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Dan H's avatar

How much renewable energy will be available at night when the wind is not blowing?

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David Toke's avatar

Lots. Because electricity will be stored in batteries or in other forms - sourced from the periods when there was more being produced than demanded

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Dan H's avatar

What forms? There are no batteries capable of storing so much energy. Until we have a solution to energy storage, the usefulness of renewable energy is severely limited.

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Peter E's avatar

Batteries are the most expensive form of storage for when there are no renewables. Periods of zero renewables in northern Europe can persist up to about a week so you will need a storage capability of greater than that to ensure we don't run out of power and people die as a result. To justify your premise please eatimate the cost of battery storage because that is what you are asking the public to pay for and maintain for the few occasions when it happens.

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David Toke's avatar

The market is responding by installing batteries. And gas will make up a residual shortfall for the foreseeable future

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Peter E's avatar

You proposal is laughably naïve and you have fallen into the same trap as other commentators in thinking that you can build battery storage equal to at least seven day's worth of zero renewables at a cost that is even remotely affordable and without even considering the number and size of the installations or even if there is enough engineering capability to build and install them. I'm disengaging from your pointless posts.

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David Toke's avatar

I'm, only describing what is happening. The battery companies are doing it because they make money - not out of charity - and they don't receive any more incentives than fossil fuel generators.

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Nickrl's avatar

What your saying though is it can only be achieved with continuing subsidies?

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David Toke's avatar

what is a subsidy? If you mean without contracts or incentives being offered then nothing will get built these days!

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Nickrl's avatar

Thats what i mean without guaranteed prices or incentives no one is interested in risking their own capital. Given that is the landscape there is little point getting the private sector involved might as well just go back to the CEGB.

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