I think its all matters about how efficient we can generate electricity. We can have higher efficiency of the plants by having local storage of electricity in off peak hours through the use of battery, fuel cells, and in the future massive flywheels which is promising because of its high specific energy using composite made from carbon nanotubes. (Personally, I like the idea of flywheel because of its extreme round trip efficiency and its small size compared to other solutions) If we can generate electricity more efficiently, then we can reduce the C02 more, and furthermore save $$ which will go instead to building power plants which only serves the need of peak demand.
For example, by installing those energy storage system, it is possible that one can buy electricity through the grid in off peak hour when the price is cheap. And release the energy when u will need that energy during peak rate. Not only that will save money for the customers, the electric companies will need less money to build those high capacity power lines tailored for peak demand, and the generators can be run more smoothly for the whole day, instead of switching them off in off peak hours. I think this a much more short term solution which can have immediate beneficial result.
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I think its all matters about how efficient we can generate electricity. We can have higher efficiency of the plants by having local storage of electricity in off peak hours through the use of battery, fuel cells, and in the future massive flywheels which is promising because of its high specific energy using composite made from carbon nanotubes. (Personally, I like the idea of flywheel because of its extreme round trip efficiency and its small size compared to other solutions) If we can generate electricity more efficiently, then we can reduce the C02 more, and furthermore save $$ which will go instead to building power plants which only serves the need of peak demand. For example, by installing those energy storage system, it is possible that one can buy electricity through the grid in off peak hour when the price is cheap. And release the energy when u will need that energy during peak rate. Not only that will save money for the customers, the electric companies will need less money to build those high capacity power lines tailored for peak demand, and the generators can be run more smoothly for the whole day, instead of switching them off in off peak hours. I think this a much more short term solution which can have immediate beneficial result.