We Don’t Need No …

8 Replies to “We Don’t Need No …”

1. Great article about SUPPLEMENTING power generation systems with “intermittent” (renewable) resources.
   Conclusion:
   …but becoming too ambitious could have dire consequences for system reliability, cost and performance.
   Might the lefty agenda be considered too ambitious?

2. “As part of a pumped storage system they can even provide load if generation levels are too high.” Hydro
   When using a “load” to regulate, that Waste (energy blow off) must be considered in the costing(a negative)of renewables.
   A graph of UK power grid (posted recently) showed that all conventional generation (OIL/Gas/Coal/nuclear)operated “IN-PHASE” with the load demand. The out-of-phase generation by Wind was not regulated, it seemed to just ran at max and the conventional sources rammed up or down to compensate.
   The whole system would be more cost efficient without the wild rogue generation of wind or solar.

3. A question for those in the know: How long is the lag time from demand signal to power output for the peaker nat gas plants?

4. Interesting and one that should be a mandatory read to the greenies. I don’t think most people are aware that the power produced has to be used and that power grid operation is a delicate balancing act. Still the madness continues and seems to be moving away from steady conventional generation ….. to save the planet and all.

5. Depends on how efficient the load tracking software is. Both gas and hydro can respond to peaks, hydro is a bit faster unless the gas is used at lower output anticipating peak demands so it can respond more quickly. The gas turbines used to power generators are similar to the ones used in warships, they’re very quick to power up once they’re running at OT.

6. Ours ramp ~ 20% rated load per minute from the setpoint. Good/bad? No idea.

7. Whenever my friends who think wind and solar power should be our main sources of electricity start spouting off, I ask them to shut their refrigerator off for a week then come back and we will talk.
   Intermittant power means that refrigerators (and air conditioners) are taken out of your life’s equation. The wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine. I have friends in the mountains of Colorado who have propane refrigerators but that is because they live “off the grid” and are prepared for not having full time electricity. For normal city-dwellers, no refrigerator, or air conditioners, or elevators, or street lights, or any of the other things they take for granted would be the end of life as they know it. They just NEVER think of these things at that level.

8. Five minutes to full output seems pretty damn good to me.