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Comment by uniqueuid | Hacker News Reader

52% of Germany's energy production in 2021 was from renewables [1], which are productive now, don't need decades of planning and construction, have zero costs for waste and a perfectly clear risk profile for the next centuries.

I don't see how wind and solar don't make sense.

[1] https://www.destatis.de/EN/Press/2021/09/PE21_429_43312.html

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> I don't see how wind and solar don't make sense.

Wind and solar make total sense. All we need to do is overbuild wind/solar generation + invest in energy storage capacity. This can be done relatively quickly, certainly much more quickly than building new nuclear plants.

What kind of grid scale storage can be built quickly?

hydro, but thats also something we do not built because it's not environment friendly (takes a lot of space and kills species living there and might need to move people). keep in mind we are not china they basically do everything lately to grow their energy, hydro, nuclear, wind, solar the full mix, something which would not be possible in germany, because people would go full madness, heck even wind already is something that some people do not like.

Compared to building reactors, anything is quick.

Not really, a reactor is operational in 10-20 years, while expanding lithium mining and battery production will easily take much longer. Not to mention the energy and CO2e cost of manufacturing the batteries.

In Nissan Leafs alone (450k) there is over 10GWhr of battery capacity. Grid scale batteries are just a capital problem. No breakthroughs necessary.

There is no excess battery manufacturing capacity available. It is constrained by both facilities and raw materials. Capacity will increase but at a slow rate. More capital can't solve that problem, it's like pushing on a string.

This is exactly how capital works. We can make more battery factories.

Eventually yes, but that will take many years. It won't do anything to prevent power shortages in Germany over the next 5 years or so. I don't think you understand how long it takes to ramp up production across the entire supply chain, and that allocating more capital won't significantly accelerate timelines.

> don't need decades of planning and construction

Well they aren't produced in Germany so if CoVid continues, good luck getting those solar panels.

> have zero costs for waste

Used up windmill blades are buried into the ground and we still have to find a good way to recycle batteries.

> perfectly clear risk profile

Like fucking over the neighbouring countries by using them as batteries or using Russian gas?

> 52% of Germany's energy production in 2021 was from renewables

44% in 2021 according to the graph you linked and 52% in 2020.

You're right, thanks!

Interestingly the energy consumption from renewables is at 43%, ie. considerably lower than production. I guess the difference is accounted for by the exports at peak wind/sun at the expense of other sources. Probably french nuclear plants as some other poster here noted, ie. Germany takes the cream of the top and lets others provider the expensive base load or just burns dirty lignite and coal.

[1] https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/renewables-cover-43-ger...

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