glambx
glambx t1_ixd8xdx wrote
Reply to comment by Admiral_Fancypants in HVDC macrogrid would reduce climate pollutants and electricity costs while transmitting low-cost renewable power by manual_tranny
The issue was they didn't have semiconductors that could produce high voltage DC.
Transformers were easy to build, so achieving high voltage AC was a piece of cake.
At a given power level, line losses are inversely proportional to line voltage.
glambx t1_ixd8c9f wrote
Reply to comment by curious_geoff in HVDC macrogrid would reduce climate pollutants and electricity costs while transmitting low-cost renewable power by manual_tranny
Eh, negligible, compared to the benefits.
The main problem with solar and wind are intermittency. One (partial) solution is a massive rollout of battery storage, which would have a thousand times that environmental impact.
If you can reduce the need by time and location shifting intermittents across the country? That's an absolute win.
If you're interested, though:
Lots of information and links to cost analysis there.
glambx t1_ixdhm7m wrote
Reply to comment by giltwist in HVDC macrogrid would reduce climate pollutants and electricity costs while transmitting low-cost renewable power by manual_tranny
Problem is that the amount of energy storage we need to convert 100% to renewables is enormous. Pumped hydro works just fine but takes a massive amount of area and the right topography. Compressed underground air storage also works, but is geology-specific.
The right answer is a blend of wind, solar, and nuclear fission, but there's still a ton of (mostly ignorant) folks against nuclear power.