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Of course it isn't imagined, but it is also only feasible in very specific geographic locations. What is imagined is that it can be expanded at scale in order

Of course it isn't imagined, but it is also only feasible in very specific geographic locations. What is imagined is that it can be expanded at scale in order to offset the intermittent nature of renewables.

mturmon 6y ago
In your original comment, you literally said pumped hydro (along with others) was an imagined technology. This is widely known to be false, and I wrote to correct that. > What is imagined is that it can be expanded at scale... No power generation method that we have is a universal solution, and as long as we have nation-states we shouldn't expect it to be. But pumped hydro has indeed been expanded at scale, and it is in operations, as the wikipedia page I linked demonstrates. It's not helpful to say things that are obviously false.
- gwright 6y ago
  > In your original comment, you literally said pumped hydro (along with others) was an imagined technology. I also said: > Future imagined technologies and/or infrastructure Sure I could have been clearer but the entire thrust of my message was to say that you can't solve todays grid problems due to intermittent renewables with future technologies (not yet invented) and/or future infrastructure (not yet built). I certainly agree with you that pumped hydro is viable is some very specific locations. I would also insist that if you want to advocate for more renewables you better include the cost of a combined renewable + pumped hydro to save the intermittent supply problem. And if you are going to advocate for building the renewable generation in one location and the pumped hydro in another location, then you need to include the cost of the transmission lines to get the power to where it is needed and adjust your capacity calculations for the energy lost in transmission lines. Along the way you are going to have also plan for the litigation costs and delays the moment you suggest damming a valley to turn it into a reservoir. Almost every glowing report about renewables, especially if it is about how "cheap" it now is, fails to account for the alternate generation capacity that must be maintained/built or for the effective generating capacity (i.e. not the peak capacity on the sunniest or windiest day).

mturmon 6y ago

In your original comment, you literally said pumped hydro (along with others) was an imagined technology. This is widely known to be false, and I wrote to correct that. > What is imagined is that it can be expanded at scale... No power generation method that we have is a universal solution, and as long as we have nation-states we shouldn't expect it to be. But pumped hydro has indeed been expanded at scale, and it is in operations, as the wikipedia page I linked demonstrates. It's not helpful to say things that are obviously false.

gwright 6y ago
> In your original comment, you literally said pumped hydro (along with others) was an imagined technology. I also said: > Future imagined technologies and/or infrastructure Sure I could have been clearer but the entire thrust of my message was to say that you can't solve todays grid problems due to intermittent renewables with future technologies (not yet invented) and/or future infrastructure (not yet built). I certainly agree with you that pumped hydro is viable is some very specific locations. I would also insist that if you want to advocate for more renewables you better include the cost of a combined renewable + pumped hydro to save the intermittent supply problem. And if you are going to advocate for building the renewable generation in one location and the pumped hydro in another location, then you need to include the cost of the transmission lines to get the power to where it is needed and adjust your capacity calculations for the energy lost in transmission lines. Along the way you are going to have also plan for the litigation costs and delays the moment you suggest damming a valley to turn it into a reservoir. Almost every glowing report about renewables, especially if it is about how "cheap" it now is, fails to account for the alternate generation capacity that must be maintained/built or for the effective generating capacity (i.e. not the peak capacity on the sunniest or windiest day).