How much energy storage would it take: Difference between revisions
(Created page with "How much energy storage would be needed, '''per capita''', to sustain status-quo "developed country"-type material conditions without fossil fuels? ==Vehicles== ===Battery EVs=== {{dp |<nowiki>ev.battery</nowiki> |<nowiki>65.2 kWh</nowiki> |<nowiki>Energy capacity of the average electric vehicle battery</nowiki> |<nowiki>Useable battery capacity of full electric vehicles</nowiki><br /><nowiki> https://ev-database.org/cheatsheet/useable-battery...") |
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* 6773 kWh long-term storage - equivalent to 203 kg of [[hydrogen gas]] (but its container might be much heavier - several tons perhaps) | * 6773 kWh long-term storage - equivalent to 203 kg of [[hydrogen gas]] (but its container might be much heavier - several tons perhaps) | ||
<tab name="See calculations" style="margin-left:0.5em" collapsed> | <tab name="See calculations" style="margin-left:0.5em" collapsed> | ||
Solar tends to follow a day/night cycle, but sometimes there are cloudy days where the output is less. Therefore, assume that storing 24 hours of average energy demand is just about enough: | |||
{{calc | {{calc | ||
|24 hours energy_demand | |24 hours energy_demand | ||
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}} | }} | ||
In the winter, average solar output tends to be about half what it is in the summer.<!--TODO: add the cite--> Of course this depends on what part of the world we're dealing with, but for the sake of a quick estimate, we're just looking at a general case. So assume that storing 6 months worth of ''half'' the average energy demand would be enough: | |||
{{calc | {{calc | ||
|6 months 50% energy_demand | |6 months 50% energy_demand | ||
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|kg hydrogen_gas.energy_by_mass | |kg hydrogen_gas.energy_by_mass | ||
}} | }} | ||
The idea would be to produce hydrogen gas (or ammonia or some other fuel) in the summer using excess electricity, then burn it in the winter or whenever it is needed. This should be reasonable considering that <code>energy_demand</code> includes some things that don't necessarily ''have to'' be electric (i.e. heating; cooking; industrial uses of heat; hydrogen or ammonia combustion vehicles). | |||
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====Estimates from real data==== | ====Estimates from real data==== | ||
{{empty}} | {{empty}} |
Revision as of 00:18, 22 June 2024
How much energy storage would be needed, per capita, to sustain status-quo "developed country"-type material conditions without fossil fuels?
Vehicles
Battery EVs
https://ev-database.org/cheatsheet/useable-battery-capacity-electric-car
https://www.api.org/news-policy-and-issues/blog/2022/05/26/top-numbers-driving-americas-gasoline-demand
www.worldometers.info › world-population › us-population
Last updated April 7 2022
Simple estimate: 54 kWh [Show calculation] (calculation loading)
Hydrogen combustion
This section has not been filled in yet.
Energy sources, by scenario
The article provides a range of values: 100 to 265 Wh/kg
We take the geometric average: 163 Wh/kg
https://www.fluxpower.com/blog/what-is-the-energy-density-of-a-lithium-ion-battery
The article also provides a range: 50 to 260 Wh/kg
I assume that article is a bit older since the range is lower.
Oct 2, 2019
Run on Less with Hydrogen Fuel Cells - RMI
rmi.org › Blog
All solar
Quick estimate
- 74 kWh short-term storage - equivalent to 455 kg of lithium-ion batteries
- 6773 kWh long-term storage - equivalent to 203 kg of hydrogen gas (but its container might be much heavier - several tons perhaps)
Solar tends to follow a day/night cycle, but sometimes there are cloudy days where the output is less. Therefore, assume that storing 24 hours of average energy demand is just about enough: (calculation loading) (calculation loading)
In the winter, average solar output tends to be about half what it is in the summer. Of course this depends on what part of the world we're dealing with, but for the sake of a quick estimate, we're just looking at a general case. So assume that storing 6 months worth of half the average energy demand would be enough: (calculation loading) (calculation loading)
The idea would be to produce hydrogen gas (or ammonia or some other fuel) in the summer using excess electricity, then burn it in the winter or whenever it is needed. This should be reasonable considering that energy_demand
includes some things that don't necessarily have to be electric (i.e. heating; cooking; industrial uses of heat; hydrogen or ammonia combustion vehicles).
Estimates from real data
This section has not been filled in yet.
Mix of wind and solar
Estimates from real data
This section has not been filled in yet.
All nuclear
If nuclear plants are properly designed to adjust to the fluctuating electricity demand, then No energy storage would be needed, except in electric vehicles.
Other / more detailed analyses
If you'd like to do a similar analysis to the one on this page, you can add your link to it here.