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Six massive shifts in global power markets

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:20 am
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?

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:38 am
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.

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:41 am
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). ;-)

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 6:58 pm
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.

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 7:14 pm
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)

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 2:15 am
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:

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 5:26 am
by ChrisF
Andy I have often wondered why we dont harvest energy from the sea ....

surely we can deal with the corrosive environment .....

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:58 am
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?

Re: Six massive shifts in global power markets

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:33 am
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.

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Tidal turbine
Tidal turbine
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Alstrom
Alstrom
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