This isn’t true. Most coal facilities stockpile enough coal for 30-60 days worth of coal. Only long-lasting (multi-week) rail service interruptions will cause coal generation to be curtailed. Miss a train? No big deal…an extra one will come next week.

This isn’t true. Most coal facilities stockpile enough coal for 30-60 days worth of coal. Only long-lasting (multi-week) rail service interruptions will cause coal generation to be curtailed. Miss a train? No big deal…an extra one will come next week.

Not that I know of. Denmark has a system which stores wind-generated electricity by converting it into hydrogen oxide behind dams in Norway and Sweden. It costs Denmark dearly, though.

http://www.cepos.dk/fileadmin/user_upload/Arkiv/PDF/Wind_energy_-_the_case_of_Denmark.pdf

Not that I know of. Denmark has a system which stores wind-generated electricity by converting it into hydrogen oxide behind dams in Norway and Sweden. It costs Denmark dearly, though.

http://www.cepos.dk/fileadmin/user_upload/Arkiv/PDF/Wind_energy_-_the_case_of_Denmark.pdf

The USA has a systemlike that that stores solar energy with hydrogen and provides transportation as well! The system is called called HyRail or Interstate Traveler.

Try http://www.interstatetraveler.us and you will see the system outline for yourself.

The USA has a systemlike that that stores solar energy with hydrogen and provides transportation as well! The system is called called HyRail or Interstate Traveler.

Try http://www.interstatetraveler.us and you will see the system outline for yourself.

Yeah, Russ, the thousands of harebrained and/or(brilliant?) ideas we’ll need to solve all these problems: what makes these times so compelling.

Bill W: That’s a point. Now that the EPA is carefully tallying carbon, yeah, I wonder if that does include coal train emissions?

From a technical perspective I like the pairing of offshore wind turbines with some form of gravity or pressure fed water-based energy storage. Hopefully this would minimize the complexity and cost of energy storage.

From a technical perspective I like the pairing of offshore wind turbines with some form of gravity or pressure fed water-based energy storage. Hopefully this would minimize the complexity and cost of energy storage.

This also points out that the railroads have a vested interest in fighting the shutdown/conversion of coal plants. But maybe if we stop moving so much coal, we can move more of our goods being shipped back onto the railroads and off the highways.

This also points out that the railroads have a vested interest in fighting the shutdown/conversion of coal plants. But maybe if we stop moving so much coal, we can move more of our goods being shipped back onto the railroads and off the highways.

For baseline power storage was easier with coal as the fuel is used on demand. With wind or solar the fuel comes first followed by demand – a bit more of a challenge.

There are a thousand ideas – a few good and some totally hare brained – when a company proves one we will see how much it adds to the power cost per kWh. Renewables are already more expensive – doubling the cost will not be a very acceptable solution.

I have studied storage of natural gas on an industrial basis in an attempt to buy cheap gas for later use. We gave it up as a loser as compression or liquifaction was prohibitively costly for large volumes.

It will be interesting to follow the progress in time to come.

For baseline power storage was easier with coal as the fuel is used on demand. With wind or solar the fuel comes first followed by demand – a bit more of a challenge.

There are a thousand ideas – a few good and some totally hare brained – when a company proves one we will see how much it adds to the power cost per kWh. Renewables are already more expensive – doubling the cost will not be a very acceptable solution.

I have studied storage of natural gas on an industrial basis in an attempt to buy cheap gas for later use. We gave it up as a loser as compression or liquifaction was prohibitively costly for large volumes.

It will be interesting to follow the progress in time to come.