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1. bryanl+(OP)[view] [source] 2025-04-08 16:43:07
Or geographic interconnection. There hasn't been an hour in the past 30 years where there was no wind or sun somewhere in Europe.
replies(1): >>sapiog+c3
2. sapiog+c3[view] [source] 2025-04-08 17:00:55
>>bryanl+(OP)
Winter nights are long and dark everywhere in Europe, wind speeds definitely correlate somewhat, and transmission losses exist. Unless you're planning to massively overbuild wind power, you do need alternative power sources capable of satisfying almost all your power demand for shorter periods.
replies(1): >>ben_w+sU1
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3. ben_w+sU1[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-04-09 11:52:14
>>sapiog+c3
The length of winter nights in Europe vary from 14.3[0] hours to 52 days[1].

Transmission losses are subject to engineering, and can be as low as you're willing to spend money to get them — as in, if the world all suddenly (magically and unrealistically) decided to be friends, you could put a girdle around the world with only 1 Ω resistance using existing manufacturing capacity[2].

[0] https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=Tarifa+Spain+sunrise+21...

[1] https://www.finavia.fi/en/newsroom/2023/what-polar-night-exp...

[2] ~ 12 months global aluminium production, but you could do it

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