Nuclear energy is currently the best way to achieve energetic independence until we find out how to maintain a fusion core running for more than 20 minute.
Solar started to beat out nuclear in terms of LCOE a few years ago. We should continue to operate all of our current nuclear reactors as long as it is safe to do so, but planning new builds today given how cheap solar is just doesnt make sense.
We don’t have the storage to use solar for base load energy yet.
Factories and mills and chip fabs and industrial refrigeration needs to run all the time, and needs reliable constant power.
Solar is -awesome- for distributed generation where loads peak based on insolation (classic example being a/c units). Residential power demand is also just generally higher during the day.
Nuclear for constant demand, solar for circadian and insolation-based needs is a pretty good mix to start, certainly a hell of a lot better than what we have now.
We don’t have the storage to use solar for base load energy yet.
Base load is a myth in large connected grids. They have wind and solar. Solar hits the high day demand, wind is always blowing somewhere so there’s nights demand covered as well.
Methane peaker plants are good until better solutions are cheaper.
Factories and mills and chip fabs and industrial refrigeration needs to run all the time, and needs reliable constant power.
They don’t actually necessarily need reliable power if they will get discounts, but that’s somewhat in the future. Industrial refrigeration certainly doesn’t need reliable power at all if they can get variable prices.
Also peaker plants exist for the few hours per year where prices are at max.
Nuclear energy is currently the best way to achieve energetic independence until we find out how to maintain a fusion core running for more than 20 minute.
You mean fission, but yeah
Solar started to beat out nuclear in terms of LCOE a few years ago. We should continue to operate all of our current nuclear reactors as long as it is safe to do so, but planning new builds today given how cheap solar is just doesnt make sense.
We don’t have the storage to use solar for base load energy yet.
Factories and mills and chip fabs and industrial refrigeration needs to run all the time, and needs reliable constant power.
Solar is -awesome- for distributed generation where loads peak based on insolation (classic example being a/c units). Residential power demand is also just generally higher during the day.
Nuclear for constant demand, solar for circadian and insolation-based needs is a pretty good mix to start, certainly a hell of a lot better than what we have now.
Base load is a myth in large connected grids. They have wind and solar. Solar hits the high day demand, wind is always blowing somewhere so there’s nights demand covered as well.
Methane peaker plants are good until better solutions are cheaper.
They don’t actually necessarily need reliable power if they will get discounts, but that’s somewhat in the future. Industrial refrigeration certainly doesn’t need reliable power at all if they can get variable prices.
Also peaker plants exist for the few hours per year where prices are at max.