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The concept of `baseload' is entirely a creation of the system of extremely large thermal plants that are essentially a path-dependent outcome of the electric g
by jhayward 7y ago
The concept of `baseload' is entirely a creation of the system of extremely large thermal plants that are essentially a path-dependent outcome of the electric grid's development. There is no intrinsic usefulness in the concept.
In other words it would be good to stop acting as though the only possible grid is one that looks exactly like the one that was developed in the early 1900's. There are many other arrangements of generation resources and economic structures to pay for them than the existing grid. That is what renewables are moving toward.
- sisu2019 7y agowell we certaintly aren't moving towards that in Germany so I wonder where they actually are and what that looks like in reality. If everyone else is also just going to burn more coal than ever before all of this is nothing but a very expensive step backwards.
- jhayward 7y agoWhat makes you say that? Take a look at the summary in another comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19913933 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19913933 That looks like progress to me. Why do you say "everyone else is just going to burn more coal?"