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Solar+ storage is already cost competitive to new gas power plants, everywhere, without incentives, and it will only get better (www.volts.wtf)
submitted 3 months ago by Dippy@beehaw.org to c/climate@slrpnk.net
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Solar and batteries are already cost competitive with gas when it comes to adding new, 24 hour, firm generation. Mileage does vary by location, but many cities (globally) could get to 60-99% powered by solar + battery while being just cheaper than a new gas power plant. This is using numbers from 2024, and both of these technologies are in a cost free fall* and have been for a long time.

*tariffs not included, but they are arbitrary BS

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[-] icanbob@techhub.social 0 points 3 months ago

@Dippy It has been my contention that averages and annualized TWh totals are a problematic way to compare an intermittent supply sources on a JIT grid. My analysis of matching a fixed load to actual renewable data in real time lead me to the conclusion that there is a better way to use our cheap renewable resources than just dumping electrons onto a nat gas backed grid.

https://energyasicit.ca/EnergyVision/

[-] icanbob@techhub.social 2 points 3 months ago

@Dippy If you examine the California dataset closely you will see battery charging happening at night sometimes. At those times they are using batteries to hedge on electricity prices not to store any surplus solar power.

this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2025
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