Small Grid USA 3

[Mbrooke]

From the CISA website:

https://www.cisa.gov/energy-sector

The U.S. electricity segment contains more than 6,413 power plants (this includes 3,273 traditional electric utilities and 1,738 nonutility power producers) with approximately 1,075 gigawatts of installed generation. Approximately 48 percent of electricity is produced by combusting coal (primarily transported by rail), 20 percent in nuclear power plants, and 22 percent by combusting natural gas. The remaining generation is provided by hydroelectric plants (6 percent), oil (1 percent), and renewable sources (solar, wind, and geothermal) (3 percent). The heavy reliance on pipelines to distribute products across the nation highlights the interdependencies between the Energy and Transportation Systems Sector.

1,075 gig watts x 1000 = 1,075,000MWs / 6,413 = about 168 MWs per generating stations. Of course they vary in size greatly.


I'm thinking between 500-600 thorium reactor stations could be constructed over time.

This would provide compact carbon free power. No reliance on gas pipelines where in its present state the prolonged failure of any one line leads to massive generation shortages especially in the East. No coal to store, mine or release mercury into the environment.

Semi local location of plants can mean evacuating power between 115-230kv reducing the reliance on large interconnecting power transformers most of which are made over seas.

Electrical energy becomes very cheap over time- at one point General Electric wanted to ditch meters by going nuclear. Homes see more electric cars and electric heat.

Why isn't this being done? Why can't it be done? What is the hold back? And what are the technical limitations?

I'm highly optimistic- we must take this route.

 

[Mbrooke]

@PRC: IMO its the only real viable solution. We need power, lots of it, without emissions, on a thin budget.

I personally want to see a world where electricity is so cheap its unmetered. Remember when buildings in Manhattan didn't even have light switches?

 

[argotier]

What would it take to make nuclear ride those waves?

Its difficult, on one hand the nuclear reactors are, to my knowledge, only cost-effective when generating at full power 24/7 (Im not sure about the technical capabilities for working at a wide varying power output, I heard somewhere of only 10% of regulation for the output as a practical limit for sustained generation).
Even improving the reactor designs, the other drawback lies within the steam turbine generator, wich are slow to react and take several hours to put online.

 

[stevenal]

What would it take to make nuclear ride those waves?

Link

 

[DM61850]

The market can't and won't support nuclear power or even research into new reactor designs. There are so many other options now that are cheaper and don't require sunk cost for research. Even if there existed a potential nuclear power design that was economical, no one is going to fund the development. There needs to exist a carbon tax or something of the like to make nuclear power even remotely attractive. Natural gas, solar and solar and wind generation all beat nuclear power by a lot. Pining for nuclear power is like having a celebrity crush. Pursuing him or her is nearly pointless based on the other and more realistic options. Without nuclear power being tied to national defense and being heavily subsidized, I doubt it would ever have been as prevalent as it even currently is.

 

[Mbrooke]

How is natural has realistic? It won't be around for ever and its still emits CO2, dependent on an existing, aging, inadequate (in terms of redundancy) infrastructure. Solar and wind can't meet the demand.

 

[JASGripen]

The problem is that in this age and time most everyone wants to control their life with their phone.
Gas, solar and wind is something they can control without too much hassle.
It is only a matter of time before you have a micro grid around every block providing DC exactly as Edison dreamed of a long time ago - sorry Tesla.

 

[Mbrooke]

No matter what, Edison was right.

But I still Nuclear being the way.