Energy storage, cheap and low tech.

[buickanddeere]

Pumped storage works well on large scale but lifting mass can be scaled from mini to mega. I think.

Where are you going to install 50000 MW of stored power ? Who is paying ?

 

[orezok]

I don't know if I'll ever own one, but did you know that a Prius or any other hybrid can be used as a standby generator for your house with a simple kit?

Prius has a 30kW generator.

The better ones start and stop the engine as needed to maintain the charge. Quiet too!

 

[r porter]

30 k--wow that is huge. i would like to see the weight of that car.

 

[orezok]

About 3,000#.

 

[buickanddeere]

These comments are fatalistic. This thread has to do with balancing the generation and consumption of energy, NOT supplying it in the first place.

No great lakes reservoirs are needed with the present situation.
Still, there are locations that suffer "brown outs" that just "might" be alleviated with reserve generation capacity. Such as using the off peak surplus capacity to be reclaimed in time of need.

Where are you going to store 6-10hrs of solar per day to power the nation the other 14-18hrs of the day plus have reserve for a couple of dark days in the winter. I suppose if engineering and planning rather than dreaming is fatalistic . Then give me death before dishonour.

 

[buickanddeere]

I don't know if I'll ever own one, but did you know that a Prius or any other hybrid can be used as a standby generator for your house with a simple kit?

Prius has a 30kW generator.

The better ones start and stop the engine as needed to maintain the charge. Quiet too!

It's cheaper to purchase utility grid power than it is to purchase gasoline and operate a hybrid. Somebody has daily power demand and backup power when the utility is down mixed up.

 

[Garycw]

I was in a house servicing a boiler and noticed the gentleman had a solar system installed. At the end of the service call he was nice enough to show me it. I was quite impressed at the complexity of it and at the point in time on that particular day was making about 3500 watts. So we began talking more and more and although he can sell back to the grid it seemed as though his particular system came with some strings attached. So here's the catch if the power goes out he can't just make and use the power he's creating. I couldn't believe that a system as nice as it was was useless to him if the power went out. At that point I wasn't convinced I would ever have something like that. I'm sure it has its uses and cuts down his dependence on the grid but man if the power is out you are SOL.

That's a grid tie system. It's not difficult to have a transfer disconnect switch to make proprietary. At that point he would be charging his OWN bank of Agm batteries connected to his inverter

 

[orezok]

Kinda hard to buy grid power when the grid is down like in storm season. Could be nice to drive your "generator" everyday!

 

[r porter]

yes a 30 k generator will weigh close to 3000 lbs

are you sure that is not a 3 k conversion for the prius?

 

[orezok]

yes a 30 k generator will weigh close to 3000 lbs

are you sure that is not a 3 k conversion for the prius?

I suggest you Google the specs for a Prius