As Vladimir Putin’s Petro-Dictatorship pursues a Genocidal war, using fossil fuels as a weapon against Democracy, European nations are fighting back by speeding up the transition to renewables.
As Vladimir Putin’s Petro-Dictatorship pursues a Genocidal war, using fossil fuels as a weapon against Democracy, European nations are fighting back by speeding up the transition to renewables.
The New York Times: Ukraine War Pushes Germans to Change. They Are Wavering..
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/12/world/europe/germany-russia-ukraine-war.html
Wow – that floating solar plant will put out a whole 3 megawatts – when the sun shines, which in Germany is on average about 11% of the time. Meanwhile they shut down four THOUSAND megawatts of nuclear on New Year’s Eve. In Germany nuclear has been managing a 92% capacity factor, with a carbon footprint a quarter that of solar. At the end of this year, they plan to close another four thousand megawatts. Never mind the Russian methane, or German lignite, they’ll have to keep burning every time those solar panels and wind turbines they’re so proud of are doing s.f.a.
I don’t know what other physical/cost issues the nuclear thermal plants there may have, but it’s a crime to shut down functional nuclear plants while even a single coal plant is in operation.
“In Germany nuclear has been managing a 92% capacity factor, with a carbon footprint a quarter that of solar.
I would appreciate a link to the source on the carbon footprint.
Not just oil and gas, also water to Crimea. But yes, more renewables please.
In general, I’m a big fan of floating solar that reduces heating (appreciated by the fish) and evaporation of water in lakes and reservoirs. That’s even better than the giant reservoir “lily pads” I used to promote for the same reasons.