Batteries during peak demand provide 43% of the power on California's grid

[Old Rocks]

Batteries are becoming a major part of California's grid, replacing expensive gas peaker plants. And the cost of the batteries continues to decline as the cost of solar does the same. A win-win for all.
"A few days ago, the electric grid in California hit a new milestone: At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

Nearly all of that battery storage was built in the last five years. “Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,” says Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, a global energy think tank. When it’s paired with solar power, it can “bring some of that excess generation in the middle of the day to where it’s really needed, which is during the peak demand in the evening and morning,” he says.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades. Over the last few years alone, the cost fell by about a third. The cost of solar panels has also fallen by more than 90%. By 2024, new solar projects were an average of 41% cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

By using batteries to make use of extra solar power in the middle of the day in the evening, California’s grid, called CAISO, can rely less both on energy imported from other states as well as “peaker” gas plants that are used to meet peak demand. Those gas plants “are usually quite expensive,” says Fulghum. “And batteries can reduce the impact of those high power prices during that time, especially when you have a heat wave like we had a few weeks ago. That’s where they’re most effective at keeping prices down.” Gas electricity generation in the state is responsible for around 30 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Around half of the peaker plants are in low-income communities of color, where the air pollution contributes to health problems like asthma."

MSN

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Batteries are becoming a major part of California's grid, replacing expensive gas peaker plants. And the cost of the batteries continues to decline as the cost of solar does the same. A win-win for all.
"A few days ago, the electric grid in California hit a new milestone: At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

Nearly all of that battery storage was built in the last five years. “Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,” says Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, a global energy think tank. When it’s paired with solar power, it can “bring some of that excess generation in the middle of the day to where it’s really needed, which is during the peak demand in the evening and morning,” he says.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades. Over the last few years alone, the cost fell by about a third. The cost of solar panels has also fallen by more than 90%. By 2024, new solar projects were an average of 41% cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

By using batteries to make use of extra solar power in the middle of the day in the evening, California’s grid, called CAISO, can rely less both on energy imported from other states as well as “peaker” gas plants that are used to meet peak demand. Those gas plants “are usually quite expensive,” says Fulghum. “And batteries can reduce the impact of those high power prices during that time, especially when you have a heat wave like we had a few weeks ago. That’s where they’re most effective at keeping prices down.” Gas electricity generation in the state is responsible for around 30 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Around half of the peaker plants are in low-income communities of color, where the air pollution contributes to health problems like asthma."

MSN

At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

For how long?

 

[mudwhistle]

Batteries are becoming a major part of California's grid, replacing expensive gas peaker plants. And the cost of the batteries continues to decline as the cost of solar does the same. A win-win for all.
"A few days ago, the electric grid in California hit a new milestone: At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

Nearly all of that battery storage was built in the last five years. “Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,” says Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, a global energy think tank. When it’s paired with solar power, it can “bring some of that excess generation in the middle of the day to where it’s really needed, which is during the peak demand in the evening and morning,” he says.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades. Over the last few years alone, the cost fell by about a third. The cost of solar panels has also fallen by more than 90%. By 2024, new solar projects were an average of 41% cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

By using batteries to make use of extra solar power in the middle of the day in the evening, California’s grid, called CAISO, can rely less both on energy imported from other states as well as “peaker” gas plants that are used to meet peak demand. Those gas plants “are usually quite expensive,” says Fulghum. “And batteries can reduce the impact of those high power prices during that time, especially when you have a heat wave like we had a few weeks ago. That’s where they’re most effective at keeping prices down.” Gas electricity generation in the state is responsible for around 30 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Around half of the peaker plants are in low-income communities of color, where the air pollution contributes to health problems like asthma."

MSN

I love your way of thinking.

You want to replace oil with something that they need child-slave labor to dig out of the ground.

