Six massive shifts in global power markets

Here we discuss various alternative energy solutions. From converting your car to electricity to converting your home to be off the grid.
Post Reply
User avatar
pietpetoors
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10649
Joined: Thu May 17, 2007 9:12 pm
Town: Langebaan
Vehicle: 2.7 Hilux 4x4 DC
Real Name: Pieter
Club VHF Licence: X27
Contact:

Six massive shifts in global power markets

Post by pietpetoors »

Interesting article on news 24 today.
http://www.fin24.com/Economy/Six-massiv ... s-20150624
Most interesting points to me:
4. Global demand slows

Yes, the world is inundated with mobile phones, flat screen TVs, and air conditioners. But growth in demand for electricity is slowing. The reason: efficiency.

To cram huge amounts of processing power into pocket-sized gadgets, engineers have had to focus on how to keep those gadgets from overheating. That's meant huge advances in energy efficiency. Switching to a LED light bulb, for example, can reduce electricity consumption by more than 80%.....
3. The revolution will be decentralised

The biggest solar revolution will take place on rooftops. High electricity prices and cheap residential battery storage will make small-scale rooftop solar ever more attractive, driving a 17-fold increase in installations.

By 2040, rooftop solar will be cheaper than electricity from the grid in every major economy, and almost 13% of electricity worldwide will be generated from small-scale solar systems.
Points 1 and 2 - if solar is becoming so cheap, I wonder if investment in Solar producing companies is a good idea, it will be difficult for them to remain profitable if they are in a price war for the next 25 years?
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!
Image
1999 Hilux 2.7i 4x4 Raider DC with 3.4 Prado V6. Rear diff-lock, Bull Bar and rock sliders, 31" Cooper ST Maxx, Snorkel, Alu-Canopy, VHF Motorolla radio, West Coast Rust, Mikem Suspension, Ball Joint Spacers in front and Mikem extended shackles at the rear, 25watt LED Spots
User avatar
Mud Dog
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29852
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
Town: East London
Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
Real Name: Andy
Club VHF Licence: HC103

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Post by Mud Dog »

Not so sure that we will see a price war in the short to medium term with solar equipment. I think the demand is going to increase exponentially and that supply is going to remain a healthy proposition, especially the established / more well known brands. Even the poorer consumers will not be able to afford not to supplement their power needs with solar and they will look at price rather than quality, so even the low end supply will benefit. Just M2CW.
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Image
Image

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
User avatar
Mud Dog
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29852
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
Town: East London
Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
Real Name: Andy
Club VHF Licence: HC103

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Post by Mud Dog »

P.S. Maybe in 10 to 15 yrs we might see a situation where juice from the power utilities become the back-up systems in most homes (I'm already ½ way there). ;-)
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Image
Image

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
User avatar
ChrisF
Top Web Wheeler
Top Web Wheeler
Posts: 8188
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:56 pm
Town: inniedorp
Vehicle: Toy
Real Name: Chris

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Post by ChrisF »

Pieter I am very saddened to say the main obstacle is NOT of a scientific nature ..... Our greedy municipalities are the main issue at hand ....


It is well documented in various news articles over the last months that a serious portion of municipal revenue comes from the sale of electricity !! They simply can not afford to loose the paying customers .... if in any doubt about this statement read the SSEG document from the City of Cape Town ......


By all means, spend R 100 000+ to try and get off the grid .... and they tie you into a system where you save R174 per month !!! :( :(



I see a system whereby people will keep a section on the grid to keep the municipality off their backs, and go off grid for a vast portion of their energy use.
User avatar
ChrisF
Top Web Wheeler
Top Web Wheeler
Posts: 8188
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:56 pm
Town: inniedorp
Vehicle: Toy
Real Name: Chris

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Post by ChrisF »

Pieter there is an underlying problem in that article - or at least in the reality of that article .....


Look at our current situation, and WHEN our loadshedding takes place - when the sun has set !! As good as solar plants are, these are NOT the answer for macro scale. Okay, let me re-phrase - pv plants should be a PART off the total package of generation. BUT, a truly functional system MUST have sufficient reliable 24/7 generation capacity.



For example - let's say we decommission 1 000MW worth of coal plants, and switch on 2 000 MW worth of PV plants .... we would have MORE load shedding at night !!!!!!!!!!!!!


Right now we have COAL and NUCLEAR as the two viable options for constant gauranteed power supply .....



Bit of a catch 22 .... got to go green to save the planet, but must burn coal or go nuclear to enjoy the luxury of power at home at night ..... (talking about large scale, not the odd home with a battery system)
User avatar
Mud Dog
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29852
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
Town: East London
Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
Real Name: Andy
Club VHF Licence: HC103

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Post by Mud Dog »

There is still the option of pump storage for nights, but this would surely have to be a massive and therefore costly option that makes it less viable than coal or nuclear in the shorter term. Coastal wind farms or tidal harnessing could help to alleviate fuel dependence. :think:
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Image
Image

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
User avatar
ChrisF
Top Web Wheeler
Top Web Wheeler
Posts: 8188
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:56 pm
Town: inniedorp
Vehicle: Toy
Real Name: Chris

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Post by ChrisF »

Andy I have often wondered why we dont harvest energy from the sea ....

surely we can deal with the corrosive environment .....
wigditty
Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2015 3:10 am

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Post by wigditty »

The Ocean, the wave motion to produce electricity would be a constant day or night. How could you do it and what would THAT cost?
User avatar
pietpetoors
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10649
Joined: Thu May 17, 2007 9:12 pm
Town: Langebaan
Vehicle: 2.7 Hilux 4x4 DC
Real Name: Pieter
Club VHF Licence: X27
Contact:

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Post by pietpetoors »

They already do it in more developed parts of the world.
Called "tidal turbines"

Unlike wind and the sun, the tides nether go to sleep.

You can turn a turbine with the tide coming in, and again with the tide going out.

Only on the turn of the tide will be a halting period.

Image
Tidal turbine
Tidal turbine
tidal-turbine.jpg (50.12 KiB) Viewed 4603 times
Alstrom
Alstrom
alstrom.jpg (69.66 KiB) Viewed 4603 times
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!
Image
1999 Hilux 2.7i 4x4 Raider DC with 3.4 Prado V6. Rear diff-lock, Bull Bar and rock sliders, 31" Cooper ST Maxx, Snorkel, Alu-Canopy, VHF Motorolla radio, West Coast Rust, Mikem Suspension, Ball Joint Spacers in front and Mikem extended shackles at the rear, 25watt LED Spots
Post Reply

Return to “Alternative Energy”