inertia · batteries · trade unions
Grid physics vs. syndicates and the carp-hunting grids
10 December 2023 · First published in Capital · Original in Capital →
In brief
After the agreement with striking miners, MP Vladislav Panev asked the minister about a clause banning reserve capacity "with power electronics" – i.e. batteries. The author splits the minister's reply into correct, "slippery" and false parts, uses a tightrope-walker analogy to show rotating-mass inertia is small (≈110 kWh per 100 MW turbine) and can be replaced by fast control, and concludes the clause is lobby-driven to prolong coal plants' operation.