Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkuisMellvile
The reserve power needed to support increased penetration of interruptible supplies from wind could come from spinning reserve (fossil or biomass powered!)
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It could and does. But spinning reserve is very inefficient and there is a break-even point where the energy required for keeping the spinning reserve on line starts to exceed the energy produced from the variable sources.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkuisMellvile
but equally the grid could be designed around non-thermal but predictable supplies of electricity.
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Maybe not so easy. For example, tidal is predictable, but the cycle isn't particularly convenient. On a regular basis, slack water is bound to occur when there is the greatest demand for power. Intermediate storage could be used to match supply and demand - a Dinorweg type scheme. But, to put it in context, it would need to be about three times the size of the Itaipu dam.
I'm with Wobs on this. I think we have no choice but to go nuclear.