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I don't mind nuclear. Good for base load.
by tomrod 1y ago
I don't mind nuclear. Good for base load.
- boshomi 1y agoBase load becomes very expensive under free and fair market conditions. The reason is simple: wind and PV are extremely cheap, and surplus capacity costs little. PV module price in EU is just 0.086 UDS/W fob. Wind turbine price in China ~2200Yuan/kW inclusive tower. In a free market, this leads to attractive conditions for batteries, and that is where the problem of base load begins: there is a lack of real demand, and base load then remains unused because its OPEX cannot compete with wind and PV. There's just one problem. There is virtually no free and fair market in the electricity market. Utilities lobby very successfully for highly regulated markets to protect their monopolies. Nuclear power requires massive government protection from competition, which makes it attractive to utilities.
- tbrownaw 1y agoThis is a prediction of the future, not an observation about the present / past like it's phrased as.
- hinkley 1y agoWe are already cresting that hill. It’s happening now. It’s not happening everywhere, but it’s already happening.
- boshomi 1y agono, this are real world prices https://www.infolink-group.com/spot-price/ https://www.infolink-group.com/spot-price/ https://wind.in-en.com/html/wind-2462559.shtml https://wind.in-en.com/html/wind-2462559.shtml (chinese example) BESS 5MWh 52 USD/kWh: https://www.metal.com/Battery-Cell-And-Module/202407100001 https://www.metal.com/Battery-Cell-And-Module/202407100001 Yes, electricity is becoming very cheap in China, and it will be difficult for the West to keep up here. Exorbitant US tariffs are also counterproductive, as they only serve to secure monopoly profits for old utilities.
- fellowmartian 1y agoNuclear is attractive? Are we living on the same planet? I wish it was attractive but it’s quite obviously the opposite.
- tomrod 1y agoIf you assume nuclear is only a 3 Mile Island waiting to happen, you're out of date.
- fellowmartian 1y agoYou’re preaching to the choir here, I know nuclear is good and safe, but most people really don’t.
- seb1204 1y agoBase load is something of the past. Base load does no longer exist as such as during daytimes the solar curve will / should push it to zero as surplus capacity is cheap. Running base load plays at night is then also no longer sensible.
- Reason077 1y ago> ”I don't mind nuclear. Good for base load.” Everyone who has an electricity bill or pays taxes should be against new-build nuclear power because it is pretty much the most expensive way to produce electricity. You should instead lobby for wind, solar, and even closing coal power plants in favour of modern natural gas plants. All of those will cut more emissions, more quickly, per dollar spent.
- samarthr1 1y agoBut, is that what the average ratepayer wants? I personally want cheaper, more reliable power over any feelgood emission metrics. I install solar on my rooftop because BESCOM is ripping me off, and net metering would occur help me get my bill to zero.
- apple4ever 1y agoNo I'm 100% in factor of lots of new build nuclear. It's only expensive because it's rare. The more we build the cheaper it becomes. And it does not have the issues like wind and solar and even gas.
- jama211 1y agoGiven the trend line of the cost of renewables + storage, by the time you’ve built one if you start now we could’ve done it cheaper and easier with renewables in most locations in the world.