4 ms·

Pumped hydro is a battery, Snowy 2.0 for example [1] > Snowy 2.0 will provide an additional 2,200 megawatts of dispatchable, on-demand generating capacity and

by rswail 2y ago

Pumped hydro is a battery, Snowy 2.0 for example [1] > Snowy 2.0 will provide an additional 2,200 megawatts of dispatchable, on-demand generating capacity and approximately 350,000 megawatt hours of large-scale storage to the National Electricity Market. To provide context, this is enough energy storage to power three million homes over the course of a week. Every EV is a battery. V2H (Home) and V2G (Grid) standards are evolving to allow them to be managed as part of the grid/mesh. [1] https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/snowy-20/about/ https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/snowy-20/about/

asdefghyk 2y ago
There is lots criticism of this project , including its rising cost, currently $12 billion. My point is there needs to be large amounts of storage , KEPT IN RESERVE for unexpected weather events that last several days. Then there needs to be the (to be constructed) network capacity to get it to where energy is needed. ( At present , most just assume a infinite copper grid) Then there needs to be excess generation capacity to recharge the storage after its use. (Hopefully no back to back extreme renewable droughts) The present electricity supply system has evolved over several decades. Completely re engineering the electricity grid over a relatively short time , like a decade, is bound to have lots expensive problems leading to high electricity prices and un reliable grid supply. Every EV as a battery , skeptical about that, sounds good, I can see implementation problems.
- rswail 2y ago
  Yes, it's blown out on cost, primarily because of tunnelling issues. Your point about large amounts of storage and the network capacity etc is correct, however, no one "just assume[s] a infinite copper grid". AEMOs ISP includes transmission network upgrades to both connect Renewable Energy Zones (eg offshore and rural REZ in Victoria). The problems of "baseload" disappearing both because of the age of the generators and the variability of RE because "always on" generation doesn't work well with variable generation has to be solved, but storage is growing now at the same sort of rate as generation, especially co-located solar/storage. It is exceedingly rare for unexpected weather events lasting several days across the entire NEM. In fact, it has never occurred.

by rswail 2y ago

asdefghyk 2y ago

There is lots criticism of this project , including its rising cost, currently $12 billion. My point is there needs to be large amounts of storage , KEPT IN RESERVE for unexpected weather events that last several days. Then there needs to be the (to be constructed) network capacity to get it to where energy is needed. ( At present , most just assume a infinite copper grid) Then there needs to be excess generation capacity to recharge the storage after its use. (Hopefully no back to back extreme renewable droughts) The present electricity supply system has evolved over several decades. Completely re engineering the electricity grid over a relatively short time , like a decade, is bound to have lots expensive problems leading to high electricity prices and un reliable grid supply. Every EV as a battery , skeptical about that, sounds good, I can see implementation problems.

rswail 2y ago
Yes, it's blown out on cost, primarily because of tunnelling issues. Your point about large amounts of storage and the network capacity etc is correct, however, no one "just assume[s] a infinite copper grid". AEMOs ISP includes transmission network upgrades to both connect Renewable Energy Zones (eg offshore and rural REZ in Victoria). The problems of "baseload" disappearing both because of the age of the generators and the variability of RE because "always on" generation doesn't work well with variable generation has to be solved, but storage is growing now at the same sort of rate as generation, especially co-located solar/storage. It is exceedingly rare for unexpected weather events lasting several days across the entire NEM. In fact, it has never occurred.