Abstract
IN supplying electrical energy economically, it is very desirable that all the machines in use should be running as nearly as possible continuously at their full load. The overhead costs divided by the output will thus be a minimum. If the machinery were only to run for one hour per day at full load and for 23 hours per day at a tenth load, nine-tenths of the machines would be lying idle most of the time. If a cheap method of storing electrical energy could be invented, we could effect great economies by having only a few machines, all of which would run fully loaded. In an article in the Times of August 24, Mr. J. W. Meares criticises the Severn barrage scheme from this point of view. Between the ebb and flow of the tide there are periods when the turbines must necessarily be inactive, and hence the load on them would be far from being continuous. The chief item in the cost of the scheme is the dam itself. Provision would probably be made for utilising the fortnightly spring tides, and so the load would have a fortnightly fluctuation superposed on the usual twice-a-day one. Mr. Meares suggests that, without using the tides at all, a great deal of electric energy might be generated and stored at some of our steam driven stations. All that would be necessary is to use them to pump water to some elevated reservoir, one situated on a hill for example. At times of peak load this water could be used to drive turbo-electric sets, the electricity generated being transmitted to help supply the load. At first sight it appears a much cheaper method of helping the national supply than utilising the tides. In many cases also the necessary works could be completed in a fraction of the time required for the Severn barrage. It is satisfactory to remember that when the price of coal gets much dearer, we have always tidal power in reserve.
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An Alternative to the Severn Barrage. Nature 132, 344 (1933). https://doi.org/10.1038/132344a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/132344a0