• @someacnt_@lemmy.world
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      59 days ago

      How viable is pumped hydro? It would be good if feasible, but last I checked, there were not enough places where you can install them.

      • @kaffiene@lemmy.world
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        09 days ago

        No, you’re right. It’s not an option for everyone. Which is why I mentioned that there are many other solutions which are similar and over production which is simpler and cheaper

          • @kaffiene@lemmy.world
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            -29 days ago

            What? You don’t have Google? Options I know of (other than batteries and pumped hydro) : Compressed Air Energy Storage, Thermal Energy Storage, Fly wheels, Hydrogen, Supercapacitors, Gravitational Storage

            • @someacnt_@lemmy.world
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              69 days ago
              1. It’s not easy to go over all options.
              2. Many of these are largely theoretical, or for temporary storage. For instance, I don’t think fluwheels can store energy for months.
                • @someacnt_@lemmy.world
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                  29 days ago

                  Yeah, it is like that in some places. Also solar flux vary a lot by seasons as well. Dunno if wind has as much of an issue, but surely not great.

              • Zagorath
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                -18 days ago

                Nobody wants energy stored for months. Whatever storage is used needs to get through temporary decreases in efficiency. In places that use solar, that means from one afternoon to the next morning. In places that use wind, it means until the wind picks up. We’re talking storage on the order of tens of hours at the most.

            • The fact that you descend into complete science fiction should give you pause for thought. I doubt it will, but please think about how fantastical your proposed solutions are - “a massive lake of molten salt under every city” (I actually like that one!)…

              • @kaffiene@lemmy.world
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                18 days ago

                Given you’re making up things I never said I can only imagine what you’re respinding to? Where did a massive lake of molten salt under every city come from?

                • @fellowmortal@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                  2 days ago

                  Sorry this is a late reply. I can see that mentioning molten salt was a bit left-field, However, it is one of the more realistic ways to store the huge amounts of power needed to fuel an economy for a couple of weeks (which you need in northern europe if you want to use solar/wind). Here’s a link about it:

                  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cite.202000137

                  I am pro nuclear, but if we are going to descend into this renewable hell, then we need to actually think about how you store terawatt-hours of power. I really think that this kind of storage might be the nearest we have to a solution. we’ll only need it once we try to turn off the gas turbines, of course. It is fascinating that so many smart people don’t see that the whole jigsaw is missing vital pieces.

    • @Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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      08 days ago

      Pumped hydro requires a specific sort of place and not sure there’s enough of them for most countries to rely on.

      • @kaffiene@lemmy.world
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        28 days ago

        Correct. That’s why I enumerate a bunch itf other options for the other guy who said the same thing.