Stuff you didn't know and probably don't care about

[KMFJD]

 

[Chaotic42]

1/3 of all the worlds solar panels and increased installation 34% last year...they figure out mass scale storage (salt?) and that will be a game changer

I have to believe that pumped hydro storage would be really possible with their terrain. I know they're building huge dams. Since they don't have nearly the same political issues with big projects that we do, it should be pretty straightforward. We really need to be able to produce our own solar power systems here.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Large scale and long term (ex: months or years) storage would be a huge game changer for renewables. Imagine if you could produce 3x what you need in summer, and store it over winter, and for cheap.

Now is probably the best time to buy solar panels, I doubt they are ever going to be cheaper. Just looking real quick you can get a pallet of 36 610w panels for just a bit over 10 grand. Still a big purchase in general though, but it's relatively cheap especially in these high inflation times where everything seems to be so expensive. That would be 21kw of panels. I don't need that much so I'd probably build a 10kw array then sell the rest.

 

[Chaotic42]

Something something tariffs.

The newer sodium battery technology will be interesting. That guy took down the video of him shooting it, but batteries will always be somewhat risky. Sodium replacing lithium will be tremendous though. Sodium is super cheap.

 

[KMFJD]

I have to believe that pumped hydro storage would be really possible with their terrain. I know they're building huge dams. Since they don't have nearly the same political issues with big projects that we do, it should be pretty straightforward. We really need to be able to produce our own solar power systems here.

they do have the worlds highest plateau, but no, i don't think thats the solution because you will screw up all of south/south east asia if you even think of trying that

i don't think all the countries with tributaries that are affected would be all that happy about this especially India/Burma/Thailand/Vietnam because you would be significantly affecting their major rivers

 

[Chaotic42]

they do have the worlds highest plateau, but no, i don't think thats the solution because you will screw up all of south/south east asia if you even think of trying that

i don't think all the countries with tributaries that are affected would be all that happy about this especially India/Burma/Thailand/Vietnam because you would be significantly affecting their major rivers

Well, you really just have to have a local dam that you build out of scratch that's relatively unconnected to major waterways. I've done some research into it, though I'm not an expert. I don't know enough about the geology of China to know if it's super feasible, but I have to imagine they have as good of a chance as anyone. China's already damming up major rivers that flow into SE Asia, so I'm sure that'll be fun for everyone.