The problems that caused the outage in the Iberian peninsular yesterday could well be down to 'flash overs' that is when the temperature is too high, the high voltage cable sags enough to cause arcing to the ground. Another possibility is equipment malfunctioning from one of the renewables suppliers causing oscillations in demand and supply.New concept for me - 'Gravitricity' - a grid storage system based on winding heavy weight up an old mine shaft when there is spare power, and then letting it descend to make power when needed - like my old grandfather clock.
It's good to see China is making progress with thorium at last. India, also with huge reserves, has been talking it up for many years but with little actual progress.China has completed the first 2MW Thorium Molten Salt Reactor in the Gobi desert last year. They are building the first 10MW commercial TMSR now. After completion in 2030, they will build 100MW containerised TMSR ready for sale in 2040. China has sufficient proven Thorium reserves in Mongolia to serve all human needs for at least 20,000 years and may be up to 60,000 years.
I suppose they will start taking orders around 2035-2040.
There is quite a bit of fusion power on the grid already, at least on a summer's day.It's good to see China is making progress with thorium at last. India, also with huge reserves, has been talking it up for many years but with little actual progress.
One way or another I can see our needs being satisfied eventually without ever achieving nuclear fusion.
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Really? It's not even summer yet. I was watching a Youtube video today of a guy going around Benidorm on an electric scooter. He said it was warm enough there to go out in a sweater.The problems that caused the outage in the Iberian peninsular yesterday could well be down to 'flash overs' that is when the temperature is too high, the high voltage cable sags enough to cause arcing to the ground.
It was neither. The grid got unbalanced because the weather was hot in the south and cloudy in the north, and a lot of solar power in the north could not deliver when the south all turned on their air conditioners. Then the big inter connector between Spain and Portugal was under-par because it was hot and its carrying capacity was inadequate for the demand . Once the grid frequency (supply / demand, gets out of balance, the system shuts down like a tower of cards toppling over.Really? It's not even summer yet. I was watching a Youtube video today of a guy going around Benidorm on an electric scooter. He said it was warm enough there to go out in a sweater.
More likely the outage was either a test or a cyber attack.
Nice theory, but completely wrong - not even feasible.It was neither. The grid got unbalanced because the weather was hot in the south and cloudy in the north, and a lot of solar power in the north could not deliver when the south all turned on their air conditioners. Then the big inter connector between Spain and Portugal was under-par because it was hot and its carrying capacity was inadequate for the demand . Once the grid frequency (supply / demand, gets out of balance, the system shuts down like a tower of cards toppling over.
Most of us have no idea of the important work that goes on behind the scenes to balance electrical supply and demand. These kinds of happenings have occurred in the USA recently too - a year or two back there were big black outs caused by similar issues.
It can take a long time to get everything back to normal too, because once large areas have shut down, and everyone's equipment is still switched on, it is difficult to start up again, because all the load demand is still switched on so when generators start up again, they have massive loads on them which in the end translate into possible mechanical failures from over stressing turbines and cables.
.Nice theory, but completely wrong - not even feasible.
When the MSM comes up with A story, it's normally an attemp to hide THE story. This is from the teachings of the great Rush Limbaugh, writer of the New York Times best seller book "See, I told you so". Read it and learn from the master.