-depth
SWB Superpower
SWB Superpower is superabundant solar, wind and battery energy at near-zero marginal cost
Solar, wind and battery (SWB) systems are built to meet electricity demand even when sunshine and wind are least abundant.
This gives SWB systems the ability to produce a surplus of electricity at other times of the year.
The same pattern is found in many systems, including machines and organisms, because these kinds of systems must have the capacity to deal with peaks of stress or adversity.
-min%20(1).png?%20Text%20570x770%20(1)-min%20(1).png&width=570&name=Website%20imagery%20-%20Large%20-%20Image%20%26%20Text%20570x770%20(1)-min%20(1).png?%20Text%20570x770%20(1)-min%20(1).png)
SWB Superpower is a natural feature of all 100% SWB systems
100% SWB systems naturally produce superabundant clean energy at near-zero marginal cost.
Our analysis shows a fundamental tradeoff relationship between SWB's energy generation and storage capacity that follows a convex cost function. We call this the Clean Energy U-Curve.
When costs are optimized correctly using this curve, it becomes clear that 100% SWB systems is both achievable and the cheapest available option for new power generation on a timeframe to 2030. In many cases this will be less expensive than continuing to operate existing conventional power plants.
100% SWB systems produce a surplus of Superpower—in sunny areas, more than twice the total electricity demand
The resulting superabundance of clean energy will open the door to new possibilities for society, the economy and the environment
Energy independence
Nations that invest in SWB Superpower are in control of their own energy destiny, not reliant on other countries or susceptible to market constraints or shocks.
Energy superabundance
Superabundant energy creates a thriving economy, where the cost of energy is barely a factor and superabundant supply is a given.
Energy resilience
Nations that adopt SWB Superpower will become highly resilient to external shocks or other potential disruptions. Should disruptions occur, the distributed nature of SWB Superpower enables rapid and simple recovery.
The potential applications of SWB Superpower are endless
A superabundance of clean electricity at near-zero marginal cost available on most days of the year will enable the emergence of new business models across a wide range of industries:
- electrification of road transportation and heating
- water desalination and treatment
- waste processing and recycling
- metal smelting and refining
- chemical processing and manufacturing
- cryptocurrency mining
- distributed computing and communications,
- fuel production
- carbon removal
- manufacturing of solar panels, wind turbines and batteries – to name just a few.
SWB Superpower will spark positive social and economic development, and opportunity
History shows that energy abundance enables and supports social and economic development.
A superabundance of extremely cheap energy with little or no social or environmental impacts will create unprecedented opportunities for every region that chooses to adopt a 100% SWB system.
SWB Superpower is a race to the top
The sooner a region adopts SWB Superpower, the more companies, talent and investment it will attract.
SWB Superpower will lower the cost of energy across an entire region and trigger a virtuous cycle in which:
- more individuals move in —attracted by the higher quality of life
- more companies move in—attracted by talent and low energy costs
- more investments move in—attracted by growth opportunities.
SWB Superpower will disrupt all forms of energy
The superabundance of near-zero marginal cost Superpower will have a transformative impact on all energy markets and industries.
We are already seeing the effects of Superpower in early adoption regions such as California and Germany. Even at market penetrations of less than 20%, near-zero marginal cost electricity from solar and wind is causing wholesale electricity prices to clear at or below zero some of the time.
SWB Superpower will decimate coal, oil and gas industries
A nationwide 100% SWB system in the U.S would produce more than enough superpower to electrify all road transportation and wipe out virtually all associated demand for oil.
Using SWB Superpower to electrify all road transportation would reduce total oil demand in the United States by over 60%.
By comparison, this would be equivalent to eliminating all of China’s oil consumption, or all oil consumption in India, Japan and Russia combined.
SWB Superpower is a solution, not a problem
SWB Superpower offers an array of economic, social and environmental benefits—including a solution to the challenge of replacing fossil fuels.
Nearly all conventional analyses frame SWB Superpower as an overproduction problem resulting from solar and wind overcapacity that electricity systems ought to actively minimize. As a result, supplies of SWB Superpower are often curtailed rather than utilized.
"As the erosion of sympathy and protections for incumbent generators and utilities accelerates, and as battery energy storage and smart infrastructure expand, wasteful curtailment will inevitably be abandoned in favor of intelligent utilization."
- James Arbib, Cofounder RethinkX
%20Copy-min.png?width=717&name=Report_Hero_Rethinking-Energy-LCOE%20(1)%20Copy-min.png)
Featured report
Uncover SWB Superpower in more depth
Download our Rethinking Energy 2020-2030 Report.
