Great British Nuclear to boost UK energy security, reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuel imports and deliver government priority to grow the economy
They don’t work well together. Nuclear needs to operate at as close to 100% uptime as possible, otherwise it isn’t financially viable. What happens when it’s very windy and sunny and renewables are creating more power than we need? You can’t just run nuclear to cover the peaks in demand, it doesn’t work that way.
Ok but what’s the alternative? Gas peakers? Storage isn’t practical - even the biggest battery storage facilities are a smidge on pumped storage and have hardly any of that.
I agree nuclear needs to improve flexibility (with, say, sodium heat storage) but the fact that the technology needs to get better (with clear candidates for doing so) shouldn’t rule it out when all other options have worse implications.
They don’t work well together. Nuclear needs to operate at as close to 100% uptime as possible, otherwise it isn’t financially viable. What happens when it’s very windy and sunny and renewables are creating more power than we need? You can’t just run nuclear to cover the peaks in demand, it doesn’t work that way.
I didn’t know they were exclusive. Thanks
Ok but what’s the alternative? Gas peakers? Storage isn’t practical - even the biggest battery storage facilities are a smidge on pumped storage and have hardly any of that.
I agree nuclear needs to improve flexibility (with, say, sodium heat storage) but the fact that the technology needs to get better (with clear candidates for doing so) shouldn’t rule it out when all other options have worse implications.