ukezi t1_j5y0dez wrote
Reply to comment by i_am_bromega in Researchers unveil the least costly carbon capture system to date - down to $39 per metric ton. by PNNL
The SMRs are however more costly then solar plus storage. If we build SMRs a lot of capital gets bound there that could have build more solar and storage instead.
i_am_bromega t1_j5yfbwr wrote
I don’t think the cost of SMRs are settled, but the one thing that I keep hearing is that solar + storage is cheaper than everything. Where are you seeing this because it doesn’t add up. Solar can be cheaper without storage. The battery storage for utility scale systems combined with over building solar to charge the batteries so they are available when the sun doesn’t shine is way more expensive than other sources.
Then you have to look at Lithium mining. Demand is growing and we already will have to produce much more lithium than we do today for the tiny % of EV cars that are produced. Demand is growing and everyone is hoping that new tech will allow us to meet that demand in the coming decades. The problem is that tech is not proven yet. If lithium prices triple due to demand, battery storage is less economical with current tech.
ukezi t1_j5yn0c5 wrote
Don't focus on lithium so much. There are other options in the making, Sodium for instance or Iron-Air. At the moment Lithium is just too cheap for high effort.
Solar is cheap and is getting cheaper. Worst case we can store as heat and use a turbine to generate electricity at ~60% efficiency.
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