Black the new Green?

[julianthegypsy]

I reckon the problem isn't generation, it's storage. We're used to big power plants generating at will. Renewables don't work like that, but the sun definitely comes up every morning and the wind will blow a predictable number of days every year. All you have to do is store it for peak times. Excess power could generate hydrogen and store that. Water can be pumped uphill to drive a turbine as needed etc. It just needs different thinking.

 

[Munkul]

There is no perfect answer, that's why we talk about this to death!

 

[brightspark]

I reckon the problem isn't generation, it's storage. We're used to big power plants generating at will. Renewables don't work like that, but the sun definitely comes up every morning and the wind will blow a predictable number of days every year. All you have to do is store it for peak times. Excess power could generate hydrogen and store that. Water can be pumped uphill to drive a turbine as needed etc. It just needs different thinking.

theres a powerstation in scotland i went to see. reservoir up in the mountain and power turbines near the lock/ during peak times the water generates the power and overnite the water is pumped back up the mountain not very economical but serves the purpose on a quick start up at peak times when other types of generating cant shut down or start up fast enough

 

[julianthegypsy]

theres a powerstation in scotland i went to see. reservoir up in the mountain and power turbines near the lock/ during peak times the water generates the power and overnite the water is pumped back up the mountain not very economical but serves the purpose on a quick start up at peak times when other types of generating cant shut down or start up fast enough

Not very economical I agree, but if it's using wind power at three in the morning when no one wants it, it's still a big win, and useful when the whole country turns the toaster on first thing in the morning!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

and god knows where it will go or end

In one of these, I suspect

 

[mike os]

If only someone could develop a relatively low flammability energy source that was safe,, affordable and easy to transport and store that you could use to power a transportation device.....

 

[RWD3M]

If only someone could develop a relatively low flammability energy source that was safe,, affordable and easy to transport and store that you could use to power a transportation device.....

Hmmm..... now let me think.....


Nope, can't think of one

 

[knighty]

this comes up everywhere all the time

smart chargers, adapting charge rate by grid frequency... it's a small/cheap (relatively) addition to the charger

makes all these problems go away


no-one is trying to 'fix the problem' because there isn't a problem

 

[GRW]

theres a powerstation in scotland i went to see. reservoir up in the mountain and power turbines near the lock/ during peak times the water generates the power and overnite the water is pumped back up the mountain not very economical but serves the purpose on a quick start up at peak times when other types of generating cant shut down or start up fast enough

Llanberis in Snowdonia has had a Hydro-electric PS that uses a lake reservoir and pumps it back up like that for decades also.

Elan Valley in Mid-Wales also has turbines to make use of all the water flow (the Elan Dam system was built to supply Birmingham with Water over a century ago)

 

[Keith 66]

We had solar panels fitted three years ago, the saving on electricity is noticeable. For local journeys an electric car would make sense as we are both retired & the ev could be charged during the day from our own array. At present we wont be doing it as dont consider the current lithium batteries to be green at all, if a decent alternative appears the old moggy pickup will get converted straight away!

 

[Wildefalcon]

Picture of the moggy pickup please? Always had a soft spot for car pickups.

We had solar panels fitted three years ago, the saving on electricity is noticeable. For local journeys an electric car would make sense as we are both retired & the ev could be charged during the day from our own array. At present we wont be doing it as dont consider the current lithium batteries to be green at all, if a decent alternative appears the old moggy pickup will get converted straight away!