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lughnasadh OP t1_iqrg8z5 wrote

Submission Statement

As OP notes, the project is “getting closer and closer to having something with a very stable output profile that we traditionally think of being what’s capable with a fuel-based generation power plant.”

It's an interesting question as to just how much storage a 100% renewables system would need to provide all the backup needed to supply continuous power.

A recent study that did this for Germany points out that the issue here is that most of the time that storage capacity would be small relative to total generating capacity, but that occasionally (concurrent long periods of low wind) there would be a need for very high storage reserves to be called upon.

It suggested batteries for the bulk of the normal storage requirements, and hydrogen stored in salt caverns for the rarer times much more storage needs to be called on.

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RonPMexico t1_iqsbkmi wrote

Ahh so it will work until it doesn't work and for when it doesn't work we have this novel parallel generation system that is only for backup. It isn't practical for energy generation that's why it's the backup but it will work when we need it to. Can't see a single issue with that.

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invisiblesock t1_iqswkq3 wrote

you pretty much described today's electricity grids.

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RonPMexico t1_iqsxcmg wrote

Not really peaker plants use tried and true generation techniques and are just as efficient as main load plants. Our current grid provides reliable, consistent, and constant electricity.

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invisiblesock t1_iqt32y2 wrote

🙄

today's grids contain large amounts of capacity that's seldom used. this includes peaker plants, which have terrible efficiency.

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RonPMexico t1_iqt4252 wrote

I would argue the excess capacity is exclusively made up of peaker plants. I'd be interested in where you got the terrible efficiency data from.

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invisiblesock t1_iqxngj8 wrote

>I'd be interested in where you got the terrible efficiency data from.

most peaker plants use single cycle gas turbines, which have fairly low efficiency. it's usually in the low 30s for newer plants depending if the plant has heat exchangers to cool the incoming air.

there are also peaker plants that use reciprocating engines, these ones have even worse efficiency.

standard combined cycle gas thermal plants have a second cycle that uses the waste heat from the first cycle to increase the efficiency; in this case it's between 40% and 60%.

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