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Krunch007 t1_ixvb31e wrote

I know, I only got my bachelor's in EE and never went into the field, so I'll be the first to admit I'm not quite up to date on distribution technology. Was just offering some perspective on why generating electricity via motors is still so widely used for now.

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Soviet_Canukistan t1_ixvosb4 wrote

Fair enough. I'm just a Technologist 3yr diploma. But I worked in technical support for an inverter manufacturer, among other various electrical QA type work. There's no doubt you are right, it's just that it's really hard to underestimate the advances in inverter technology. Ultimately rotating machines require maintenance that solid state devices do not. Sure inverters need replacing and optocouplers fail, IGBTs fail, etc. It comes down to rotating machines being bigger and needing more care and lubrication etc. Eventually the computerized electrical power is cheaper to distribute (distributed generation) and maintain.

That said, if you have cheap fuel, or enhanced geothermal, turbines are king. Even some exotic concentrated solar, molten salt storage with steam turbines makes sense,. But I can put 10 kW of solar PV on a building and basically set and forget. Not possible with turbines, everything has its place.

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