this post was submitted on 30 Aug 2023
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[–] blazera@kbin.social 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Alright its later today so heres how renewable energy as a baseline supply works. We actually already have a working example of it, hydro electric. Renewable energy thats used as baseline. When you think energy storage i think most people think of batteries, but theyre mostly suited for mobile energy storage, like cars and handheld devices. For utility power we have much more scalable, and simpler energy storage. For hydroelectric, they take excess electricity generated, and power pumps to pump the water back uphill, to use for later demand. Its physical energy storage. You can power a motor to lift a weight and pulley system with excess energy, then run it in reverse as a generator for demand. This is basic engineering, and its as scalable as you need it.

[–] 13esq@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I understand pumped storage well. The problem with it is the required size of the reservoirs and the availability of suitable locations.

Pumped storage as it stands in the UK is really very useful for managing dips and spikes in power demand but unfortunately far, far short of being able to get us through a day or two of no wind.

[–] blazera@kbin.social 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Right, pumped storage hydro electric was an example of renewable electricity being baseline load. I gave a different suggestion for wind and solar storage if you dont have a good location for pumped storage.

[–] 13esq@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I honestly think the weight lifting and dropping idea is pipe dream stuff. It's good on a black board but near impossible to implement practically in real life.

Can you imagine how much stored weight we'd need to cover the energy demands of a nation given a few days of no wind?

You need to ask yourself why, if these ideas are so great, have they not already been implemented.