Quote:
Originally Posted by MyAlberta
I guess that’s why utility operators are keen on increasing storage. Is it better to have larger storage facilities, or smaller capacity spread across points of utilization. Generation from wind/solar, combined with electric vehicles/local storage, may meld into the robust and efficient electrical grid of tomorrow.
|
I found it entertaining when the Fort Chip solar project was completed. They reported that it could replace 25% of the power formerly provided by diesel generators. Some brilliant people heard that , and decided that the logical next step was to build another plant three times as large, and totally phase out the diesel generators. When I pointed out that the 25% was during summer because of the long daylight hours, and that quadrupling the capacity would only provide more power than they require in summer, and still fall far short of their winter demands due to only getting a few hours of sunlight in mid winter, they suggested batteries to store the excess. They were very disappointed to discover that trying to store that much electricity, that long, was not at all feasible, with the current battery technology.