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AC is pretty rare in Europe
by PeterStuer 7y ago
AC is pretty rare in Europe
- toomuchtodo 7y agoI agree, but I included it for the sake of argument. Any self supporting power system without AC is much easier to accomplish.
- PeterStuer 7y agoObviously if your energy needs are reduced and your potential energy production remains equal, then your personal energy autonomy becomes easier. That does not mean there is no difference in where that budget reduction comes from. AC is typically active when it is hot, usually when there is lots of PV potential. You are using more energy when your own energy production is higher. Suppose you do not have AC but instead electric heaters, then it is reversed. You are requiring more energy when your own production is lower. So even if your total energy budget would be the same, the former scenario would involve less strain than the latter on energy autonomy because of how consumption would correlate in time with production or not. From the grid's macro perspective, in an environment without much AC (or other appliances following the same consumption pattern), it has to potentially absorb (or refuse) much more energy delivered to it when demand is lower, while being able to still satisfy demand when it peaks and supply potential is reduced. At that grid level scope, widespread AC usage, even though in aggregate using far more energy and thus net negative, might be easier to smooth out demand wise and thus easier to satisfy.