Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite...
by Aachen on Saturday March 12, 2022 @04:08PM
(#30654893)
If only we could have both types of energy source. Cover the gaps in solar/wind with nuclear, cover the gaps in nuclear with solar/wind. Sprinkle a small amount of pumped hydro and battery storage on top and what a world it could be.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite...
by est31 on Saturday March 12, 2022 @05:42PM
(#30655695)
Nuclear can't be shut down / turned on on a short term basis, there is a lot of inertia. It might be a solution for seasonal issues only, but in Germany, there's usually wind during the no-sun season, and sun during the no-wind season.
Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite...
by Aachen on Saturday March 12, 2022 @06:05PM
(#30655884)
Sun can be predicted. Not sure what the reaction time is and how far ahead we can reliably forecast wind, but even if there is zero response possible to wind fluctuations that still seems like a win. Afaik fuel is also not the biggest cost in nuclear so estimating on the high side might not be an issue (but this is admittedly where I veer into speculation).
Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite...
by natmaka on Sunday March 13, 2022 @09:36AM
(#30661077)
Uranium (as a nuclear fuel) cost may never become prohibitive, however ore grade may prove a major challenge as its decline leads to more emissions: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30660554
Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite...
by natmaka on Sunday March 13, 2022 @09:34AM
(#30661056)
With such a (realistic) approach nuclear is condemned because its production costs (LCOE: https://www.lazard.com/perspective/lcoe2020 ) are higher than renewables' (and the gap is enlarging). Therefore renewables will be preferably used. Nuclear gets more expensive as it is more sparsely used: this feedback loop will widen the gap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udJJ7n_Ryjg
With time renewables production will get less an less intermittent thanks to a more and more adequate spreading, to a mix (wind, solar...), to storage (hydrogen...) and an overly-expensive nuclear will become useless.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/180592/european-cooperation-...