some wiki info re pumped storage:
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity
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The topic of electrical power generation has lots of things to consider
The biggest problem is there is no viable technology
for storage of electricity.
Base load vs. peak load is just one of the interesting topics.
The base load on a grid is mostly maintained by steam generating plants
(all of the nuclear plants and most of the fossil fuel plants
that take several days to come up to efficient operating conditions).
The peak loads on that grid must be provided for by some other type of plant
because the demands are variable and instantaneous
(typically these are natural gas turbines, but ‘pumped storage’
and once-through hydro plants, although both are small contributors,
also fit into this niche).
So in this line of thinking, we have to consider
where do things like wind and solar fit into this mix?
Sure they can contribute to satisfy the overall demand,
but their output is unreliable either for handling the base load or the peak load
so some other generating capacity has to maintained on constant standby
to handle the demand during the windless periods and the sunless periods.
Very good post completely devoid of misinformation or prejudice.