Comments for Energy Pulse Blog http://www.energytoday.com.au/blog Commentary on energy news Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:36:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 Comment on An ill wind for baseload generation by engineer http://www.energytoday.com.au/blog/2007/10/11/an-ill-wind-for-baseload-generation/#comment-303 engineer Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:42:07 +0000 http://www.energytoday.com.au/blog/2007/10/11/an-ill-wind-for-baseload-generation/#comment-303 I admire the technical literacy of this effort, but a few points need addressing: 1. Denmark is not an isolated little country, but is connected to the huge German/Euro grid, so to mention that its capacity is say, 25% of total national electrical supply is to ignore the enormous Euro backup. i.e. it can import all its needs, if necessary. 2. The issue of back-up plant should not be glossed over. It is fraught with complexity, however. Issues such as: - who pays for the backup plant. - whether pricing of grid supply is regulated or free-market. - who carries the risk for supply disruption - geographic variation in wind reliability - network stability and quality of service all affect the conclusion. 3. all the above concerns grow with increase in connected wind capacity. 4. Connected wind capacity should never be allowed to approach baseload demand on any one network, unless it is cheap enough to dump power when demand drops. If such a situation eventuated, it would definitely require a large amount of backup plant with appropriate characteristics. This ceiling on wind's potential is not discussed often enough. 5. comparisons with large central plants should be cognisant of the potential to use cycle waste heat piped for district heating supplementation. This under-utilised energy resource is propitious in cold countries, though less so in Australia. As for analogies with IT, I am skeptical. Personal computers needed no government subsidies to proliferate. Falling costs enabled new applications and methods to be sold to expanded markets not open to megacomputers. Information functionality is a different market from computing. Redefinition of the computer as an information appliance created major new market sectors, distinct from the original markets of large computers. I admire the technical literacy of this effort, but a few points need addressing:
1. Denmark is not an isolated little country, but is connected to the huge German/Euro grid, so to mention that its capacity is say, 25% of total national electrical supply is to ignore the enormous Euro backup. i.e. it can import all its needs, if necessary.
2. The issue of back-up plant should not be glossed over. It is fraught with complexity, however. Issues such as:
- who pays for the backup plant.
- whether pricing of grid supply is regulated or free-market.
- who carries the risk for supply disruption
- geographic variation in wind reliability
- network stability and quality of service
all affect the conclusion.
3. all the above concerns grow with increase in connected wind capacity.
4. Connected wind capacity should never be allowed to approach baseload demand on any one network, unless it is cheap enough to dump power when demand drops. If such a situation eventuated, it would definitely require a large amount of backup plant with appropriate characteristics. This ceiling on wind’s potential is not discussed often enough.
5. comparisons with large central plants should be cognisant of the potential to use cycle waste heat piped for district heating supplementation. This under-utilised energy resource is propitious in cold countries, though less so in Australia.

As for analogies with IT, I am skeptical. Personal computers needed no government subsidies to proliferate. Falling costs enabled new applications and methods to be sold to expanded markets not open to megacomputers. Information functionality is a different market from computing. Redefinition of the computer as an information appliance created major new market sectors, distinct from the original markets of large computers.

]]> Comment on A new Rudder for Australian energy leadership? by DaS Energy Pty Ltd http://www.energytoday.com.au/blog/2007/11/26/a-new-rudder-for-australian-energy-leadership/#comment-248 DaS Energy Pty Ltd Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:16:12 +0000 http://www.energytoday.com.au/blog/2007/11/26/a-new-rudder-for-australian-energy-leadership/#comment-248 Dont be mistaken dont be misled, Kevin Rudd is more than aware of the energy efficient technology now here in Australia. His personal and I repeat his personal response to any new technology reducing the burning of Coal is that it will reduce the Coal revenue collected by Government and therefore affect prosperity. Justs who's prosperity will be effected is not stated, but one can imagine that if Rudd backs new technology cutting Coal burning by half or more (without any effect upon the consumer) then certainly his prosperity will be cut by being thrown out of office by a very upset Coal mining industry. Dont be mistaken dont be misled, Kevin Rudd is more than aware of the energy efficient technology now here in Australia.

His personal and I repeat his personal response to any new technology reducing the burning of Coal is that it will reduce the Coal revenue collected by Government and therefore affect prosperity.

Justs who’s prosperity will be effected is not stated, but one can imagine that if Rudd backs new technology cutting Coal burning by half or more (without any effect upon the consumer) then certainly his prosperity will be cut by being thrown out of office by a very upset Coal mining industry.

]]> Comment on Our energy future - relaxed and comfortable? by DaS Energy Pty Ltd http://www.energytoday.com.au/blog/2007/10/15/our-energy-future-relaxed-and-comfortable/#comment-18 DaS Energy Pty Ltd Sun, 11 Nov 2007 08:44:05 +0000 http://www.energytoday.com.au/blog/2007/10/15/our-energy-future-relaxed-and-comfortable/#comment-18 This is Australia, or more correctly USA'ilia. The very thought of its politicians not getting "Georges" Ok first is like committing treason. When talking energy in Australia one must say Coal over and over again, and then if you dont get it ask your Politician they will brief you upon the effect it would have upon them at election time, not to remember what the coal companies want and what their revenues do for Australian Politicians. This is Australia, or more correctly USA’ilia. The very thought of its politicians not getting “Georges” Ok first is like committing treason. When talking energy in Australia one must say Coal over and over again, and then if you dont get it ask your Politician they will brief you upon the effect it would have upon them at election time, not to remember what the coal companies want and what their revenues do for Australian Politicians.

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