October 26, 2022

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERSTATE DELATIONARY PRESSURES:

Energy loss is single biggest component of today's fossil-based electricity system (Karin Kirk, 26 October 2022, Renew Economy)

Traditional electricity generation has a thermodynamics problem: Burning fuel to generate electricity creates waste heat that siphons off most of the energy. By the time electricity reaches your outlet, around two-thirds of the original energy has been lost in the process.

This is true only for "thermal generation" of electricity, which includes coal, gas, and nuclear power. Renewables like wind, solar, and hydroelectricity don't need to convert heat into motion, so they don't lose energy.

The problem of major energy losses also bedevils internal combustion engines. In a gasoline-powered vehicle, around 80% of the energy in the gas tank never reaches the wheels.

Posted by at October 26, 2022 12:00 AM

  

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