Yes.
Hydrogen Fuelled Toyota - It's About Freakin' Time!
- Thread starter Pro-pulsion
- Start date
Yes.
Quinc
Buy a Superjet
- Location
- California
Or when its frozen out.
"
Germany’s long been held up by the likes of these renewable luvvies, they say Germany’s the world’s great wind and solar capital,” Mr Dean said.
“But as we speak millions of solar panels are blanketed in snow and 30,000 wind turbines are sitting idle because there’s no wind.
“Freezing Germans shivering in their lederhosen’s are desperate for coal fired power to heat up their wurst and sauerkraut.”"
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
I'd agree with that, but over the next 30 years I foresee a transition to eliminate fossil fuels as base load, and shift to peaking units. Just because our current generation doesn't suit every green dream out there it's a slow process. These plants have a long life span and shouldn't be phased out too early.
Solar is going to grow more than you think. As we get more rooftop systems it's going to add up. Having intermittent supplies like wind and solar add a lot of challenges to the grid, and it's interesting to see the solutions to maintain grid stability.
Who knows what government policies will affect the current transition now.
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If you do the math electric cars are much lower operating expense. They are physically simpler, less to go wrong, less to wear out, less to maintain. Today they're still really expensive up front, and the numbers are still pretty small compared to the overall auto market, but the numbers are growing very quickly, and the prices are coming down, charging stations are getting more common, battery technology is getting better. Eventually they will be the choice of people who just want a car and choose the thing that is lowest cost and most convenient. Vast majority of people vast majority of the time will just charge them when they're parked over night and "stopping for gas" is going to feel like a weird concept. Like rewinding a cassette tape or putting a cd in the cd player. Long term it won't have anything to do with politics, it will just be that the technology evolved so that is the better way to make a car for most average Joes. I hope politicians don't make internal combustion engines illegal because I like them and want them to stay around. It will be like owning a horse or driving a classic with a carburetor, listening to vinyl, there will be people who are into it, and it will still be cool but not mainstream.
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Yep. I bought a Volt back in early 2012 as it was first available. My commute went from $20 round trip to about $1. I charge at home for about a dollar and plug in for free at work. I now have 125,000 miles on it and I've replaced the tires as much as I've changed the oil. Changed the 12V battery, but that's about the only maintenance I've done on it. It's a cheap car to drive. Now, it's not exciting like a Tesla. It's a turd, no soul, not very spacious, not very nice, but it's a good car that's good for my commute. I don't drive it much unless I'm commuting or want something economical for picking something up.
It's interesting to see all the new EV's come out, but so many mainstream cars just seem so boring. I reserved a Cybertruck on release night. The price/performance on that at the announcement was huge. We will see. Even though I have a psudo EV now, my cylinder count is quite high.
- Location
- Goodwood, ON
As far as solar goes, it may have its limitations, but it has recently become the cheapest source of power generation, when you look at cost of setting up and running a facility over its lifetime. I was shocked to see that, but the article I was reading had all the numbers laid out, and it's supposed to keep getting cheaper as it becomes more common.
To get around snow, there have been panels made with the ability to create enough heat to melt snow whenever needed, using some stored energy that they generated. Around here I've seen a lot of arrays built that will turn to follow the sun throughout the day. They have the ability to tilt enough to knock snow off.
To get around snow, there have been panels made with the ability to create enough heat to melt snow whenever needed, using some stored energy that they generated. Around here I've seen a lot of arrays built that will turn to follow the sun throughout the day. They have the ability to tilt enough to knock snow off.
Good info on where power in the US comes from now and in the past: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/electricity-in-the-us.php
I drive an EV in Kentucky, primarily powered by coal and natural gas. I don't drive it for the emissions though, I drive it because EVs are a better ride overall---quieter, more torque, more reliable, and cheaper. Until you drive one, you don't realize how much easier it is to get across lanes of traffic in an EV than a gas vehicle.
I drive an EV in Kentucky, primarily powered by coal and natural gas. I don't drive it for the emissions though, I drive it because EVs are a better ride overall---quieter, more torque, more reliable, and cheaper. Until you drive one, you don't realize how much easier it is to get across lanes of traffic in an EV than a gas vehicle.
- Location
- La Crosse, WI on the BIG River
- Location
- California
This is a great discussion.
