Extreme Gridwatch Events Winter 2022/23

[Tinbum]

I'm surprised the wholesale price is so low( in comparison to some other times).

[Krill]

What is the peak coal output again?

[nowty]

What is the peak coal output again?

In what way ?

Total coal available capacity, highest output this year, highest output tonight ?

This is what's left but ones in Northern Ireland.
https://www.powerstations.uk/coal-countdown/

And this shows you what exactly is running, if you click on the coal segment.
https://terravolt.co.uk/uk-grid-visual/

[Krill]

Well that really puts the gas power generation figure into context, which was all I was trying to understand.

It is thought provoking though, that as a society we probably want individual households where possible to burn coal for heat and keep gas available for those that lack that option and electricity generation. It somewhat mirrors the point thay those who can put solar on good roof aspects should, and the idea of a 5 or 7 day battery system...

[nowty]

The problem with the UK is that we only have a few days worth of gas storage and with LNG shipments, we need to burn the gas to make space for the new deliveries. Thats why we have been burning it all summer and exporting as much leccy to europe as possible so they could build up their storage as they have a lot more of it.

But today and tomorrow, because of practically zero wind we need to import the leccy or we risk running out of generating capacity, especially if we lose a power station or two like we did a few years back.

[Book_woorm]

When you see photos of the insides of wind turbine towers they have nothing in them but a ladder. As wind is sporadic and really needs storage why
don't the owners pack the inside of those towers with batteries? By now they must have enough stats to work out what the optimum capacity should be. OK so you would have to have fire drenching etc but that has been done in battery rooms for years. I'm sure it would be economically viable.

[Stinsy]

When you see photos of the insides of wind turbine towers they have nothing in them but a ladder. As wind is sporadic and really needs storage why
don't the owners pack the inside of those towers with batteries? By now they must have enough stats to work out what the optimum capacity should be. OK so you would have to have fire drenching etc but that has been done in battery rooms for years. I'm sure it would be economically viable.

I’ve thought exactly this! 1or2 hours of nameplate generation in batteries could be effortlessly added to each turbine.

It’d dramatically reduce curtailment…

[Swwils]

That would.be super expensive, dangerous and also not doable.

[AE-NMidlands]

That would.be super expensive, dangerous and also not doable.

Really?
Apart from fixing brackets as an after-thought (always more expensive than building in) why should it cost much more per kWhr than other batteries?

Why more dangerous? You could put batteries in shielded modules and design out risks from accidental short-circuits. And why should it be any more dangerous than the bigger containers full of batteries being installed around the country?

And why not doable? Engineers can do (almost) anything if there is a real commitment and they are given the budget and political support! See loads of second-world war achievements for examples...

The access and escape routes for people working at the top might need to be re-thought though... Maybe prepare by draining the batteries down and (almost) earthing them.

[Oldgreybeard]

When you see photos of the insides of wind turbine towers they have nothing in them but a ladder. As wind is sporadic and really needs storage why
don't the owners pack the inside of those towers with batteries? By now they must have enough stats to work out what the optimum capacity should be. OK so you would have to have fire drenching etc but that has been done in battery rooms for years. I'm sure it would be economically viable.

I’ve thought exactly this! 1or2 hours of nameplate generation in batteries could be effortlessly added to each turbine.

It’d dramatically reduce curtailment…

A bit like a lighthouse. I remember visiting a working lighthouse when on a scout camp as a kid and being amazed at the size of the battery room.