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Time to be openhearted.
I am currently finding it difficult maintaining my pro-renewables position.
Really want to see renewables succeed but my skeptical mind cannot ignore what objectively looks like a total failure.
Low wind for days and this is the result.
How to fix this?
I am currently finding it difficult maintaining my pro-renewables position.
Really want to see renewables succeed but my skeptical mind cannot ignore what objectively looks like a total failure.
Low wind for days and this is the result.
How to fix this?
Demand management won’t fix this.
This is not a “run your laundry another time”-scale problem.
This is a “complete industries should just temporarily scale down”-scale situation. We have experienced the economic consequences of that recently.
Instead, we will burn fossil fuels.
This is not a “run your laundry another time”-scale problem.
This is a “complete industries should just temporarily scale down”-scale situation. We have experienced the economic consequences of that recently.
Instead, we will burn fossil fuels.
More installed variable renewable energy capacity won’t fix this.
The amount of overbuild necessary to even only partially fix this (let alone reach near 0 CO2) is mind-boggling. Yes I have done the modeling and math. Even overbuilding to infinity won’t help when supply is 0.
The amount of overbuild necessary to even only partially fix this (let alone reach near 0 CO2) is mind-boggling. Yes I have done the modeling and math. Even overbuilding to infinity won’t help when supply is 0.
Storage won’t fix this.
The amount necessary is also mind-boggling. And we don’t even have technology like that, not at this seasonal scale, for this use case (low cycle, high capacity). Like overbuilding, the amount of resources (materials, land) required would be unthinkable.
The amount necessary is also mind-boggling. And we don’t even have technology like that, not at this seasonal scale, for this use case (low cycle, high capacity). Like overbuilding, the amount of resources (materials, land) required would be unthinkable.
Hydrogen won't fix this.
The amount of renewables overbuild plus capitally intensive electrolysis infrastructure needed, never before realized at scale, then only to be used on sparse moments of overcapacity, does not make any economic sense at all.
The amount of renewables overbuild plus capitally intensive electrolysis infrastructure needed, never before realized at scale, then only to be used on sparse moments of overcapacity, does not make any economic sense at all.
More money won’t fix this.
0.5 trillion spent already in Germany alone. It should not need to be fixed. It should be relatively low carbon already. Money cannot fix the weather.
0.5 trillion spent already in Germany alone. It should not need to be fixed. It should be relatively low carbon already. Money cannot fix the weather.
Maybe I’m weird. Maybe I’m getting too concerned about this topic. I try not to be worried (bio says stoic!) but this is genuinely keeping me up at night.
How on earth do we have a chance at succeeding at this globally if even a wealthy economic superpower cannot.
How on earth do we have a chance at succeeding at this globally if even a wealthy economic superpower cannot.
Surely, looking at it objectively, as a scientific experiment, one would declare failure and draw valuable lessons from it.
Instead, I see other countries, like my own, planning exactly the same path, somehow expecting a different outcome. I fail to see how.
Instead, I see other countries, like my own, planning exactly the same path, somehow expecting a different outcome. I fail to see how.
We must not underestimate the need for low-carbon 'flexible base' (H/T @JesseJenkins).
I still believe there is an important role for low-LCOE renewables. But they *must* be combined in a team with the 'hard', maybe not so sexy players, like nuclear.
I still believe there is an important role for low-LCOE renewables. But they *must* be combined in a team with the 'hard', maybe not so sexy players, like nuclear.
I just wish they would receive the same attention, support and urgency as renewables. It is about time. We need to scale all of them, massively and simultaneously, if we want to get off of fossil fuels.
It starts by openly supporting them.
That is all. Monkey mind calmed.
It starts by openly supporting them.
That is all. Monkey mind calmed.
Addendum, for clarification:
My position is pro-renewables AND pro-nuclear.
And I am starting to doubt the former.
My position is pro-renewables AND pro-nuclear.
And I am starting to doubt the former.
