Researchers propose ways to avoid blackouts with renewable energy (2018)
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Re: Researchers propose ways to avoid blackouts with renewable energy (2018)
#2« a remaining challenge of implementing their roadmaps is that they require coordination across political boundaries »
Maybe it’s the main one ?
Re: Researchers propose ways to avoid blackouts with renewable energy (2018)
#3« a remaining challenge of implementing their roadmaps is that they require coordination across political boundaries » Maybe it’s the main one ?
Indeed. Energy is like currency. It has to be under the control of a political authority with complete control over it. At the moment that structure is still the nation state.
Once you step outside the nation state you need sufficient geopolitical diversity of supply between nations that you can abandon one if necessary.
As ever you need highly cohesive units, loosely coupled if you want them to be responsive to change.
Re: Researchers propose ways to avoid blackouts with renewable energy (2018)
#4Mark Jacobson, the author of the study, files libel suits against people who disagree with him.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/20...
Re: Researchers propose ways to avoid blackouts with renewable energy (2018)
#5None of this will save us.
Re: Researchers propose ways to avoid blackouts with renewable energy (2018)
#6''new method of keeping the lights on if the world turns to 100% clean, renewable energy'' probably bs
''New research by Mark Z. Jacobson'' ok this is surely bs
Re: Researchers propose ways to avoid blackouts with renewable energy (2018)
#7The actual paper is https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096014811...
Re: Researchers propose ways to avoid blackouts with renewable energy (2018)
#8Mark Jacobson, the author of the study, files libel suits against people who disagree with him. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/20...
Not taking sides in this debate (which is over whether or not nuclear power should be used), however the paper has four authors and in the introduction they say:
"The main purpose of this study is to explore whether low-cost mixes using 100% WWS can match energy demand with intermittent supply, not to prescribe the only possible future energy mix in each region. Indeed, many different future scenarios can be constructed depending on the objective. The objective here is to determine whether a 100% WWS system, which we believe maximizes air quality and climate change benefits while minimizing catastrophic risk relative to systems using other technologies, can deliver energy reliably at a reasonable business cost worldwide."
So either way, if their modeling is good, it is still a useful assessment of options.
Re: Researchers propose ways to avoid blackouts with renewable energy (2018)
#9From the paper, the proposed technologies are:
"Key elements of the solution applicable to different cases are to (1) produce heat directly from solar and geothermal heat resources and from electricity; (2) store electricity as heat after current electricity demand is satisfied and electricity storage is full; (3) if thermal energy storage is used, store excess heat in water and underground rocks when current heat demand is satisfied; (4) if thermal energy storage is used, produce cold directly from electricity and store excess cold in water and ice; (5) produce hydrogen from excess electricity after all electricity and heat storage are full, and store excess hydrogen; (6) store excess CSP electricity in a phase-change material and remaining excess electricity either in pumped-hydro storage, as heat in underground rocks, or as hydrogen; (7) increase the maximum discharge rates of CSP, the number of batteries, or the maximum discharge rate of hydropower (while keeping its annual energy production constant) to help meet peaks in demand; (8) use heat pumps for cold and low-temperature heat loads wherever possible; and (9) use demand response for some loads to reduce peaks in load."
Re: Researchers propose ways to avoid blackouts with renewable energy (2018)
#10Mark Jacobson, the author of the study, files libel suits against people who disagree with him. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/20...
So at the core of it, the previous paper depended on adding a lot more turbines into existing dams so that they could be burstier, and didn't provide justification for, or even really mention the need for, the ability to add that many turbines.
This got called a "modeling error", which among other things made him mad enough to sue for libel.
Well, quality of legal decisions aside, one of the main points of the new paper is that it's "suggesting several different solutions for stabilizing energy produced with 100 percent clean, renewable sources, including solutions with no added hydropower turbines and no storage in water, ice or rocks."