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Nuclear too slow to replace coal, and baseload “simply can’t compete” with wind and solar, AEMO boss says (reneweconomy.com.au)

submitted 1 year ago by phneutral@feddit.org to c/energy@slrpnk.net

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The head of the Australian energy market operator AEMO, Daniel Westerman, has rejected nuclear power as a way to replace Australia's ageing coal-fired power stations, arguing that it is too slow and too expensive. In addition, baseload power sources are not competitive in a grid dominated by wind and solar energy anyway.

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[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 year ago (12 children)

The alternative for base load is batteries, not wind and solar renewables, since they are intermittent. We don't have a good idea yet of just how expensive massive grid storage is yet, but the lead time would definitely be shorter.

[–] MonkderDritte@feddit.de 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Drill a hole and a deper hole and pump/turbine water between them.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's really really expensive unless you already have natural upper and lower reservoirs.

[–] MonkderDritte@feddit.de 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

It is? More than batteries?

Im surprised.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Based on some numbers I looked up a couple of years ago:

LiPo 15¢/Wh

Flywheel 15¢/Wh

Compressed air 12¢/Wh

Pumped hydro 11¢/Wh

I'll try to dig up the sources when I get home, but the cost advantage isn't too large, so digging your own reservoirs would put it as more expensive.

[–] MonkderDritte@feddit.de 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Thanks! I guess the hydro is with natural reservoirs?

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

Yeah I think so

[–] Sethayy@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

Just cause lithium ion is pretty subsidied and quite energy dense

[–] Wanderer@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

No way. Far too expensive.

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