4 ms·
The cheapest, most well understood way of handling “when the wind isn’t blowing” - which is almost a red herring given how different weather patterns are across
by Schiendelman 5y ago
The cheapest, most well understood way of handling “when the wind isn’t blowing” - which is almost a red herring given how different weather patterns are across a grid - remains building more wind farms and variably pricing electricity.
- pydry 5y agoBatteries also have started to make sense due to recent plunges in their cost. Hawaii / California are doing this. Hydrogen makes negative sense due to insane storage costs but gas/oil companies still like promoting the idea, probably due to their sunk costs in natgas investments.
- heurisko 5y agoCould you post references regarding the issues you have raised, as it contradicts other claims below that sees hydrogen storage as unavoidable.
- bryanlarsen 5y agohttps://mitpress.mit.edu/books/electrify https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/electrify
- algo_trader 5y agoYou have inserted this link about 10 times in the last 24hrs. https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=pastMonth&page=0&prefix=true&query=bryanlarsen%20electrify&sort=byPopularity&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=pastMonth&page=0&prefix=tr... Please stop. Also - the book, while correct, is not terribly original. It does not really address the more difficult segments.
- bryanlarsen 5y agoI wish I could link to specific chapters. That's the thing about books vs articles, they tend to touch on a lot of subjects. > It does not really address the more difficult segments. Like what?
- Robotbeat 5y agoHydrogen only makes sense when you get to around 90-95% decarbonization of the grid.
- Schiendelman 5y agoEven then it might make sense to make hydrocarbons that are easier to store!
- Robotbeat 5y agoPerhaps, but you’ve increased the capital cost of the fuel production system (you need CO2 capture now) plus significantly reducing energy efficiency of fuel production (and possibly conversion efficiency back to mechanical or electrical energy).
- Angostura 5y agoNot quite as much of a red herring as you might imagine, I don't think. There are days when the wind generated power across the grid really is quite small. Always fun to keep an eye on http://gridwatch.templar.co.uk http://gridwatch.templar.co.uk
- Schiendelman 5y agoThat’s because only a tiny, tiny fraction of areas with great generating capability have been built. The more we build, in more areas around the UK, the smaller the proportion of dip is.