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wave energy has been slow, by comparison, but, being less intermittent, it could play a valuable role in providing load balancing capability

Only if and once it is brought up to GW scale, which I doubt will happen on the short term. Linking with Britain will add some balancing, though I suspect weather is strongly correlated in the two areas (cyclone-related peaks and will be spread out and lulls narrowed by only a few more hours).

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Wed Jun 22nd, 2011 at 09:15:46 AM EST
Most Irish wind/weather hits Britain after a lag of a day or so (=/-) but that lag is, of itself, important in load balancing, as you point out.  Only occasional large anti-cyclones give similar (relatively calm) conditions to both Britain and Ireland at the same time.  (It's been so long since we've had one, I'll gladly power down the heating if it happens...)

I'm not sure why wave power seems perennially stuck at the "experimental" stage - the problems (to me) seem to be more financial than technical.

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Wed Jun 22nd, 2011 at 09:56:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]
With mechanical parts immersed in turbulent salt water, the technical challenges are durability and maintenance; but indeed the financial challenge is bigger (with the rise of wind power as parallel, an initial market for hundreds of units of multiple manufacturers would have to be created somewhere).

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Wed Jun 22nd, 2011 at 10:11:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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