SALT LAKE CITY — There are times when there is so much power generated from California solar there's no place to for it to go. Wyoming wind howls so fiercely — at the wrong time — that it is literally disappearing into thin air.

Imagine a regional, integrated energy market where power providers across the 11 states in the West could plan one day ahead, coordinate where to send that power where it is needed the most, and at the cheapest cost possible.

A study released last week states that under a West-wide integrated power grid scenario, as much as $9 billion in reduced costs could be saved over the course of 20 years and the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are potentially huge.

The integration would be between California Independent System Operator and PacfiCorp, the two largest grid operators in the West.

ISO oversees the generation and transmission of more than 80 percent of California's power supply, delivering 300 million megawatt hours of electricity each year. PacfiCorp serves nearly two million customers across six states, including Utah, delivering 70 million megawatt hours of electricity on an annual basis.

A study done by Energy+Environmental Economics contemplates the two joining forces, providing a path for renewable energy integration in the "grid" and fostering a way to get those resources — many situated in remote locations — to areas experiencing demand.

Jack Moore, in a webinar and teleconference on the study last week, said integration would deliver flexibilty, save utilities and customers money in the long run and allow wasted renewable power generation be put to use.

"The day ahead coordination allows system flexibility to respond to over generation and to be able to export that energy that otherwise would have been curtailed," said Moore, who is a lead technical expert on Energy+Environmental Economics' study.

This first phase of the study looked only at the benefits of integration, noting that continued growth over the next 20 years, changes in environmental regulations and the rush of renewable energy coming "online" have all changed the dynamics of power generation and transmission.

Renewable energy standards in eight of the 11 Western states and an increasing customer preference for affordable renewable energy are also driving ways to handle that energy in the grid and get it cost effectively to consumers, Moore said.

According to the study, California accounts for just over 30 percent of the West's electricity demand and passed a state law to increase its renewable energy target from 33 percent to 50 percent by 2030.

Moore pointed out that other research shows that if power generation and distribution continues under a business-as-usual mode, as much as 65 percent of the new solar resources would be curtailed, or be excess energy of no use. That projection is based on an assumption that solar generation accounts for the majority of new renewable resources.

Under grid integration, that extra energy could flow to states served by PacifiCorp, including Utah.

"By backing down thermal generation, PacifiCorp reduces fuel costs, leading to customer savings, and also reduces CO2 emissions in its service territories," according to the study, which adds that the low cost of "buying" that excess energy would be passed onto customers.

The current system only allows power purchases or transactions to be made on the same day, in five-minute or 15-minute markets that "balance" the reserves, said Bob Gravely, a PacifiCorp spokesman. A "day-ahead" market allows power providers to more effectively manage the intermittent nature of renewable energy and plan ahead.

"There are certain times of the year, certain times of the day where they (ISO) will produce more solar power than they can consume. We will be able to work into our plans a certain amount of solar generation that can be scheduled to power a toaster in Salt Lake City," Gravely said. "There will be certain amount of overgeneration that can be called on by PacifiCorp, we can back down a coal plant and serve a portion of our needs with some of that over generation."

Gravely said the price of the generated energy is cheaper, it saves on consumption of coal and gas and ultimately reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

"That will help us comply with whatever comes down the pike with federal and state clean air rules."

The study notes, too, that by joining forces, the two grid operators can greatly reduce the costs associated with new transmission lines and other infrastructure.

As an example, California could avoid the higher cost of development of in-state and more expensive renewable resources and instead tap into low-cost Wyoming wind because integration would allow the two to jointly develop "geographically diverse" renewable resources.

"You are sharing and pooling your resources over a broader area," Gravely said.

Grid integration is actually the way power generation and distribution happens in most regions of the country.

The Midwest, Texas and New England have integrated, regional energy markets.

The U.S. Department of Energy launched a grid integration initiative several years ago to facilitate tapping into wind and solar resources and organizations like the Western Governors Association and the Natural Resources Defense Council tout the benefits of regional integration.

"I think there is pretty wide recognition that the way the grid is managed in the West is not really sufficient to deal with renewables and with the changes that are happening in energy, the grid needs to be changed to go with those," Gravely said.

Some critics like the Sierra Club fear that regional integration is the way to prolong the life of coal-fired power plants — by allowing them to play in the same power sandbox as renewables — but others dispute that.

"Renewable resources (will be turned to first) because they are cheapest," said Carl Zichella, director of Western Transmission for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

If there is need for power within the grid, Zichella said it is extremely unlikely that coal-fired power plants will be asked to step in to fill the gap because they are already operating at near capacity.

"Their dance card is full."

If anything, Zichella said the ability to tap into renewable energy in an integrated grid may hasten the retirement of older, less efficient power plants.

"They all have sell-by dates on them at this point."

The defense council said a key problem in the West's current grid operation is that it is balkanized. While it is technically "connected" it is not coordinated and instead there are 38 autonomous "balancing authorities" constrained by their own power supply and demand considerations. Zichella compared it to having one bus with 38 drivers.

He stressed, too, that the council has been dogged on the issue of Western grid integration for multiple reasons, with access to clean energy chief among them.

"This will improve air quality in places like Salt Lake City...There are solar plants and wind energy resources operating in hours when we don't have enough need. Because of that, the price goes negative. With no demand for the product, the price goes down. That is the advantage Utah customers would have — they would get access to power that is being sold at very low prices."

At the same time, Zichella said there ultimately would be less reliance on fossil-fuel power generation.

"We have an embarrassment of renewable riches in the West. One of the most effective ways to make this happen is through a regional market that benefits PacifiCorp very greatly."

Utah Clean Energy executive director Sarah Wright said her organization will be paying close attention to the next phases of the process, which includes a number of initiatives and outreach to be carried out over the the next year.

"I’m excited about the potential for a regional market to capitalize on the geographic diversity of the West’s abundant inexhaustible renewable energy to create a cleaner and more affordable energy system," she said."But the details of how this market is developed are critical."

Note: How much do you know about the power grid? The U.S. Department of Energy has a quiz to test your grid IQ.

Email: amyjoi@deseretnews.com, Twitter: amyjoi16