4 ms·
Yes, room temperature superconductivity would also be a good solution to the problem. If we have the ability to transmit power around the world without huge los
by VBprogrammer 7y ago
Yes, room temperature superconductivity would also be a good solution to the problem. If we have the ability to transmit power around the world without huge losses from where it is being produced to where it can be consumed then a lot of the problems go away.
- peeters 7y agoI don't think transmission is a huge issue; plenty of opportunity to generate in situ. e.g. going back to Ontario exporting low-carbon energy, of its sustained generation ~60% is nuclear, 15% wind (largely on-land). There's no reason you couldn't generate both of those in the midwest where coal usage is highest. All that is needed is for coal to cost what it should actually cost.
- VBprogrammer 7y agoAh, I should have checked, I assumed it was mostly hydropower like BC and AB. However, the problem still exists, you have countries in the middle east which politically will never be allowed civilian nuclear power (only 32 countries out of 170 odd actually have civilian nuclear power) but which could potentially produce huge amounts of Solar power during the day. If only they could then buy power from solar / wind / geothermal stations through the night, or continue producing through the night from energy stored in Molten Salt, Liquid metal batteries, Liquified Air etc.