Texas Plays Brinkmanship on Summer Power Cuts

[ronwagn + 6,290]

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/brink-blackouts-texas-makes-case-052950761.html

Texas, California, and other states are playing brinkmanship on electrical supplies. A redundant buffer is needed in all areas of the country. Natural gas is the most reliable clean energy source. Nuclear is no longer publicly accepted and takes years to build out. It has suffered from very large cost overruns for decades. Almost all nuclear plants are now over their anticipated lifespans. Renewables don't help as much for peak power because of their intermittency. New coal plants are out of the question IMHO because of their pollution problems, which include solid waste. 

[Boat + 1,315]

GE would love to build Texas a few new turbines. That hump on a Texas daily demand chart should look more like a ducks back if enough solar was installed. 

These peak plant turbines take around 5 minutes to get rolling. Batteries have been used and their use more widespread over the last few years. They bridge that 5 min gap with instant power. The GE website will explain in detail how it works to supplement wind and solar if needed.

Did you know many of the turbines placed near wind farms and solar were left running because they had no solution for that 5 min gap? The big battery solved the problem along with some sophisticated software. And here some of the local talent would tell you otherwise. Reader beware. Lol