3 ms·

This is a big deal, one of the key benefits of Coal/Gas/Oil power stations is their ability to provide frequency response (where the power output is adjusted to

by d4nt 13y ago

This is a big deal, one of the key benefits of Coal/Gas/Oil power stations is their ability to provide frequency response (where the power output is adjusted to keep the AC as close to 50 Hz as possible) or to participate in a balancing mechanism (where generators place bids on providing minute by minute changes to their power output). Until now the only thing a solar/wind/nuclear generator could do was turn their generators on or off. That severally limits the proportion of renewables you can reasonably have on your grid[1]. But this technology looks like it'll give a renewable generator a way of dynamically adjusting their output to match demand. [1] You do get controlled generation with biomass, but the efficiency is terrible and you need that land to grow food, so it'll (hopefully) only ever be a niche technology.

maxerickson 13y ago
Biomass generally means wood or agricultural waste/residue. Tree plantations probably use some land suitable for farming, but not all that much. Most biomass generation occurs at plants that have other operations involving wood, so even much of the wood burned is byproduct. I agree that massive expansion of biomass generation would impact agricultural land.
- Cthulhu_ 13y ago
  > I agree that massive expansion of biomass generation would impact agricultural land. It would; just look at the amount of farmland currently used to produce plants used for the production of biofuels. It's a big impact on the food production capacity of the world, and it's mainly used to mix with regular oil-based fuels so that the oil/gas companies adhere to government standards, tax reductions and customer goodwill, whilst the biofuel producers get government grants and fundings and more tax deductions. Of course, that's (iirc) first-generation biofuel, second/third generation (or grade) biofuel uses biowaste (shells, green stuff, animal waste, stuff that would otherwise be processed into compost or fertilizer). source: my memory

by d4nt 13y ago

maxerickson 13y ago

Biomass generally means wood or agricultural waste/residue. Tree plantations probably use some land suitable for farming, but not all that much. Most biomass generation occurs at plants that have other operations involving wood, so even much of the wood burned is byproduct. I agree that massive expansion of biomass generation would impact agricultural land.

Cthulhu_ 13y ago
> I agree that massive expansion of biomass generation would impact agricultural land. It would; just look at the amount of farmland currently used to produce plants used for the production of biofuels. It's a big impact on the food production capacity of the world, and it's mainly used to mix with regular oil-based fuels so that the oil/gas companies adhere to government standards, tax reductions and customer goodwill, whilst the biofuel producers get government grants and fundings and more tax deductions. Of course, that's (iirc) first-generation biofuel, second/third generation (or grade) biofuel uses biowaste (shells, green stuff, animal waste, stuff that would otherwise be processed into compost or fertilizer). source: my memory