Scale up wind power: Difference between revisions
(Created page with "Can wind power be scaled up enough to decarbonize energy production? '''Yes''', with limitations: ==Limitations== Wind power is highly intermittent, so much so that batteries wouldn't be enough. {{p2|Surplus|i.e. during any moments when the generated electricity exceeds the local immediate demand}} wind power would mostly be stored by producing '''hydrogen gas''', which would later be used f...") |
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==Limitations== | ==Limitations== | ||
[[Wind power]] is highly intermittent, so much so that [[energy storage per watt of wind vs solar|batteries wouldn't be enough]]. {{p2|Surplus|i.e. during any moments when the generated electricity exceeds the local immediate demand}} wind power would mostly be [[energy storage|stored]] by producing '''[[hydrogen gas]]''', which would later be used for '''thermal''' energy mostly: | [[Wind power]] is highly intermittent, so much so that [[energy storage per watt of wind vs solar|batteries wouldn't be enough]]. | ||
{{p2|<sup>[see why]</sup>|Non- | {{p2|Surplus|i.e. during any moments when the generated electricity exceeds the local immediate demand}} | ||
* | wind power would mostly be [[energy storage|stored]] by producing '''[[hydrogen gas]]''', which would later be used for '''thermal''' energy (combustion) mostly: | ||
* | {{p2|<sup>[see why]</sup>|Non-combustion uses of hydrogen gas energy are less scalable; i.e. hydrogen [[fuel cell vehicles]] would need far too many platinum-group metals (PGMs). It's true that hydrogen ''production'' also needs PGMs, but [[Hydrogen gas#Platinum-group metals|nowhere near as much of them]].}} | ||
* used in [[vehicles| | * used for [[heating]] homes | ||
* used in place of [[coal]] & [[natural gas|gas]] in most industries | * used for cooking food (gas stoves) | ||
* used in [[hydrogen combustion vehicles|vehicles]] | |||
* used in place of [[coal]] & [[natural gas|gas]] combustion in most manufacturing industries | |||
'''[[scale up solar power|Solar]] and/or [[scale up nuclear power|nuclear]] would still be needed''' for electricity whenever the wind isn't blowing. | '''[[scale up solar power|Solar]] and/or [[scale up nuclear power|nuclear]] would still be needed''' for electricity whenever the wind isn't blowing. | ||
Revision as of 06:30, 19 February 2024
Can wind power be scaled up enough to decarbonize energy production? Yes, with limitations:
Limitations
Wind power is highly intermittent, so much so that batteries wouldn't be enough. Surplusi.e. during any moments when the generated electricity exceeds the local immediate demand wind power would mostly be stored by producing hydrogen gas, which would later be used for thermal energy (combustion) mostly: [see why]Non-combustion uses of hydrogen gas energy are less scalable; i.e. hydrogen fuel cell vehicles would need far too many platinum-group metals (PGMs). It's true that hydrogen production also needs PGMs, but nowhere near as much of them.
- used for heating homes
- used for cooking food (gas stoves)
- used in vehicles
- used in place of coal & gas combustion in most manufacturing industries
Solar and/or nuclear would still be needed for electricity whenever the wind isn't blowing.