Any thoughts on another Euro solution for a cleaner substainable future? http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,796399,00.html
That is a pretty good idea. One more example that highlights the error in the often repeated claim that "renewables cannot provide baseload power". Pumping water to height is an extremely effective way of storing energy for later use.
Sounds alright, but if you give it a bit of thought there cought be all sorts of problems. One thing about gas and coal fired generators and hydro for the most part too, they are self contained and not affected by the vagaries of weather. They pretty much 100% reliable sources of power. But back to the pumped storage systems, I have always thought that we could use tide and wave energy to pump water into storage for release through generators. It would be completely reliable and pump the most in bad weather!
No - they are not " self contained". They need fuel. And are affected by the vagaries of fuel cost and supply - which are affected by the vagaries of government subsidies, industrial relations and....the weather. Did you read the linked story? the billions in subsidies which have kept the coal mining industry in Germany's Saarland and Ruhr regions afloat over the past few decades will expire. When that happens, the last mines belonging to Ruhrkohle AG (RAG) will be closed for good. Without government subsidy - coal is just too expensive in Germany. This is why Germany leads the world in solar research Germany FFS! How much sun to they have compared to Aust?!?!? Yes. And solar and wind.
I am happy to learn there is no standstill in the quest for a cleaner future. Different countries, different solutions. But at the end we all will participate, in one or another way, irrespective where we live. Would be nice to have one global headquarter for all those ideas, so each country can benefit while studying what others are already achieving. Cheers
