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Why on earth would they want _less_ nuclear power? And replaced with low-efficiency gas, too. Are they sponsored by the Russians or something? Because from an e

Why on earth would they want _less_ nuclear power? And replaced with low-efficiency gas, too. Are they sponsored by the Russians or something? Because from an ecological point of view I don't really see any reason.

AndrewDucker 17y ago
You only run the numbers you need at any one moment, and you can power up/down extremely quickly. This gives you fantastic control over additional power.
- wizard_2 17y ago
  There's delivery and demand advantage to decentralizing power generation. There's also a huge load balancing challenge associated with it.
  - stcredzero 17y ago
    These things can only deliver power to the local distribution node. As for load balancing, I don't think it's an insurmountable challenge to respond to the local distribution network's load. Microprocessors excel at this sort of thing. Install a large, over-sized hot water tank to the customers with this, and it's even easier. Install larger generators at local power-hungry businesses that also use hot water, and it's even easier.
- radu_floricica 17y ago
  From a programmer's point of view this may sound appealing, but this doesn't change the fact that economies of scale are HUGE with energy production. I don't even want to think what the efficiency of these toy generators is compared to a big power plant. Also, the power-up/down works only with centralized control. I doubt people will pay to have things installed in their homes which somebody else turns on and off. Sorry, but I can only see this as somebody's wet dream, completely ignoring reality. 5000 euros? Good luck! Solar water heating is 500, and it actually gives hot water for free, 8 months per year.
tomjen2 17y ago
Nuclear power isn't very popular in Europe, partly because of what happened in Chernobyl, but also consistent with the more socialistic learnings. Also some claim that we don't have that many years of uranium left.
- colinprince 17y ago
  Okay, I gotta ask. What is intrinsically more socialistic about Nuclear power?
  - tomjen2 17y ago
    My bad English :) If was trying to say that Nuclear power wasn't that popular in leftist circles, and that they had more influence in Europe than America, therefore Europe didn't like nuclear power as much as America.
    - AndrewDucker 17y ago
      Except that 87% of France's power is produced by nuclear power plants...
- radu_floricica 17y ago
  I'm in Romania (Eastern Europe), and from here it looks pretty popular, a lot more then in US anyways. Both as percent of total energy production and of investments. Last I heard we had over 10% and going towards 20%. As for socialist bias... I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.
colinprince 17y ago
The savings in transmission would be large. Also, getting permission for transmission right-of-ways is getting more and more difficult.

AndrewDucker 17y ago

You only run the numbers you need at any one moment, and you can power up/down extremely quickly. This gives you fantastic control over additional power.

wizard_2 17y ago
There's delivery and demand advantage to decentralizing power generation. There's also a huge load balancing challenge associated with it.
- stcredzero 17y ago
  These things can only deliver power to the local distribution node. As for load balancing, I don't think it's an insurmountable challenge to respond to the local distribution network's load. Microprocessors excel at this sort of thing. Install a large, over-sized hot water tank to the customers with this, and it's even easier. Install larger generators at local power-hungry businesses that also use hot water, and it's even easier.
radu_floricica 17y ago
From a programmer's point of view this may sound appealing, but this doesn't change the fact that economies of scale are HUGE with energy production. I don't even want to think what the efficiency of these toy generators is compared to a big power plant. Also, the power-up/down works only with centralized control. I doubt people will pay to have things installed in their homes which somebody else turns on and off. Sorry, but I can only see this as somebody's wet dream, completely ignoring reality. 5000 euros? Good luck! Solar water heating is 500, and it actually gives hot water for free, 8 months per year.

tomjen2 17y ago

Nuclear power isn't very popular in Europe, partly because of what happened in Chernobyl, but also consistent with the more socialistic learnings. Also some claim that we don't have that many years of uranium left.

colinprince 17y ago
Okay, I gotta ask. What is intrinsically more socialistic about Nuclear power?
- tomjen2 17y ago
  My bad English :) If was trying to say that Nuclear power wasn't that popular in leftist circles, and that they had more influence in Europe than America, therefore Europe didn't like nuclear power as much as America.
  - AndrewDucker 17y ago
    Except that 87% of France's power is produced by nuclear power plants...
radu_floricica 17y ago
I'm in Romania (Eastern Europe), and from here it looks pretty popular, a lot more then in US anyways. Both as percent of total energy production and of investments. Last I heard we had over 10% and going towards 20%. As for socialist bias... I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

colinprince 17y ago

The savings in transmission would be large. Also, getting permission for transmission right-of-ways is getting more and more difficult.