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What a duck can teach us


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2018 Apr 4, 3:12pm   3,034 views  9 comments

by RWSGFY   ➕follow (4)   💰tip   ignore  

What a ten-year-old duck can teach us about electricity demand

Solar power is not the panacea it appears to be


TEN years ago researchers in California began forecasting the state’s demand for electricity over the course of a day. The distinctive undulations in the data gave it a shape that caused it to be nicknamed the “duck curve”. The figures suggested that the power grid was due to face unprecedented strain. As more solar power was generated during the sunny middle of the day, the net load on the network decreased, creating the duck’s belly. As a result, that meant that the ramp-up to peak demand in the evening—the duck’s neck and beak—would be unusually steep, putting enormous pressure on a grid that was not designed for such variation.

https://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2018/03/daily-chart-18

Comments 1 - 9 of 9        Search these comments

1   RWSGFY   2018 Apr 4, 3:14pm  

Funny thing is: where I live electricity is more expensive during the "duck belly" hours than during nighttime which falls to duck head and tail. WTF?
2   Heraclitusstudent   2018 Apr 4, 3:16pm  

It just means we need batteries.
3   RWSGFY   2018 Apr 4, 4:19pm  

Heraclitusstudent says
It just means we need batteries.


Or make electricity cheaper during "belly" hours. Which is, incidentally, the "AC hours" during the summer in many places. As it stands now most of PG&E rate plans are designed to strongly discourage AC use.
4   Patrick   2018 Apr 4, 5:27pm  

It always seemed to me that since prime AC use occurs right after prime solar radiation hours, that running one's AC off of solar+batteries would be a good solution.
5   MrMagic   2018 Apr 4, 6:22pm  

Heraclitusstudent says
It just means we need batteries.


Lots and Lots of them.
6   EBGuy   2018 Apr 5, 2:32pm  

Satoshi_Nakamoto says
Or make electricity cheaper during "belly" hours.

PG&E's new TOU plans have peak rates from 4pm-9pm.
7   Booger   2018 Apr 5, 5:03pm  

Heraclitusstudent says
It just means we need batteries.


Pumped storage hydro would be better.
8   Booger   2018 Apr 5, 5:11pm  

Patrick says
It always seemed to me that since prime AC use occurs right after prime solar radiation hours, that running one's AC off of solar+batteries would be a good solution.


Or run your AC 100% of the time from 10AM - 4PM, then keep it off until 9PM. Something like that. No batteries required. Just use your whole house as a heat sink. Low tech solutions like that are more reliable.
9   RWSGFY   2018 Apr 5, 5:45pm  

EBGuy says
Satoshi_Nakamoto says
Or make electricity cheaper during "belly" hours.

PG&E's new TOU plans have peak rates from 4pm-9pm.


This is new. The one I'm currently on (E-6) has peak pricing starting 2pm - 7pm (and then partial peak till 10pm). Might be worth switching.

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