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No non-CO2 emitting energy system is currently a credible source for base load electrical power except for nuclear. Everything else, even hydroelectric, is not
by InclinedPlane 13y ago
No non-CO2 emitting energy system is currently a credible source for base load electrical power except for nuclear. Everything else, even hydroelectric, is not capable of providing the amount of power needed everywhere and everytime it's needed. Solar and wind could be, but it would require building new power storage facilities, and so many of them that it would match or exceed the cost of building out the solar/wind capacity to start with.
That's the reality. If it were different it wouldn't require subsidies to encourage people to build solar or wind power, they would do so spontaneously.
- Canada 13y ago> Everything else, even hydroelectric, is not capable of providing the amount of power needed at the time it's needed. Not in every case. BC Hydro powers BC and sells excess to US Markets.
- InclinedPlane 13y agoI updated my post to make it even more clear. Hydropower is for the most part great when it's available, but it's not available everywhere and it also doesn't come without significant environmental cost. It would not be a net benefit for the world if every country developed a crash program to become as dependent on hydropower as possible.