Lacking energy storage, and nuclear contribution, wind, and solar photovoltaic electricity is expensive and scarce

Abstract

Prices of electricity have skyrocketed phased with the uptake of non-dispatchable wind and solar photovoltaic energy supply, and the closure of combustion fuel plants able to produce electricity on demand. At the same time, blackouts have become more likely, with governments requesting citizens not to use electricity when they need to prevent their occurrence. If we were expecting cheap and abundant renewable energy, it seems something is not right. There are, however, solutions. These are the adoption of other energy sources, not only non-dispatchable wind and solar, but also dispatchable hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass renewable energy, and baseload nuclear energy, plus the development of energy storage, by batteries, pumped hydro, thermal energy storage, and more than that, by hydrogen, to generate enough dispatchable energy to cover the requirements of a growing world.