2 ms·

Why did you move the goalposts? Pumped-storage like Ludington are the most economical long term storage solution, they've existed for decades and unlike hydro

Why did you move the goalposts? Pumped-storage like Ludington are the most economical long term storage solution, they've existed for decades and unlike hydro generation, are not limited by suitable locations.

nine_k 2y ago
Pumped water storage is great, and I'm aware of it. We need more of it where possible. It's highly dependent on the kind of landscape you have though. Great for places like Switzerland, much harder to find a suitable place for it in Texas or Australia.
- TillE 2y ago
  It is not beyond the wit of man to dig a hole. (Of course you can build pumped hydroelectric storage anywhere, it's just cheaper in some places.)
  - nine_k 2y ago
    Digging a hole is possible, but may cost a real fortune, and take quite some land, if you have a flat landscape. Hills or mountains make it significantly more feasible. Check the locations of most hydroelectric plants.
- bryanlarsen 2y ago
  All you need is a hill and water. Australia National University identified 616,000 potential locations. https://re100.eng.anu.edu.au/global/ https://re100.eng.anu.edu.au/global/
  - Dylan16807 2y ago
    The more important number is "about one hundred times greater than required to support a 100% global renewable electricity system" which does sound pretty good.
  - nine_k 2y ago
    Are these locations close to the areas where the energy is needed? Australia is big, and transmission lines, not cheap. (By the same token, Sahara might be an ideal place to locate large solar power installations to feed the entire Eurasia, were it not for the transmission.)
    - Dylan16807 2y ago
      They're cheap enough. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8661478/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8661478/ Going by this you can get 200 miles of long distance line for each penny per kWh. And look at the map, they seem quite widespread.

2 ms·

Why did you move the goalposts? Pumped-storage like Ludington are the most economical long term storage solution, they've existed for decades and unlike hydro

by bryanlarsen 2y ago

nine_k 2y ago
Pumped water storage is great, and I'm aware of it. We need more of it where possible. It's highly dependent on the kind of landscape you have though. Great for places like Switzerland, much harder to find a suitable place for it in Texas or Australia.
- TillE 2y ago
  It is not beyond the wit of man to dig a hole. (Of course you can build pumped hydroelectric storage anywhere, it's just cheaper in some places.)
  - nine_k 2y ago
    Digging a hole is possible, but may cost a real fortune, and take quite some land, if you have a flat landscape. Hills or mountains make it significantly more feasible. Check the locations of most hydroelectric plants.
- bryanlarsen 2y ago
  All you need is a hill and water. Australia National University identified 616,000 potential locations. https://re100.eng.anu.edu.au/global/ https://re100.eng.anu.edu.au/global/
  - Dylan16807 2y ago
    The more important number is "about one hundred times greater than required to support a 100% global renewable electricity system" which does sound pretty good.
  - nine_k 2y ago
    Are these locations close to the areas where the energy is needed? Australia is big, and transmission lines, not cheap. (By the same token, Sahara might be an ideal place to locate large solar power installations to feed the entire Eurasia, were it not for the transmission.)
    - Dylan16807 2y ago
      They're cheap enough. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8661478/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8661478/ Going by this you can get 200 miles of long distance line for each penny per kWh. And look at the map, they seem quite widespread.