Lithium mining is
the extraction of lithium from brine (salty groundwater) or hard rock (spodumene ore) to meet surging demand for electric vehicle batteries, with major production in the South American "Lithium Triangle" and Australia. Brine extraction involves evaporating water over 18 months, while hard rock mining requires crushing ore, both processes having significant environmental impacts on water supply and ecosystems.
Primary Lithium Mining Methods:

• Brine Extraction: Prevalent in Chile and Argentina, this method pumps mineral-rich saltwater from underground reservoirs into massive, shallow ponds. The sun evaporates the water over 12-18 months, leaving behind concentrated lithium that is later processed into lithium carbonate.
  • Hard Rock Mining: Primarily used in Australia, this traditional mining method uses heavy machinery to drill, blast, and excavate pegmatite ore, specifically the mineral spodumene. The ore is then crushed and chemically processed to extract lithium.
  • Geothermal Brine Extraction: An emerging, more sustainable method that utilizes hot, salty water from geothermal energy production. It allows for nearly carbon-free extraction and generates electricity simultaneously.

Environmental and Social Impact:

• Water Scarcity: Brine extraction requires enormous quantities of water, which can deplete local aquifers, impacting local communities and ecosystems in arid areas.
• Contamination: Mining processes can cause chemical runoff and contaminate local water sources, threatening biodiversity.
• High Energy Use: Both methods, particularly hard rock mining, are energy-intensive, which can result in significant carbon emissions

 

[Concerned American]

Batteries are becoming a major part of California's grid, replacing expensive gas peaker plants. And the cost of the batteries continues to decline as the cost of solar does the same. A win-win for all.
"A few days ago, the electric grid in California hit a new milestone: At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

Nearly all of that battery storage was built in the last five years. “Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,” says Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, a global energy think tank. When it’s paired with solar power, it can “bring some of that excess generation in the middle of the day to where it’s really needed, which is during the peak demand in the evening and morning,” he says.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades. Over the last few years alone, the cost fell by about a third. The cost of solar panels has also fallen by more than 90%. By 2024, new solar projects were an average of 41% cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

By using batteries to make use of extra solar power in the middle of the day in the evening, California’s grid, called CAISO, can rely less both on energy imported from other states as well as “peaker” gas plants that are used to meet peak demand. Those gas plants “are usually quite expensive,” says Fulghum. “And batteries can reduce the impact of those high power prices during that time, especially when you have a heat wave like we had a few weeks ago. That’s where they’re most effective at keeping prices down.” Gas electricity generation in the state is responsible for around 30 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Around half of the peaker plants are in low-income communities of color, where the air pollution contributes to health problems like asthma."

MSN

Gee, are we supposed to be impressed? This is the mildest part of the year in CA. LOL, I will be anxious to see what happens when the peak demand includes AC in every home. LOL.

 

[toobfreak]

Batteries during peak demand provide 43% of the power on California's grid​

And look at that: California has by far also the highest electric rates in the country!

In fact, one might say the bluer the state, the higher the electric rates.
Here's a little news for ya, Boobala--- you're an environmental wannabe pretend climatologist, whereas I worked for years as an actual electrical engineer, and I can tell you that if as demands goes up, CA switches over to more "green energy" (environmentally-derived battery-stored DC power), then I can assure you that CA is headed for a major meltdown. That arrangement makes for a very unstable power grid and so far, their main saving grace has been that peak demand so far generally occurs during daytime.

Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,

And the biggest reason for that is after several years of Biden ramping up battery production, demand for them has fallen off because no one wants them forcing suppliers to drop prices trying to stay competitive.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades.

Meaningless. Not only were no one buying EVs in 1991 paying $600,000 for their car battery but the data is a fraud, first charting prices from $2000 to $5000 in the same unit demarcation as a mere $100 jump at bottom in order to make the rate of falling prices look bigger than it really is.

And that still doesn't address the matter that all products drop in price as manufacturing quality and volume efficiency go up, especially when the government is trying to MAKE sales of EVs go up, not due to some magical change in the batteries themselves.

 

[toobfreak]

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades.

The devil is in the details, and it all becomes a matter of presentation.
Here is a chart from your link above:

They chart Y as efficiency and X as cost, but it is a non-linear cost plot. So I took the data and drew up as similar a chart as I could, from $10,000/unit cost to $100/unit cost same as your chart, then just replaced years for efficiency since year is more relevant and carries the efficiency to the right as before anyway, then I took the data from above and replotted it, this time by LINEAR cost (equal cost-change per equal distance moved). Makes a big difference! Your chart first plots 1-inch as a $100 change in cost then concludes with the same inch on top equaling a $5000 change in cost! And this is what we get:

It's a bit crude, and I used fewer data points after 2000 to make it manageable, like 2000 - 2005 - 2010 - 2015 - 2020, but the results are not affected. My plot is not perfect but it is pretty accurate and gets the point across--- look how different the plot looks!

