4 ms·

Electricity is a commodity, it does not matter how it is produced. The examples you bring up are something which is purely sunk cost, but is a benefit for the c

Electricity is a commodity, it does not matter how it is produced. The examples you bring up are something which is purely sunk cost, but is a benefit for the common good of the population which are exactly the projects governments should get involved in. The auctions for off shore leases for wind power are getting up into nuclear power range. This does not include the constructions of them. The capital exists, it simply seeks alternatives which can actually bring a profit. "New York Bight Offshore Wind Lease Auction Smashes Offshore Energy Record with $4.37 Billion in High Bids" https://gcaptain.com/new-york-bight-offshore-wind-lease-auction-smashes-record-with-4-37-billion-in-high-bids/ https://gcaptain.com/new-york-bight-offshore-wind-lease-auct... Good luck trying to auction the possibility of building a nuclear plant.

ClumsyPilot 5y ago
And when will this private capital builds the multi-gigawatt energy storage required to go to renewable? My guess is never. Yeah private capital is great at cookie-cutter projects, like buying factory-made pre-built windturbines or solar panels and operating them, this a low-risk operation and every bean-counter can model it's profitability in excell. But when it comes to developing new types of solar panels and suddenly without government research dollars there is zilch. It is also nowhere to be seen when we need actually risky and difficult projects like build a massive hydroelectric damn or multi-gigawatt power storage which will be required to support these renewables. It is nowhere to be seen in Tidal and Geothermal, which you can't buy premade from a factory in China. It is also useless in keeping reserves of grain, gas, or any other critical resource. So why should anyone take seriouslty this point about private capital if it only contributes in areas of least concern? If the human race was sitting around for private capital, we'd have gone extinc by now.
- Gwypaas 5y ago
  It is happening, in the least regulated of all US energy markets. > As of Oct. 2021, ERCOT had about 1100 MW of grid-connected battery storage in service with a pipeline of 4,000 MW by March 2023. https://www.power-eng.com/energy-storage/batteries/texas-adds-battery-storage-to-support-grid-ahead-of-winter/ https://www.power-eng.com/energy-storage/batteries/texas-add... The point is that nuclear is not risky or difficult. It is simply awfully inefficient. The risky nuclear move, which states should take, is investigating the possibility of supercritical CO2 turbines and similar technologies. That is to get away from the dead end of boiling water into a steam turbine which haven't have not been economical for 40 years. First steam turbines was out competed by gas turbines and now gas turbines themselves are having a hard time competing with the solid state components of PV or an axle right into a generator for wind turbines.

ClumsyPilot 5y ago

And when will this private capital builds the multi-gigawatt energy storage required to go to renewable? My guess is never. Yeah private capital is great at cookie-cutter projects, like buying factory-made pre-built windturbines or solar panels and operating them, this a low-risk operation and every bean-counter can model it's profitability in excell. But when it comes to developing new types of solar panels and suddenly without government research dollars there is zilch. It is also nowhere to be seen when we need actually risky and difficult projects like build a massive hydroelectric damn or multi-gigawatt power storage which will be required to support these renewables. It is nowhere to be seen in Tidal and Geothermal, which you can't buy premade from a factory in China. It is also useless in keeping reserves of grain, gas, or any other critical resource. So why should anyone take seriouslty this point about private capital if it only contributes in areas of least concern? If the human race was sitting around for private capital, we'd have gone extinc by now.

Gwypaas 5y ago
It is happening, in the least regulated of all US energy markets. > As of Oct. 2021, ERCOT had about 1100 MW of grid-connected battery storage in service with a pipeline of 4,000 MW by March 2023. https://www.power-eng.com/energy-storage/batteries/texas-adds-battery-storage-to-support-grid-ahead-of-winter/ https://www.power-eng.com/energy-storage/batteries/texas-add... The point is that nuclear is not risky or difficult. It is simply awfully inefficient. The risky nuclear move, which states should take, is investigating the possibility of supercritical CO2 turbines and similar technologies. That is to get away from the dead end of boiling water into a steam turbine which haven't have not been economical for 40 years. First steam turbines was out competed by gas turbines and now gas turbines themselves are having a hard time competing with the solid state components of PV or an axle right into a generator for wind turbines.