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Re: Global Warming Threatening Texas Power Grid Again?
#543702
Feb 3rd a 08:31 PM
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by crimsondave |
crimsondave |
The problem Texas had last time wasn't due to the ice but the temperature causing extremely high demand on the power system. I'm in the power utility business and one issue we struggle with renewables is the fact you can't control output. When the sun isn't shinning or the wind isn't blowing you aren't generating enough to cover the demand. You can control coal, natural gas, and nuclear by bringing them on and offline as needed. When it is coldest the sun isn't out. I won't get too much in the weeds but if you over burden the power system if becomes unstable and the entire thing collapses. Same thing happened in the midwest back in 2003.
I remember some people tried to blame the coal plants by saying the coal piles froze. Coal piles don't freeze when they are being used. They froze because they were offline. I am sure the power companies made sure to have their fossil fuel plants up and running before the freeze hit. Until we get better battery technology to store energy this will remain an issue.
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