The REAL drop in prices occurred between 1990 and about 2008, that is about the time Obumma got in and EVs started to become discussed as a viable alternative. But look what happened after 2008--- after 2008, the actual improvement in efficiency vs. cost actually does the OPPOSITE your claim! Improvement are sloughing off, not quickening. From 2008 to today, the rate of improvement of cost vs. efficiency has actually DROPPED closer to a THIRD what it was 20 years ago, and this is quite close to what science and engineering might predict for such a device:

The more you improve something, the less headroom you have for further headroom and the more difficult those improvements becomes.

Whereas the decade from 2000 to 2010 saw roughly a tenfold increase in efficiency vs. cost (from $5000 to $500), from the decade of 2010 to 2020, we only saw a 5-fold increase, from about $500 down to $100; further, a $400 drop in unit cost is a lot less in absolute terms than a $4500 drop over the same time period.

Therein lies the great lie, the truth is the exact opposite what you claim, and in coming years, I expect cost vs. efficiency changes to be even less. The more you improve something, the less room for improvement there is as you approach your technological ceiling.

And while increases in production help to lower cost, you can only produce so much and production probably already exceeds demand, and demand is not likely to change much for many years yet.

No doubt this is what the authors attempted to hide in their deceptive plotting of the data. The unstated fact here is that it is not a reduction in cost that might save the EV, it is their finally dropping down to where more people can afford them in our economy that matters most.

 

[Invisibleflash]

Batteries are becoming a major part of California's grid, replacing expensive gas peaker plants. And the cost of the batteries continues to decline as the cost of solar does the same. A win-win for all.
"A few days ago, the electric grid in California hit a new milestone: At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

Nearly all of that battery storage was built in the last five years. “Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,” says Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, a global energy think tank. When it’s paired with solar power, it can “bring some of that excess generation in the middle of the day to where it’s really needed, which is during the peak demand in the evening and morning,” he says.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades. Over the last few years alone, the cost fell by about a third. The cost of solar panels has also fallen by more than 90%. By 2024, new solar projects were an average of 41% cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

By using batteries to make use of extra solar power in the middle of the day in the evening, California’s grid, called CAISO, can rely less both on energy imported from other states as well as “peaker” gas plants that are used to meet peak demand. Those gas plants “are usually quite expensive,” says Fulghum. “And batteries can reduce the impact of those high power prices during that time, especially when you have a heat wave like we had a few weeks ago. That’s where they’re most effective at keeping prices down.” Gas electricity generation in the state is responsible for around 30 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Around half of the peaker plants are in low-income communities of color, where the air pollution contributes to health problems like asthma."

MSN

That is pretty impressive!

 

[toobfreak]

Maybe I can make the facts plainer:

Sticking with your original chart, here is the rate of improvement from 1990 to 2000 (decade):

Now, lets look at the ROC (rate of change) for the next decade from 2000 to 2010:

Now let's add 2010 to 2020:

One can easily see that from 2000 to 2020 were the great years of wholesale improvement! But look what happened over these past five years from 2020 on:

The ROC has not improved by the opposite as claimed: It is almost exactly the same ROC as back in the 1990s again! If anything, improvements in cost and efficiency has greatly sloughed off in the past several years, not the opposite as you would have us believe. EV batteries have reached their technological barrier where further gains are only possible by increasing QC (cost), or by an all-new technology over lithium.

 

[Old Rocks]

I love your way of thinking.

You want to replace oil with something that they need child-slave labor to dig out of the ground.

You dumb ****, that is cobalt, not lithium. And most of the present utility grade batteries are LFP batteries. Lithium iron phosphate, no cobalt. And now we are seeing lithium sulfur, sodium sulfur, and water-iron batteries starting to be manufactured. All less costly than even the LFP batteries. Many chemistries being worked on in the lab, some of them far less costly than lithium ion, and some with much greater energy density.

