[Catalist] Can renewable energy provide Œbaseload¹ electrical power?

[Kim Flintoff]

Doesn’t it depend on the system you’re talking about?

If we get off “grid" thinking and start reimagining power supply as a localised activity then tidal, hydro, geothermal, wind, solar and storage systems could conceivably meet local needs.

Cheers

Kim Flintoff



From: Colin Dixon <crdixon at gmail.com<mailto:crdixon at gmail.com>>
Date: Thursday, 5 November 2015 7:30 pm
To: <p.delacey at physics.org<mailto:p.delacey at physics.org>>, <catalist at lists.stawa.net<mailto:catalist at lists.stawa.net>>
Subject: Re: [Catalist] Can renewable energy provide ‘baseload’ electrical power?

The answer is NO, base load is having enough reliable power when its needed. Not if the wind is blowing or the sun shining.

But a better question would be should we.  These videos on Bill Gates site explains the problem.
http://www.gatesnotes.com/Energy/Two-Videos-Illuminate-Energy-Poverty-Bjorn-Lomborg

As he says "using scarce resources in the smartest possible way."

On Tue, Nov 3, 2015 at 4:03 PM, P. de Lacey <p.delacey at physics.org<mailto:p.delacey at physics.org>> wrote:
Here's a useful web site dealing with sustainable energy (without the hot air!)
http://www.withouthotair.com/
 You can download the book as a pdf, free, and it's well worth a read. It deals mainly with the UK's situation, but the principles can be applied to Australia as well.

Regards,
Peter de Lacey



On 03/11/15 15:39, Michael McGarry wrote:
Greetings Science Colleagues,

Motivated by this story: "Widespread power blackout hits Adelaide”
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/widespread-power-blackout-hits-adelaide/story-e6frg6n6-1227590229395 and
by the reputation of SA in a high % of renewable energy use
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_South_Australia and by the fact
that South Australia purchases 160 megawatts of electrical power from
Victoria; I ask this pertinent Question on energy use: Can renewable
energy provide ‘baseload’ power?

Andrew Bolt [The Blog Warrior for ultra Conservatives] URL:
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/wind_dont_blow_south_australia_dont_glow/ thinks
that renewable energy cannot provide ‘baseload’ power in SA.

Is Andrew Bolt correct?

Best Wishes,

Mike McGarry

PS: We could research the answer to the Question: Can renewable energy
provide ‘baseload’ electrical power? at theseURL’s:

URL 1:
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp0809/09rp09

URL 2:
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/energy-and-environment/renewable-energy-and-electricity/




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--
kindest regards
Colin Dixon 0419 415000 :)

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