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a thing I learned recently is that we are _already_ using hydroelectric power to balance out solar power - apparently with existing dams it's possible to dial d
by jes5199 2y ago
a thing I learned recently is that we are _already_ using hydroelectric power to balance out solar power - apparently with existing dams it's possible to dial down the flow in the daytime and dial it up at night. As more solar energy comes online, this becomes a natural consequence of energy markets
- brikym 2y agoYou are correct. It's most efficient to first stop hydro when there is cheaper renewable generation available, then if there is still excess then pump uphill into storage. It would be silly to have water going both up and down at the same time.
- pjc50 2y agoHydro is extremely throttleable; most plants can go from 0 to 100% or vice versa in a couple of minutes.