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Yeah the article I think does a disservice to pumped hydro. > Actually, the Sisyphean labor of pumping water up and down the mountain is a net energy loss -- m
by travisporter 4y ago
Yeah the article I think does a disservice to pumped hydro.
> Actually, the Sisyphean labor of pumping water up and down the mountain is a net energy loss -- more electricity is used then generated.But because off-peak electricity costs less than the price Northfield gets for what it generates when demand is high, the system is a moneymaker.
I think I understand what they’re saying but it makes it sound wasteful
- maccard 4y ago> I think I understand what they’re saying but it makes it sound wasteful Just in case it's not clear to anyone (or to you) they pump the water up the mountain with cheap (often renewable) energy when there's a surplus, and then release it instead of turning on the more expensive gas generators to fuel the peak demand.
- foxyv 4y agoThe energy has to go somewhere so they are using it for SOMETHING instead of just heating up a giant resistor and venting it into the air. This is because demand is so variable. This is the equivalent of storing water from a river in a reservoir when you aren't watering your field. Sure, some of it evaporates but you aren't just letting it run into the ocean.