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Encouraging, but on the other hand, Germany is increasing their coal generation capacity despite their large deployment of wind and solar.
Obviously solar PV doesn't work at night, so you're still stuck with the need for a fleet of conventional power plants for backup.
I say that using coal as the back-up auxiliary source is a great improvement over having it be the main source. And newer techniques for conversion efficiency help too.
We'll be burning coal for a good long time yet, coal mines and coal companies will not be going away. What will be going away are the human laborers. Because coal mining and handling are exactly the kinds of dirty and dangerous activities that should be automated.
From the NYT 1,600 new coal-fired power plants are planned or under construction in 62 countries.
The problem with coal fired plants as back up for PV & wind is that the coal fires need to be kept burning full blast in order to come on line quickly when needed. No change in co2 emissions whether making juice or not.
From the NYT 1,600 new coal-fired power plants are planned or under construction in 62 countries.
The problem with coal fired plants as back up for PV & wind is that the coal fires need to be kept burning full blast in order to come on line quickly when needed. No change in co2 emissions whether making juice or not.
Yeah. People get all excited about solar, but it's not very efficient. Certainly not reliable, although it is fairly predictable.
People are going to use it when they can, of course, but it doesn't really solve a problem.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by guidoLaMoto
From the NYT 1,600 new coal-fired power plants are planned or under construction in 62 countries.
The problem with coal fired plants as back up for PV & wind is that the coal fires need to be kept burning full blast in order to come on line quickly when needed. No change in co2 emissions whether making juice or not.
We still have trains with 100+ cars full of coal passing through Seattle, on the way to be exported to other countries that still use it.
We still have trains with 100+ cars full of coal passing through Seattle, on the way to be exported to other countries that still use it.
We still use it, us, in America; we use it by the train load. There is a power plant that serves Tampa St Pete, that uses coal: it has a tipple, and it has front end loaders, and trucks. In other words it is the usual power plant, because most of them in America use coal.
I have seen coal trains with hundreds of cars, passing through Huntington West Virginia. About 15 years ago, a company built an enormous tipple outside of Huntington. Any notions that coal is on its way out in America, is quite mistaken.
Overlook me if I sound preachy, but I don't think that most people comprehend power generation, and the fuel that is used.
We still use it, us, in America; we use it by the train load. There is a power plant that serves Tampa St Pete, that uses coal: it has a tipple, and it has front end loaders, and trucks. In other words it is the usual power plant, because most of them in America use coal.
I have seen coal trains with hundreds of cars, passing through Huntington West Virginia. About 15 years ago, a company built an enormous tipple outside of Huntington. Any notions that coal is on its way out in America, is quite mistaken.
Overlook me if I sound preachy, but I don't think that most people comprehend power generation, and the fuel that is used.
Coal may not be on its way out, but the human workforce for coal is and continues to be diminished. Many people don't understand (accept) the high tech nature of mining and other industries...
Just heard an interview with the author earlier today: The End of Loyalty: The Rise and Fall of Good Jobs in America by Rick Wartzman in which the issue was briefly discussed.
From the NYT 1,600 new coal-fired power plants are planned or under construction in 62 countries.
The problem with coal fired plants as back up for PV & wind is that the coal fires need to be kept burning full blast in order to come on line quickly when needed. No change in co2 emissions whether making juice or not.
That is just 100% wrong. But coal isn't the fuel of choice for backup and peaking. Engineers already understand this and use natural gas.
Coal may not be on its way out, but the human workforce for coal is and continues to be diminished. Many people don't understand (accept) the high tech nature of mining and other industries...
Just heard an interview with the author earlier today: The End of Loyalty: The Rise and Fall of Good Jobs in America by Rick Wartzman in which the issue was briefly discussed.
Coal jobs were never good jobs.
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