 

[mudwhistle]

You dumb ****, that is cobalt, not lithium. And most of the present utility grade batteries are LFP batteries. Lithium iron phosphate, no cobalt. And now we are seeing lithium sulfur, sodium sulfur, and water-iron batteries starting to be manufactured. All less costly than even the LFP batteries. Many chemistries being worked on in the lab, some of them far less costly than lithium ion, and some with much greater energy density.

Bet you had to look that up.

I know. I just wanted to see who was the first asshole to try to correct me.

 

[Old Rocks]

2028
The Form Energy battery storage project in Lincoln, Maine, is expected to be operational by 2028. The project, which will be the world's largest multi-day energy storage facility, is part of a larger $389 million regional grant to New England states. The project is funded with a $147 million federal grant to New England states and aims to enhance grid resiliency and support renewable energy loads. The facility will utilize iron-air battery technology to store and discharge electricity for up to 100 hours, significantly improving the reliability of the New England grid, especially during extreme weather conditions.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=79fe...lLWRldmVsb3BlZC1pbi1saW5jb2xuLW1haW5lLw&ntb=1
Foley Hoag LLP+5
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=79fe...lLWRldmVsb3BlZC1pbi1saW5jb2xuLW1haW5lLw&ntb=1
Somerville, Massachusetts-based Form Energy plans to convert the former paper and pulp mill site in Lincoln, Maine, to one housing the world’s biggest battery installation, injecting up to 85 MW of power into the grid at a time. While other energy storage solutions, such as pumped hydro plants, have much bigger capacity, this will be the first installation at such a scale using battery technology alone.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=79fe...lLWRldmVsb3BlZC1pbi1saW5jb2xuLW1haW5lLw&ntb=1
With a storage capacity of 8.5 gWh, that is 4 days of delivering 85 mWh per hour. And it uses water and iron, not exactly exotic or expensive materials, fire proof, explosion proof. Very low cost storage. https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=79fe...lLWRldmVsb3BlZC1pbi1saW5jb2xuLW1haW5lLw&ntb=1

 

[Old Rocks]

Bet you had to look that up.

I know. I just wanted to see who was the first asshole to try to correct me.

No, I did not have to look that up. That was not a try to correct, that was a silly post corrected. Sure you know now.

 

[mudwhistle]

No, I did not have to look that up. That was not a try to correct, that was a silly post corrected. Sure you know now.

Batteries aren't the way to go.

It's not a renewable resource.

The environmental impact is too great.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

2028
The Form Energy battery storage project in Lincoln, Maine, is expected to be operational by 2028. The project, which will be the world's largest multi-day energy storage facility, is part of a larger $389 million regional grant to New England states. The project is funded with a $147 million federal grant to New England states and aims to enhance grid resiliency and support renewable energy loads. The facility will utilize iron-air battery technology to store and discharge electricity for up to 100 hours, significantly improving the reliability of the New England grid, especially during extreme weather conditions.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=79fe...lLWRldmVsb3BlZC1pbi1saW5jb2xuLW1haW5lLw&ntb=1
Foley Hoag LLP+5
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=79fe...lLWRldmVsb3BlZC1pbi1saW5jb2xuLW1haW5lLw&ntb=1
Somerville, Massachusetts-based Form Energy plans to convert the former paper and pulp mill site in Lincoln, Maine, to one housing the world’s biggest battery installation, injecting up to 85 MW of power into the grid at a time. While other energy storage solutions, such as pumped hydro plants, have much bigger capacity, this will be the first installation at such a scale using battery technology alone.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=79fe...lLWRldmVsb3BlZC1pbi1saW5jb2xuLW1haW5lLw&ntb=1
With a storage capacity of 8.5 gWh, that is 4 days of delivering 85 mWh per hour. And it uses water and iron, not exactly exotic or expensive materials, fire proof, explosion proof. Very low cost storage. https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=79fe...lLWRldmVsb3BlZC1pbi1saW5jb2xuLW1haW5lLw&ntb=1

Iron and water? Wow!

What do you lose between charging and discharging? 50%?

Awesome!

DURR

 

[Old Rocks]

Batteries aren't the way to go.

It's not a renewable resource.

The environmental impact is too great.

Really? Batteries, including the rust battery, impacts are greater than this:

Batteries aren't the way to go.

It's not a renewable resource.

The environmental impact is too great.

Greater than mountain top coal mining?

Greater than tar sand mining?

Greater impact than this?

