Post by NFA on Feb 16, 2024 17:22:51 GMT 8
The other day I circulated this mail from Robert Bryce on the deindustrialization of Europe and now I want to draw your attention to a fascinating series of videos which you find at the very end of that email,
juicetheseries.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
The series is an extended advertisement for nuclear power.
People who are short of time will probably not want to put up with the leisurely pace of this series and see all five episodes so I will point out some features of interest in each segment.
The first episode treats the Texas disaster in 2021 when a bitterly cold and windless night shut down wind and solar and gas failed as well because the system was not winterized to the standard of the colder northern states. Coal and nuclear each have the capacity to meet a bit over 10% of demand.
See the Fuel Mix display on this dashboard.
www.ercot.com/gridmktinfo/dashboards
20% there and some of the gas system saved the state from going completely black which would have cost thousands of lives instead of only hundreds.
This episode also introduces Meredith Angwin who studied the evolution of the grid and predicted that it would come to this alarming state of instability.
www.meredithangwin.com/books/ SHORTING THE GRID
Shorting the Grid, The Hidden Fragility of Our Electric Grid is an exposé of the insider-ruled practices of the “deregulated” areas of the United States electric grid. The grid in these areas is managed by a regional transmission organization (RTO). Within these organizations, no group is responsible or accountable for grid reliability. The RTO areas have higher retail electricity prices, no way for ordinary citizens to influence decisions, and a more fragile grid. Using the rules and history of the New England grid as an example, the book shows how RTO areas are moving steadily to a future of “rolling blackouts” where the grid operator deliberately cuts power to one section of the grid after another.
The second episode is Undermined by Enron.
Meredith Angwin pointed out that people don’t normally make a motza out of a stable power market and smarties at Enron worked out how to play the system that was deregulated in the ‘80s.
The gas market was deregulated first and Enron made money out of doing things people can’t understand, and they converted the power industry in Texas into a casino where the house (Enron) always won. Starting with GW Bush in Texas they used political connections to promote more privatization.
Enron became famous for strategicaly taking plant off line during peak periods to spike the prices for plants that were on line.
It paid a premium for volatility instead of stability.
Episode three is Green Dreams:
juicetheseries.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
The Paris Agreement and the race was on.
And the mounting pushback against windmills.
Episode 4 Nuclear Renaissance
juicetheseries.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
The case for nuclear in Japan, diversity for a stable power supply and also national security.
Shellenberger on the postwar nuclear debate, progress in the 1950s and a massive backlash in the 1960s driven by a worldwide network of radical leftwing groups.
Ontario goes nuclear.
Chris Keefer.
Lying for Jesus, “we cleaned up the air by getting rid of coal,” hey man, you could have done it by scrubbing the nitrates and particulates out of the plant food discharging from the chimneys.
Episode 5 Industrial Cathedrals
juicetheseries.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Germany decides to shut down coal and nuclear power and instead turn to gas from Russia.
The momentum building worldwide for nuclear to add to the mix that will be dominated by coal for decades to come, including Australia if we want to maintain a modern quality of life,
Rafe Champion
www.flickerpower.com/index.php/search/categories/general/list-of-briefing-notes
Warning!
Wind watching can be time-consuming and habit-forming.
Watch responsibly.
juicetheseries.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
The series is an extended advertisement for nuclear power.
People who are short of time will probably not want to put up with the leisurely pace of this series and see all five episodes so I will point out some features of interest in each segment.
The first episode treats the Texas disaster in 2021 when a bitterly cold and windless night shut down wind and solar and gas failed as well because the system was not winterized to the standard of the colder northern states. Coal and nuclear each have the capacity to meet a bit over 10% of demand.
See the Fuel Mix display on this dashboard.
www.ercot.com/gridmktinfo/dashboards
20% there and some of the gas system saved the state from going completely black which would have cost thousands of lives instead of only hundreds.
This episode also introduces Meredith Angwin who studied the evolution of the grid and predicted that it would come to this alarming state of instability.
www.meredithangwin.com/books/ SHORTING THE GRID
Shorting the Grid, The Hidden Fragility of Our Electric Grid is an exposé of the insider-ruled practices of the “deregulated” areas of the United States electric grid. The grid in these areas is managed by a regional transmission organization (RTO). Within these organizations, no group is responsible or accountable for grid reliability. The RTO areas have higher retail electricity prices, no way for ordinary citizens to influence decisions, and a more fragile grid. Using the rules and history of the New England grid as an example, the book shows how RTO areas are moving steadily to a future of “rolling blackouts” where the grid operator deliberately cuts power to one section of the grid after another.
The second episode is Undermined by Enron.
Meredith Angwin pointed out that people don’t normally make a motza out of a stable power market and smarties at Enron worked out how to play the system that was deregulated in the ‘80s.
The gas market was deregulated first and Enron made money out of doing things people can’t understand, and they converted the power industry in Texas into a casino where the house (Enron) always won. Starting with GW Bush in Texas they used political connections to promote more privatization.
Enron became famous for strategicaly taking plant off line during peak periods to spike the prices for plants that were on line.
It paid a premium for volatility instead of stability.
Episode three is Green Dreams:
juicetheseries.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
The Paris Agreement and the race was on.
And the mounting pushback against windmills.
Episode 4 Nuclear Renaissance
juicetheseries.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
The case for nuclear in Japan, diversity for a stable power supply and also national security.
Shellenberger on the postwar nuclear debate, progress in the 1950s and a massive backlash in the 1960s driven by a worldwide network of radical leftwing groups.
Ontario goes nuclear.
Chris Keefer.
Lying for Jesus, “we cleaned up the air by getting rid of coal,” hey man, you could have done it by scrubbing the nitrates and particulates out of the plant food discharging from the chimneys.
Episode 5 Industrial Cathedrals
juicetheseries.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Germany decides to shut down coal and nuclear power and instead turn to gas from Russia.
The momentum building worldwide for nuclear to add to the mix that will be dominated by coal for decades to come, including Australia if we want to maintain a modern quality of life,
Rafe Champion
www.flickerpower.com/index.php/search/categories/general/list-of-briefing-notes
Warning!
Wind watching can be time-consuming and habit-forming.
Watch responsibly.