Working in the Energy industry has put a whole different spin on days over 40'C for me ;)

[dug777]

To be honest, I suspect my life would be living hell if the grid did fall over, but the concept is intriguing...

The real killers are three or more days over 40'C in a row during the week, come between 3-4pm you can practically smell the diesel and burning c-notes as they crank every peaking GT in the state flat out

Summer's on its way

 

[Homerboy]

whats this "C" you refer to? Not to mention its Fall not Spring. Go back to Russia.

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
whats this "C" you refer to? Not to mention its Fall not Spring. Go back to Russia.

I think its a bra size. And just the right one IMO.

 

[Exterous]

So between 3pm and 4pm we can expect women with a cup size of 40C to cause power problems?

 

[Mark R]

They don't have coal down under, so they run their power stations on $100 bills. Apparently, they burn cleaner than $1s.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: Mark R
They don't have coal down under, so they run their power stations on $100 bills. Apparently, they burn cleaner than $1s.

We have plenty of coal (baseload), but no $1 notes

Neither make for ideal peaking plant, however

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Mark R
They don't have coal down under, so they run their power stations on $100 bills. Apparently, they burn cleaner than $1s.

We have plenty of coal (baseload), but no $1 notes

Neither make for ideal peaking plant, however

So what you're saying is your inferior Aussie engineering didnt make very good power plants?

 

[alien42]

we need an aussie to english translator just for dug777

 

[Homerboy]

Next thing he'll tell us is his toilets flush backwards. What kind of magic fairy land is Australia? Mythical animals like the Koala, Kangaroo and unicorns... Pfft. Everything sounds made up to me.

 

[K1052]

Jesus, burning up diesel in your gas turbines.

Sound like its time to invest in a couple coal gasification plants.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: K1052
Jesus, burning up diesel in your gas turbines.

Sound like its time to invest in a couple coal gasification plants.

Our very peak capacity is diesel in GTs, because, as i understand it, it isn't economical to provide gas capacity for these absolute peaks...

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: Specop 007

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Mark R
They don't have coal down under, so they run their power stations on $100 bills. Apparently, they burn cleaner than $1s.

We have plenty of coal (baseload), but no $1 notes

Neither make for ideal peaking plant, however

So what you're saying is your inferior Aussie engineering didnt make very good power plants?

I'm not aware that anyone uses coal for peaking plant...

 

[nageov3t]

I thought australia was powered on vegemite and pure bad-assness.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: K1052
Jesus, burning up diesel in your gas turbines.

Sound like its time to invest in a couple coal gasification plants.

Our very peak capacity is diesel in GTs, because, as i understand it, it isn't economical to provide gas capacity for these absolute peaks...

I suppose I could understand that, though when a multi-week heat wave hits and the fuel bills start rolling in I'll bet it looks a little more cost effective long term...

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: K1052
Jesus, burning up diesel in your gas turbines.

Sound like its time to invest in a couple coal gasification plants.

Our very peak capacity is diesel in GTs, because, as i understand it, it isn't economical to provide gas capacity for these absolute peaks...

I suppose I could understand that, though when a multi-week heat wave hits and the fuel bills start rolling in I'll bet it looks a little more cost effective long term...

Maybe...savagely expensive to provide for either way

Our gas market is a bit tight too atm, which doesn't help that kind of planning...

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: K1052
Jesus, burning up diesel in your gas turbines.

Sound like its time to invest in a couple coal gasification plants.

Our very peak capacity is diesel in GTs, because, as i understand it, it isn't economical to provide gas capacity for these absolute peaks...

I suppose I could understand that, though when a multi-week heat wave hits and the fuel bills start rolling in I'll bet it looks a little more cost effective long term...

Maybe...savagely expensive to provide for either way

Our gas market is a bit tight too atm, which doesn't help that kind of planning...

Which is why I said coal gasification

With our substantial coal reserves here in the US many companies are looking at better ways to get the most out of it. The newer Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle plants are pretty interesting. At periods of low demand you could still operate the gasifier train at normal levels and store up the excess syngas for the peaker turbines.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: K1052
Jesus, burning up diesel in your gas turbines.

Sound like its time to invest in a couple coal gasification plants.

Our very peak capacity is diesel in GTs, because, as i understand it, it isn't economical to provide gas capacity for these absolute peaks...

I suppose I could understand that, though when a multi-week heat wave hits and the fuel bills start rolling in I'll bet it looks a little more cost effective long term...

Maybe...savagely expensive to provide for either way

Our gas market is a bit tight too atm, which doesn't help that kind of planning...

Which is why I said coal gasification

With our substantial coal reserves here in the US many companies are looking at better ways to get the most out of it. The newer Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle plants are pretty interesting. At periods of low demand you could still operate the gasifier train at normal levels and store up the excess syngas for the peaker turbines.

From my current understanding of the process, I understand it's still very expensive.

It's not that we don't have gas, it's just we've hit a bit of a bottleneck domestically as prices adjust and the producers respond accordingly, but even with that out of the way, it will likely never make sense to provide gas coverage of those few hours a year absolute peak.

EDIT: An interesting one they have been floating here is the Hydrogen Energy proposal, along the lines you mention:

http://www.hydrogenenergy.com/

 

[LanEvoVI]

Actually here in NYC a lot of the peaking plants (like the one I work at) still burn diesel/kerosene in their GTs. It's probably still pretty common around various other areas of the US as well.

 

[Auric]

You blokes need to harness all that idle marsupial power. I am envisoning spring-loaded treadmill generators with vegemite slathered carrots hanging in front as incentive.