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Comment by tpkj | Hacker News Reader

Another factor to consider with nuclear is how it perpetuates complete dependence upon the grid, a single point of failure model. Perspective articulated here by Sunnova CEO John Berger.

https://youtu.be/6Dx0U2y-YgU?t=2922

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Nuclear doesn’t perpetuate complete dependence, because it has never been intended to be the sole provider of energy to its customers. Even the most ardent nuclear cheerleaders pose it as a single component in an energy mix.

Example with how the French grid handled a little added demand lately: https://translate.google.fr/translate?sl=fr&tl=en&u=https%3A...

Dams used as batteries charged by pumping water.

"...a single component in an energy mix". And that mix relies on the grid? With nuclear or other centralized power source, yes.

From your link, solar doesn't rely on the grid, and in fact it acts independently of it on some islands.

For the network effects and efficencies, solar absolutly needs a grid. If not a grid, you need local storage, another inefficiency.

IIRC there was some article linked to on hn some time ago where it was explained that most rooftop solar installations actually don't work at all without a grid. If the grid goes down, so does the solar. It's of course technically possible to fix, but costs more.

The article you're thinking of was probably this one: https://syonyk.blogspot.com/2018/05/why-typical-home-solar-s...

Yes, exactly! I briefly tried to search for it, but failed. Thanks for digging it up!

I think that is about to change in the near future.

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2018/08/20/enphase-going-einstei...

https://enphase.com/en-us/ensemble

"As utilities fight distributed generation, electricity is getting less reliable"

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2019/01/03/as-utilities-fight-di...

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