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> In 2021 the 6 remaining nuclear power plants produced more power than all installed solar capacity in Germany. 3 were closed at year end. 65 billion kWh from

> In 2021 the 6 remaining nuclear power plants produced more power than all installed solar capacity in Germany. 3 were closed at year end. 65 billion kWh from Nuclear and 220 billion kWh from renewables actually https://www-destatis-de.translate.goog/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2022/03/PD22_116_43312.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp https://www-destatis-de.translate.goog/DE/Presse/Pressemitte...

bobro 4y ago
The table in that page says photovoltaics are 41B kWh.
- blablabla123 4y ago
  I know, that's why I wrote "renewables". Comparing with one of several widely deployed options seems a bit arbitrary
belorn 4y ago
65 billion kWh from Nuclear and 45 billion kWh from solar, actually... 111 billion kWh from wind, 30 billion kWh from bio gas, 18 billion kWh from hydro, 156 billion kWh from coal, 65 billion kWh from gas. 25% of the total was from coal, making coal the single largest but source for energy in Germany.
- blablabla123 4y ago
  I'm aware of that and it's summed up together with hydro etc. Why would you want to compare Nuclear with solar? I mean solar alone doesn't make much sense because it depends on daylight - which surely is great since most energy is used during the day and battery storage is getting increasingly deployed. But it's better to diversify and therefore rather consider the sum. > 25% of the total was from coal, making coal the single largest but source for energy in Germany. Well yeah but it's getting phased out on the long-term. Edit: also it's worth considering that gas and bio gas (the renewable version) power plants can be used during peak times because they can be started and shutdown quickly. That's not possible for nuclear which provides base load - in fact they need to be shut down during heat waves
  - belorn 4y ago
    Actually, nuclear plants can be started and be shutdown quickly. Most countries don't do that because a large portion of the investment cost is in construction rather than fuels, so lifting the rods is just a cost center unless the grid is extremely over saturated. > Well yeah but it's getting phased out on the long-term. Who will take responsibility for the pollution of that. Saying that it will be phased out doesn't actually mean anything. Every technology and building will at some point in the future be phased out when the time is right, the investments has been repaid, and alternative technology can out compete the old. Current solar plants that is being built today will also be phased out on the long term.
    - blablabla123 4y ago
      I mean there's a law for coal power in Germany, already since decades but the new add-on codifies that. They might be doing worse than France in terms of CO2 emissions per capita but far better than the US. Since cost is mentioned: "The cost of generating solar power ranges from $36 to $44 per megawatt hour (MWh), the WNISR said, while onshore wind power comes in at $29–$56 per MWh. Nuclear energy costs between $112 and $189." https://www.reuters.com/article/us-energy-nuclearpower-idUSKBN1W909J https://www.reuters.com/article/us-energy-nuclearpower-idUSK...
  - MagnumOpus 4y ago
    > That's not possible for nuclear which provides base load - in fact they need to be shut down during heat waves Google "load following nuclear" and also read the article in Wikipedia [0]. That will help stop false information. Summary: Nuclear power plants in France and in Germany operate in load-following mode and can go from full baseload to nearly "running on idle" in 15 minutes if needed. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load-following_power_plant#Nuclear_power_plants https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load-following_power_plant#Nuc...

bobro 4y ago

The table in that page says photovoltaics are 41B kWh.

blablabla123 4y ago
I know, that's why I wrote "renewables". Comparing with one of several widely deployed options seems a bit arbitrary

belorn 4y ago

65 billion kWh from Nuclear and 45 billion kWh from solar, actually... 111 billion kWh from wind, 30 billion kWh from bio gas, 18 billion kWh from hydro, 156 billion kWh from coal, 65 billion kWh from gas. 25% of the total was from coal, making coal the single largest but source for energy in Germany.

blablabla123 4y ago
I'm aware of that and it's summed up together with hydro etc. Why would you want to compare Nuclear with solar? I mean solar alone doesn't make much sense because it depends on daylight - which surely is great since most energy is used during the day and battery storage is getting increasingly deployed. But it's better to diversify and therefore rather consider the sum. > 25% of the total was from coal, making coal the single largest but source for energy in Germany. Well yeah but it's getting phased out on the long-term. Edit: also it's worth considering that gas and bio gas (the renewable version) power plants can be used during peak times because they can be started and shutdown quickly. That's not possible for nuclear which provides base load - in fact they need to be shut down during heat waves
- belorn 4y ago
  Actually, nuclear plants can be started and be shutdown quickly. Most countries don't do that because a large portion of the investment cost is in construction rather than fuels, so lifting the rods is just a cost center unless the grid is extremely over saturated. > Well yeah but it's getting phased out on the long-term. Who will take responsibility for the pollution of that. Saying that it will be phased out doesn't actually mean anything. Every technology and building will at some point in the future be phased out when the time is right, the investments has been repaid, and alternative technology can out compete the old. Current solar plants that is being built today will also be phased out on the long term.
  - blablabla123 4y ago
    I mean there's a law for coal power in Germany, already since decades but the new add-on codifies that. They might be doing worse than France in terms of CO2 emissions per capita but far better than the US. Since cost is mentioned: "The cost of generating solar power ranges from $36 to $44 per megawatt hour (MWh), the WNISR said, while onshore wind power comes in at $29–$56 per MWh. Nuclear energy costs between $112 and $189." https://www.reuters.com/article/us-energy-nuclearpower-idUSKBN1W909J https://www.reuters.com/article/us-energy-nuclearpower-idUSK...
- MagnumOpus 4y ago
  > That's not possible for nuclear which provides base load - in fact they need to be shut down during heat waves Google "load following nuclear" and also read the article in Wikipedia [0]. That will help stop false information. Summary: Nuclear power plants in France and in Germany operate in load-following mode and can go from full baseload to nearly "running on idle" in 15 minutes if needed. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load-following_power_plant#Nuclear_power_plants https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load-following_power_plant#Nuc...