Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassnut
Yes, despite a nation wide wind power grid in the UK (to hopefully average a good output) a few days before xmas one year, 2008 or 9 I think, output dropped to less than 1% of capacity. A joke. It buryed predicated wind patterns over large areas in one foul swoop.
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This is why solar and wind and often defined by some grid connection codes as "unpredictable" and therefore difficult to model into grid stability calculations. It therefore can be ruled out as a base load.
As the thread title describes, base load at this point in time with our current pricing and regulations can really only be met by coal. I think there is still a generation yet until an alternative (other than nuclear) is viable in all facets.
Varanus Island in 2008 resulted in 30% loss in WA's gas and what happened, we were told to accelerate our coal fired project to meet demand. 1 accident and businesses and the WA economy suffered due to lack of gas - as I said you can't stockpile it and it is inherently more hazardous as a fuel. Therefore, I rule out gas as a base load for this reason.
I have yet to see one credible long term technically viable solution that is cost effective and safer than coal fired. The carbon tax money should be spend on possible sequestration or liquification technologies (eg oxy injection to recirc exhaust gas to concentrate CO2 - then easy to extract/store/whatever). Move to supercritical technologies to gain more efficiency.
Darrin...