‘Energy independent’ Uruguay runs on 100% renewables for four straight months - eviltoast

“with wind the single-biggest contributor… Power production costs have declined “by almost half” … And the clean energy sector has created 50,000 new jobs… Ask me what was the impact on the electricity sector in Uruguay after this tragic war in Europe — zero.”

  • AA5B@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    We really need to think of biomass as batteries. In both cases, it’s tough to scale up enough for full coverage but we know how to store biodiesel or ethanol, it’s very energy dense. Scattering a bunch of diesel generators with big biodiesel tanks might be a better answer than batteries for when the wind doesn’t blow

    It also ensures a market and distribution industry for farming and construction vehicles where batteries may not work

    • Boomkop3@reddthat.com
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      1 year ago

      It takes a decade and quite a bit of space to make a tree (for example), it’s technically renewable but the fuel production is very slow. I’m curious how they’re planning to keep that up

      • Churbleyimyam@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Other things grow faster and take up less space than trees. For example most biofuel is made from maize and sugarcane.

        • Boomkop3@reddthat.com
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          1 year ago

          eyy thank you! That makes sense! You seem to be the only one to actually try to answer my question :/

          I know where to look further! thank you!

          • Churbleyimyam@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            No problem :) It was interesting to read a bit more about it. I reckon hemp would be the ultimate one though - super fast growing, will grow in most climates and really versatile for making fibers.

        • Boomkop3@reddthat.com
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          1 year ago

          Yea, that’s the issue. For something to be sustainable, you need to replenish the fuel source. Biomass can be, but you need a lot of it, but we also need it for food

      • Churbleyimyam@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        By that logic you could also not call the flat thing inside a phone a battery because it can’t feed back into the grid.

        • Boomkop3@reddthat.com
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          1 year ago

          Other way round, you can take biomass and turn it into electricity easily. But you cant easily turn electricity into biomass. (it is easy on a phone to go both ways tho, google “USB c OTG adapter”)

      • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        You burn it, and it generates electricity in a thermal plant. Or you can use it directly to heat a boiler to heat buildings.