Comments on: The “energy gap” nobody wants to tussle with

By: False Progress

False Progress — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 00:58:31 +0000

A “terrific victory” for ruining what’s left of the world’s scenic open spaces, you mean? Just look at the staggering scale in the 2050 Princeton Net-Zero America projection map. Landscapes are defiled enough already from giant wind turbines, especially.

Why do supposed environmentalists glibly ignore most of that? They used to campaign against much smaller objects like cellular towers and billboards.

By: Marston: Energy gap can be bridged | KSPN The Valley's Quality Rock

Marston: Energy gap can be bridged | KSPN The Valley's Quality Rock — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 01:05:24 +0000

[…] became acquainted when he read my January 2023 Writers on the Range column entitled; “The energy gap nobody wants to tussle with.” I’d advocated building small modular nuclear reactors to bolster the grid when the wind […]

By: Writers on the Range: Energy guru says energy gap can be bridged | La Nueva Mix

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:05:17 +0000

[…] became acquainted when he read my January 2023 Writers on the Range column entitled: “The energy gap nobody wants to tussle with.” I’d advocated building small modular nuclear reactors to bolster the grid when the wind […]

By: Writers on the Range: Energy guru says energy gap can be bridged | KSKE Ski Country

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:00:13 +0000

By: Energy guru says energy gap can be bridged. - Big Pivots

Energy guru says energy gap can be bridged. - Big Pivots — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 01:30:56 +0000

By: Energy guru says energy gap can be bridged - Writers On The Range

Energy guru says energy gap can be bridged - Writers On The Range — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 13:25:36 +0000

By: david congour

david congour — Sat, 15 Apr 2023 19:46:34 +0000

As an EV owner, I’m planning to install PV on our garage to charge our car. Since I’m on Social Security, I will be attempting to do so with my own labor (but I’m a retired EE, so should be too much of a problem). Nonetheless, cost is still an issue with me. Hopefully, there will be rebates to take advantage of. PV parking canopies at work, Vehicle To Grid power, as well as Megapack batteries (undergoing rapid ramp up as we speak), should handle a large portion of electrification at workplaces as well as at home. PV is falling in price AND increasing in efficiency. It would be interesting to calculate how much community PV would be paid for by the enormous price of a nuclear reactor. My guess is that, at least here in the sunny SW, PV (supplemented, of course, by the other renewables, as well as higher efficiency as a societal as well as technological goal) would likely be a better way to go than nuclear, which will always be threatened by terrorists both “foreign and domestic”; not to mention forever storage of the waste.

By: David

David — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 15:18:12 +0000

Although you make very good points about baseload power generation for cloudy periods, and for evening power usage spikes, I think you’re giving short shrift to the possibilities of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) from PV panels both on the home and at work. EVs are going to take over in the coming decade (despite what fossil fuel proponents say), and a smarter grid, allowing for V2G (as well as other innovations), combined with “Megapack” type utility scale batteries storing up power during peak-renewables output will augment the natural growth of our energy grid. EVs are actually in use perhaps 5% of the time; the rest of the time, they are sitting … mostly in the sun. Solar parking canopies will charge them as they sit, and also keep them cool on sunny days. Some EV manufactureres are even installing PV on the skin of the cars, allowing for trickle charging. When the driver gets home, they then have upwards of 100kWh of energy to use … more than enough to run the house for several days.

Yes, it may make sense to have some reactors for baseload power; if safety and HUGE cost concerns can be overcome, But wouldn’t it be cheaper and safer to have home-based solar roofs (such as with GAF or Tesla style solar shingles)? As my old asphalt shingles continue to decay in the hot sun of Western Colorado, I’m saving up for the day when I can replace them with power producing shingles that have the same warranty as regular shingles. Decentralized power will increase security, and lower strain on the electrical grids.

All that’s missing is the willpower to make it happen; along with corporations that make money off of our dependence on fossil fuels.

By: Cass

Cass — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 00:57:15 +0000

Rocky Mountain Institute has the most up-to-date, reliable energy information going, although! RMI is plainly on the side of human survival and probably will be the last to turn to SMRs. Bloomberg News is similarly forward-looking, and publicized this: https://www.powermag.com/press-releases/advanced-modeling-tool-demonstrates-cost-effective-24-7-renewable-power-strategy/

But then I am biased, because I live whistling distance to the nuclear fuel from the failed Trojan plant, and my town draws its drinking water at the mighty Columbia, downstream from Hanford, CGS, and INL.

By: David Bowers

David Bowers — Sun, 08 Jan 2023 17:25:50 +0000

Great article on the continued struggle between the environment and the energy we will require. However, the one element that you missed in your discussion is hydrogen. I highly recommend reading “The Hydrogen Revolution” by Marco Alvera, where he describes how H2 will allow renewables to move closer to 100% of our energy sources. H2 is the most prevalent molecule in the world and it is easily separated from water via electrolysis and then stored for future use, similar to a battery. While the efficiency in creating and utilizing H2 is not as high as batteries, our environment and lack of lithium will offset the need for more renewable energy resources to power the H2 world. H2 semi-trucks are much lighter than battery-powered trucks and they will replace diesel due to environmental concerns. H2 trains, ships, and airplanes will be other major users along with power backup systems and material moving systems, which are already in use by Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, and several other major companies. The federal government recognizes the future the H2 brings and they are already supporting its expanded use through the Inflation Reduction Act, which pays both the manufacturers and users of H2 generous tax incentives. Plug Power, an early pioneer in H2, is a good company to research to show the explosive growth in this energy storage solution.