How would you use a nuclear-wind hybrid plant and maximise its potential? When intermittent wind’s output falls, nuclear can step in to feed the grid. When it’s not doing that it can use its power to run the production of a wide range of commodities: from biofuels, hydrogen, pumped hydro to wastewater purification, desalination, chemical manufacturing and more – including straightforward thermal power for industry. In collaboration with NREL, the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) has modelled scenarios to identify the conditions under which nuclear-renewable hybrid plants can succeed. The models depend on various price scenarios including electricity, gas and carbon, as well as possible regulations applied to gas and targets for clean energy. The key is to create a tightly coupled nuclear-renewable hybrid system that allows nuclear to be truly flexible. Such hybrids will not only be good for nuclear but open up new markets for renewables like wind and improve grid stability.
Energy Post 6th Dec 2021 read more »
