Contrary to some of the "Experts" quoted above a well designed hydro electric component can replace the weakest link of both the grid and off the grid systems.
First the Grid, there is NO storage system in the grid. Power being used on the grid has to be produced at exactly the same time somewhere on the grid. Base load is usually provided by coal burners, nukes and sometimes hydro. Peaks are covered mostly by gas and oil burners.
Off the grid you can have dandy wind and solar power producers. But the sun isn't always shining nor the wind always blowing so to have power when you need it you need storage. Batteries are often used and someday we may have good cheap batteries but I tend to doubt it will be soon. Many use the grid as a backup storage, dumping excess power onto the grid [the grid loves this unregulated problem NOT because they are forced to deal with the problem and pay Top price for the power. When the sun and winds are down the customer buys power from the grid. Sweet for the producer-customer, he gets to stick to the grid and all their customers!
In the future the storage problem might be solved by converting eclectic power to chemical power [water + electric >> 2 hydrogen +oxygen which is clean and easy to convert to electric. Storage of hydrogen is a current problem. Where the geography is right the excess power can be used to pump water to the top of a hydro system [open or closed loop] where it can produce power as quickly as opening a valve. There are a few small projects in operation around the world and I have heard claims that Niagara Falls is a major project.
First the Grid, there is NO storage system in the grid. Power being used on the grid has to be produced at exactly the same time somewhere on the grid. Base load is usually provided by coal burners, nukes and sometimes hydro. Peaks are covered mostly by gas and oil burners.
Off the grid you can have dandy wind and solar power producers. But the sun isn't always shining nor the wind always blowing so to have power when you need it you need storage. Batteries are often used and someday we may have good cheap batteries but I tend to doubt it will be soon. Many use the grid as a backup storage, dumping excess power onto the grid [the grid loves this unregulated problem NOT because they are forced to deal with the problem and pay Top price for the power. When the sun and winds are down the customer buys power from the grid. Sweet for the producer-customer, he gets to stick to the grid and all their customers!
In the future the storage problem might be solved by converting eclectic power to chemical power [water + electric >> 2 hydrogen +oxygen which is clean and easy to convert to electric. Storage of hydrogen is a current problem. Where the geography is right the excess power can be used to pump water to the top of a hydro system [open or closed loop] where it can produce power as quickly as opening a valve. There are a few small projects in operation around the world and I have heard claims that Niagara Falls is a major project.