1. The Kingston coal ash disaster, which occurred on December 22, 2008, was the largest industrial spill in U.S. history, releasing over 1.1 billion gallons of toxic coal ash slurry into the environment, causing significant ecological and health impacts.
   

   Overview​

   The disaster took place at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County, Tennessee, when a dike holding back a coal ash pond failed. This catastrophic failure released approximately 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash slurry, covering 300 acres of land and contaminating the Emory River and its tributaries. The coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal, contains harmful heavy metals and toxins, posing serious environmental and health risks.
   
   Wikipedia+2
   

   Immediate​

   The spill caused extensive damage to homes and the surrounding environment, leading to a cleanup effort that cost TVA over $1 billion and lasted several years. The initial cleanup was declared complete in 2015, but concerns about residual contamination and health effects persist. The spill also uprooted trees and destroyed numerous properties, significantly impacting the local community.
   
   Wikipedia+1
   

   Health​

   Workers involved in the cleanup reported serious health issues, including respiratory illnesses and cancers, attributed to exposure to toxic coal ash. Many of these workers have since filed lawsuits against the contractors involved in the cleanup, alleging inadequate safety measures and lack of protective equipment. The long-term health effects of the disaster continue to be a concern for both workers and residents in the area.
   
   WBIR.com+1
   

   Regulatory​

   In response to the disaster, the EPA and TVA implemented a comprehensive cleanup plan under the Superfund program, which included dredging contaminated sediments and monitoring the environmental recovery. The disaster has also prompted discussions about coal ash management and the need for stricter regulations regarding its disposal and handling.
   
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency+1
   

   Long-term​

   The Kingston disaster has had lasting implications for TVA's operations, leading to a commitment to phase out coal by 2035 and shift towards cleaner energy sources. This disaster has served as a critical turning point in the conversation about coal energy and its environmental impacts.
   
   NewsChannel 5 Nashville
   In summary, the Kingston coal ash disaster was a significant environmental catastrophe with far-reaching consequences for the local community, the environment, and energy policy in the United States. The ongoing health and environmental issues stemming from the spill highlight the need for continued vigilance and reform in coal ash management practices.
   
   Wikipedia
   Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spill - Wikipedia
   
   
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
   EPA Response to Kingston TVA Coal Ash Spill | US EPA
   
   
   
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[leftwinger]

Batteries are becoming a major part of California's grid, replacing expensive gas peaker plants. And the cost of the batteries continues to decline as the cost of solar does the same. A win-win for all.
"A few days ago, the electric grid in California hit a new milestone: At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

Nearly all of that battery storage was built in the last five years. “Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,” says Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, a global energy think tank. When it’s paired with solar power, it can “bring some of that excess generation in the middle of the day to where it’s really needed, which is during the peak demand in the evening and morning,” he says.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades. Over the last few years alone, the cost fell by about a third. The cost of solar panels has also fallen by more than 90%. By 2024, new solar projects were an average of 41% cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

By using batteries to make use of extra solar power in the middle of the day in the evening, California’s grid, called CAISO, can rely less both on energy imported from other states as well as “peaker” gas plants that are used to meet peak demand. Those gas plants “are usually quite expensive,” says Fulghum. “And batteries can reduce the impact of those high power prices during that time, especially when you have a heat wave like we had a few weeks ago. That’s where they’re most effective at keeping prices down.” Gas electricity generation in the state is responsible for around 30 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Around half of the peaker plants are in low-income communities of color, where the air pollution contributes to health problems like asthma."

MSN

Where? In the Dildos?

 

[Old Rocks]

Iron and water? Wow!

What do you lose between charging and discharging? 50%?

Awesome!

DURR

Coal-fired power plants typically operate at 32–35% efficiency, with modern supercritical and ultra-supercritical plants reaching up to 45–48%.

Typical​

Traditional coal-fired power plants convert the chemical energy in coal into electricity through a series of energy transformations: chemical → thermal → mechanical → electrical energy. Most conventional plants operate at 32–35% efficiency, meaning that roughly two-thirds of the energy in coal is lost as heat during the process.

