This graph from the article in the url below, for me, sums up the challenge inherent in many renewable energies:
The chart shows a single day (October 11, 2020) and plots demand for electricity in South Australia against the amount of electricity generated by solar power. Of course, this issue would not matter so much if we could adequately store solar energy and transport it over long distances. Since we haven't solved those challenges, we need to use solar energy as we create it, but that might not be when it is in most demand, as the chart demonstrates.
No doubt, the challenge of replacing fossil fuels is complicated, and involves a multi-pronged approach with multiple different energy sources (including nuclear, of course; see Strategic CSR – Nuclear). Nevertheless, I found this chart to be a powerful reminder of how complex the challenge is, and also how far we are from solving it.
Take care
David
David Chandler
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One Last Postcard From the Future of Clean Energy
By Nathaniel Bullard
December 21, 2023
Bloomberg Green
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-21/one-last-postcard-from-the-future-of-clean-energy
