4 ms·

The issue is that utilities spend more than 50% of their incremental operating expense getting that electron to you, not making/buying it in the first place. Wi

The issue is that utilities spend more than 50% of their incremental operating expense getting that electron to you, not making/buying it in the first place. With that kind of cost-stacking, nuclear has little hope of competing with solar. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50456 https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50456

rubenv 3y ago
But more than half of the time the sun doesn't shine in my lovely country.
- toomuchtodo 3y ago
  https://electrek.co/2023/10/03/worlds-first-artificial-energy-island/ https://electrek.co/2023/10/03/worlds-first-artificial-energ...
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- KingOfCoders 3y ago
  I guess your country also has no oil? But gas stations? Magic, I know! Or it has oil and no chip industry but you have a computer? Mind blown. If your country has oil and a chip industry, chapéu!
slibhb 3y ago
Microsoft disagrees with you: https://twitter.com/energybants/status/1705664458952151101 https://twitter.com/energybants/status/1705664458952151101 The "solar makes nuclear useless" line seems wrong. There are situations where solar isn't feasible (like in a spaceship or on a boat or submarine). There also may be space, reliability, and weather limitations that make solar less attractive. Finally, we're making solar panels very fast, but if we really go all-in, it will take a long time to build as many as we need. It's probably better to hedge our bets and build nuclear now. Re: Helion, I'm skeptical that their fusion reactor will ever be commercially viable but am not an expert and would love to be wrong. There's tons of Helion skepticism on the internet you can find if you look around.
u320 3y ago
That's not how grid economics work. Transmission costs are large and rising, but that is more of a problem for intermittent sources.
simne 3y ago
Mistake, to underestimate scale effect. For example, in Ukraine use large enterprise fission reactors (mostly 900MWt or 1000MWt), and they are so effective, that could sell energy for less than half of solar cost. Yes, we have some parts of country with small population density, but their share of energy consumption is also small, so they are not affect whole balance much. I must admit, things are constantly change last months, so future could be very different. But just now, nuclear are cheapest in Ukrainian energy balance.

rubenv 3y ago

But more than half of the time the sun doesn't shine in my lovely country.

toomuchtodo 3y ago
https://electrek.co/2023/10/03/worlds-first-artificial-energy-island/ https://electrek.co/2023/10/03/worlds-first-artificial-energ...
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
KingOfCoders 3y ago
I guess your country also has no oil? But gas stations? Magic, I know! Or it has oil and no chip industry but you have a computer? Mind blown. If your country has oil and a chip industry, chapéu!

slibhb 3y ago

Microsoft disagrees with you: https://twitter.com/energybants/status/1705664458952151101 https://twitter.com/energybants/status/1705664458952151101 The "solar makes nuclear useless" line seems wrong. There are situations where solar isn't feasible (like in a spaceship or on a boat or submarine). There also may be space, reliability, and weather limitations that make solar less attractive. Finally, we're making solar panels very fast, but if we really go all-in, it will take a long time to build as many as we need. It's probably better to hedge our bets and build nuclear now. Re: Helion, I'm skeptical that their fusion reactor will ever be commercially viable but am not an expert and would love to be wrong. There's tons of Helion skepticism on the internet you can find if you look around.

u320 3y ago

That's not how grid economics work. Transmission costs are large and rising, but that is more of a problem for intermittent sources.

simne 3y ago

Mistake, to underestimate scale effect. For example, in Ukraine use large enterprise fission reactors (mostly 900MWt or 1000MWt), and they are so effective, that could sell energy for less than half of solar cost. Yes, we have some parts of country with small population density, but their share of energy consumption is also small, so they are not affect whole balance much. I must admit, things are constantly change last months, so future could be very different. But just now, nuclear are cheapest in Ukrainian energy balance.