In article
..com, harry scribeth thus
On Nov 2, 9:12*am, "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
On Wed, 2 Nov 2011 01:36:30 -0700 (PDT), harry wrote:
Small PV arrays reduce the size needed on th grid as electricity is
produced locally.

So when the sun sets (or is clouded out) you sit in the dark? Don't
watch telly or use any other electrical appliance?

I think that power generators will take into account sunlight
intensity and national cloud patterns to predict needs.

Not with the total installed capacity of less than 1% of demand. ISTR
they work with a 20% margin of spinning reserve. So if a nuke station
and a big coal fired station fall off line at the same time (say
3,400,000 kW) the grid struggles but doesn't collapse.

They already look at weather forecasts.

Mostly for the temperature, if it gets cold the demand for space
heating shoots up.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Solar PV can be only part of the plan. We need all these renewables,
tidal, wave, geothermal etc.
But with PV, everyone can participate.

Go on then give us some realistic figures!...


Also if my PV packs in, it is not a national disaster as it would be
if a major primary substation/power station had problems.

Umm .. when did that happen last with serious consequences?..
--
Tony Sayer