The UK uses 340 TWh of electricity each year.
Can this ever be supplied by 100% wind and solar power with battery
backup?
Because we generally deplore landscape scenic desecration, a 'reasonable' scenario might be:
30% onshore wind-43,120 MW installed capacity (currently - 12,851
MW)
60% offshore wind - 60,800 MW installed capacity (currently - 7,899
MW)
10% solar - 37,800 MW installed capacity (currently - 13,060
MW)
Taking a random 5 days at the end of February 2019, when the wind 'disappeared' but was compensated for by some decent levels of solar power, this is the metered data:
12,851 MW of onshore wind generated 974 MW; 43,120 MW would generate
3,268 MW
7,899 MW of offshore wind generated 864 MW; 60,800 MW would generate
6,650 MW
13,060 MW of solar generated 1425 MW; 37,800 MW would generate 4,124 MW
Shortfall from 100% wind and solar = 33,197 - 3,268 - 6,650 - 4,124 =
19,155 MW
Over the 120 hour period, battery backup required = 19,155 x 120 =
2,298,600 MWh
"...[T]he Australian
government announced that it would invest $25m (£13.5m) .... to fund
large-scale grid-connected batteries, together providing....some 80MWh of
energy storage...": Equivalent to £168,750/MWh.
Cost of batteries to generate 2,298,600 MWh @
£168,750/MWh = £388 billion.
CCGT backup to supply 2,298,600 MWh would be £14
billion
But batteries only last 10 years. To generate for
the 30 year lifespan of CCGTs would cost: £1,164 billion.
Battery backup costs 83X more than CCGT backup!
RENEWABLES TECHNOLOGIES WILL FOREVER REQUIRE FOSSIL-FUELLED CCGT BACKUP!






