Nucular Energy: Thoughts, Emerging Trends, Fears

[retina]

I think the main problem with tiny reactors is not safety or serviceability or other practical things, it is with the current huge energy producers that will create FUD and fight against such things due to their own FUD of losing their monopolies. Commoditising the energy supply would kill them. Then how would the politicians get their "donations"?

[retina]

Originally Posted by xilman

In a gravitational field.

Originally Posted by xilman

In molten salt.
...
Why not use both components where water is a useful commodity, storing any excess energy in a cheap phase-change material?

What are the space and geological requirements? They are only good in certain areas. If you are not so blessed to have large bodies of salty water nearby, or mountains to raise rocks up, then what?

[Uncwilly]

Originally Posted by retina

What are the space and geological requirements? They are only good in certain areas. If you are not so blessed to have large bodies of salty water nearby, or mountains to raise rocks up, then what?

https://balkangreenenergynews.com/en...ks-and-cranes/
https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/...o-new-heights/

[kriesel]

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

https://balkangreenenergynews.com/en...ks-and-cranes/
https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/...o-new-heights/

Given the energy cost of Portland cement, it would be good to use a lot of large aggregate (boulders) in the concrete blocks to make the Portland cement requirements low.
https://www.concretealberta.ca/the-p...ortland-cement

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by xilman

In a gravitational field. Raise and lower an appropriate tonnage of rock.

Or fluids. And/or temperatures. And/or states. Lithium bromide always had a particular interest to me.

There is COTS kit available that can store energy based on the exact same technology as automated warehouses.

TL;DR: Storage is not actually all that difficult. Even at scale.

[Uncwilly]

Originally Posted by chalsall

There is COTS kit available that can store energy based on the exact same technology as automated warehouses.

Did you click on my most recent links?

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

Did you click on my most recent links?

No disrespect intended, but there was no need. This is known art.

[Uncwilly]

Originally Posted by chalsall

No disrespect intended, but there was no need. This is known art.

So I posted something and then you said it exists. If something is referenced recently in this same thread, there generally is not needed to repeat it. Please keep abreast of the conversation before injecting unneeded posts, duplicate signal is noise.

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

...duplicate signal is noise.

I sit corrected. Apologies.

[xilman]

Originally Posted by retina

If you are not so blessed to have large bodies of salty water nearby, or mountains to raise rocks up, then what?

Transmission lines?

[retina]

Originally Posted by xilman

Transmission lines?

Then you get immediately back to the grid structure, and the monopolistic practices.

I would like to know why chalsall thinks that "Storage is not actually all that difficult. Even at scale."? If it is so easy why don't people do it now, and why is the expensive and dangerous gigafactory a thing?