Was just reading that Texas is having blackouts and part of the reason is that the wind turbines are frozen and not making power. Pretty crazy stuff.
Was just reading that Texas is having blackouts and part of the reason is that the wind turbines are frozen and not making power. Pretty crazy stuff.
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
I've got some insider knowledge on what's going on there. As many know, there is record cold there. I heard that is Texas's first winter storm warning. Kind of a perfect storm of a lot of bad stuff.
Not windy and iced up wind turbines = no wind power, and they have a lot of wind installed.
Low natural gas pressures due to high demand is forcing combined cycle plants to derate and curtail power output.
One nuclear plant (South Texas Project) tripped due to a feedwater sensing line freezing causing a loss of feedwater forcing a unit trip. (Super insider information) That plant produces 1300 MW, and on the call I was on today said power was selling for 1500 /MWh, which is magnitudes higher than I've ever heard. (Typical price is about $30 MWh in the midwest)
Coal is powering through, although I'm sure they have their own challenges. Many turbine decks are outside in the south, and the cold can wreak havoc on all the associated systems.
Texas grid operator (ERCOT) has issued a Grid Condition Alert level 1, which is to encourage reduction of consumption. Not sure how that is really implemented though. If you're in Texas, I'd recommend reducing consumption of all energy sources as you can to help ease the situation.
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Flywheel storage is ok for short term power backup for small installations. Like a data center needing temporary power in a short duration outage while their diesel generators pick up the load. It just takes so much mass to create a lot of useable energy.
I'm a fan of pumped hydro. There is a large pumped hydro plant on the west coast of Michigan, they pump it up 400 ft or something, to a large man made lake. That's a lot of potential energy and easy to recoup. Of course the efficiency is always a lot less than 100%, so it's only pumped when excess electricity is on the grid for cheap, and sold when cost is high. It is a good balancing tool to reduce overall costs.
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- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
They are all over in cold climates and warm climates alike. I think when there are ice storms or freezing rain it becomes problematic for anything in their way. Look at power lines, trees, etc.
The only evidence I've heard of problems with it is on Facebook. Never seen my company talk about it as a significant problem.
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Doing a bit of research about the Texas power outages, it gets deep. Texas has it's own grid, not connected to the national grid, they're special. They do have a connection Mexico but they could only deliver about 500 MW.
Now, about 70-80 power plants are down due to various reasons ( I couldn't find any data on which ones or the breakdown of gas/coal/wind) but they are down about 30,000 MW of generation, which is a poop ton.
They've been managing the situation with controlled isolation of load to maintain grid voltage, and generation/load in balance.
This isn't just isolated to wind mills and solar, but they're certainly not contributing anything significant in these extreme circumstances. They did note that this has exceeded their worse case weather scenario and many plants were not ready for cold weather. Sometimes you just don't know what you're vulnerability is until it bites you.
Now, about 70-80 power plants are down due to various reasons ( I couldn't find any data on which ones or the breakdown of gas/coal/wind) but they are down about 30,000 MW of generation, which is a poop ton.
They've been managing the situation with controlled isolation of load to maintain grid voltage, and generation/load in balance.
This isn't just isolated to wind mills and solar, but they're certainly not contributing anything significant in these extreme circumstances. They did note that this has exceeded their worse case weather scenario and many plants were not ready for cold weather. Sometimes you just don't know what you're vulnerability is until it bites you.
We have lots of coal plants here. They are working 2 phase out the two closest to my house in the next 5 years. I like coal, provides jobs, cheap power source. Both of these plants were refitted with scrubbers to reduce emissions, hate to see them shut down and my power bills go up. Iwant to jump on solar with a battery bank so that the electric company cant take advantage of my energy I produce. They dont pay enough to justify selling it to them.
- Location
- La Crosse, WI on the BIG River
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
There is one interesting thing that is still trying to be figured out. I've read about this a long time ago. The capacitor battery concept. The biggest problem they were looking at back when I read up on it was trying to prevent the capacitors from instant discharge. They can be made into extremely light and thin waffle pannels and hold huge power, plus only need momentary recharge but it still comes back to how to prevent immediate discharge.
interestingengineering.com
Could Ultracapacitors Replace Batteries in Future Electric Vehicles?
Ultracapacitors have been making the news of late but could they viably replace batteries in the EVs of the future?
interestingengineering.com
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