Renewables suffer from intermittency … production depends on whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining … and they can’t be ramped up quickly to cope with increased demand. So you need a baseline source to take care of that and the only options we have are fossil fuel or nuclear.
Baseload generation can be ramped up or down, yes. But, can’t be ramped up or down fast enough to meet variations in daily demand. You can’t slow it down fast enough in the evening to follow the drop off as everyone goes to bed. You can’t speed it up fast enough in the morning as everyone wakes up and gets to work.
You have to keep it running at a nearly constant output level.
Generators that can be ramped up and down fast enough to match the demand curve are known as “peaker plants”. Baseload plants are extremely efficient; peakers are much less efficient. Baseload plants use a few, giant steam turbines. Peakers typically use a large number of small, gas turbines, or even reciprocating engines.
Renewables suffer from intermittency … production depends on whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining … and they can’t be ramped up quickly to cope with increased demand. So you need a baseline source to take care of that and the only options we have are fossil fuel or nuclear.
Ireland outlawed nuclear in 1999. Not a NATO member quite famously too
Nuclear can’t be ramped up quickly either, as you said it’s the stable baseline
I’m guessing that it can be ramped up ahead of time, the grid will know when peak demands are during the day and during special events.
Baseload generation can be ramped up or down, yes. But, can’t be ramped up or down fast enough to meet variations in daily demand. You can’t slow it down fast enough in the evening to follow the drop off as everyone goes to bed. You can’t speed it up fast enough in the morning as everyone wakes up and gets to work.
You have to keep it running at a nearly constant output level.
Generators that can be ramped up and down fast enough to match the demand curve are known as “peaker plants”. Baseload plants are extremely efficient; peakers are much less efficient. Baseload plants use a few, giant steam turbines. Peakers typically use a large number of small, gas turbines, or even reciprocating engines.
You can’t force the wind to blow or the sun to shine. Hydroelectric is different.