Bright Hub Engineering+2

Advanced​

Efficiency improves significantly with supercritical and ultra-supercritical technologies. Supercritical plants operate at higher steam pressures (around 220 bar) and temperatures (600/600 °C), achieving efficiencies of up to 42%, while ultra-supercritical plants can reach 45–48% efficiency due to even higher operating pressures and temperatures. Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plants, which convert coal into syngas and use combined cycle generation, can also achieve higher efficiency, though at greater cost.

Bright Hub Engineering+2

Factors​

Several factors influence coal plant efficiency:

• Steam temperature and pressure: Higher superheat and reheat temperatures improve thermal efficiency.
  
  1
• Coal quality: High-calorific-value coal with low ash and sulfur content enhances energy output and reduces residue buildup.
  
  1
• Maintenance and operation: Regular inspections, servicing, and predictive maintenance help maintain optimal performance.
  
  1
• Emission controls: Installing scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators, and selective catalytic reduction systems can slightly reduce efficiency but are necessary for regulatory compliance.
  
  2
• 
  
  
  
  
  
  3 Sources

Practical​

While coal plants are less efficient than modern natural gas combined cycle plants (up to 60% efficiency), they remain a significant source of electricity worldwide. Efficiency improvements not only reduce fuel consumption and operational costs but also lower greenhouse gas emissions per unit of electricity generated.

PCI Energy Solutions+2
In summary, coal-fired power plant efficiency ranges from 32% in conventional plants to nearly 48% in ultra-supercritical designs, with performance influenced by technology, fuel quality, and operational practices.

 

[Old Rocks]

Where? In the Dildos?

A subject I bet you know all about.

 

[mudwhistle]

Really? Batteries, including the rust battery, impacts are greater than this:

Greater than mountain top coal mining?

View attachment 1240467

Greater than tar sand mining?

View attachment 1240468

Greater impact than this?

1. The Kingston coal ash disaster, which occurred on December 22, 2008, was the largest industrial spill in U.S. history, releasing over 1.1 billion gallons of toxic coal ash slurry into the environment, causing significant ecological and health impacts.
   

   Overview​

   The disaster took place at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County, Tennessee, when a dike holding back a coal ash pond failed. This catastrophic failure released approximately 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash slurry, covering 300 acres of land and contaminating the Emory River and its tributaries. The coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal, contains harmful heavy metals and toxins, posing serious environmental and health risks.
   
   Wikipedia+2
   

   Immediate​

   The spill caused extensive damage to homes and the surrounding environment, leading to a cleanup effort that cost TVA over $1 billion and lasted several years. The initial cleanup was declared complete in 2015, but concerns about residual contamination and health effects persist. The spill also uprooted trees and destroyed numerous properties, significantly impacting the local community.
   
   Wikipedia+1
   

   Health​

   Workers involved in the cleanup reported serious health issues, including respiratory illnesses and cancers, attributed to exposure to toxic coal ash. Many of these workers have since filed lawsuits against the contractors involved in the cleanup, alleging inadequate safety measures and lack of protective equipment. The long-term health effects of the disaster continue to be a concern for both workers and residents in the area.
   
   WBIR.com+1
   

   Regulatory​

   In response to the disaster, the EPA and TVA implemented a comprehensive cleanup plan under the Superfund program, which included dredging contaminated sediments and monitoring the environmental recovery. The disaster has also prompted discussions about coal ash management and the need for stricter regulations regarding its disposal and handling.
   
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency+1
   

   Long-term​

   The Kingston disaster has had lasting implications for TVA's operations, leading to a commitment to phase out coal by 2035 and shift towards cleaner energy sources. This disaster has served as a critical turning point in the conversation about coal energy and its environmental impacts.
   
   NewsChannel 5 Nashville
   In summary, the Kingston coal ash disaster was a significant environmental catastrophe with far-reaching consequences for the local community, the environment, and energy policy in the United States. The ongoing health and environmental issues stemming from the spill highlight the need for continued vigilance and reform in coal ash management practices.
   
   Wikipedia
   Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spill - Wikipedia
   
   
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
   EPA Response to Kingston TVA Coal Ash Spill | US EPA
   
   
   
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[Old Rocks]

Iron and water? Wow!

What do you lose between charging and discharging? 50%?

Awesome!

DURR

And all that charging electricity is electricity that would not be generated otherwise. But go ahead, demonstrate your love for high electrical bills from gas, coal, and nuclear generation.