I think you meant IYHO > 1) They need to ...  :-) ?

> But at the end of the day each present significant 
> limitations in their
> ability to provide wide scale power in a variety of 
> different situations.

Yes.

> Sometimes the sun don't shine, the wind don't blow, and 
> the water don't
> flow. Use it where it's appropriate.

Yes.

> But nuclear needs to be a part of the mix.

No.

Nuclear COULD be a part of the mix.
But it doesn't have to be.
It has convenient attributes, but it's not a necessity.

The others are renewables but have peaky to very peaky 
characteristics.
Direct solar doesn't do well at night :-).
It's statistical performance by day is good enough to plan 
by.

Wind (indirect solar) is peaky and energy density is 
variable. You build it in high energy density areas first. 
Some countries (Scandinavia?) are building 'farms' offshore 
for lower eco complaints and a more constant wind pattern.

Nobody seems to have mentioned wave power here lately, or 
tidal basins.

Thought exercise. Consider the largest ocean harbour you 
know. Consider how much energy it would take to pump it down 
several metres when full in 6 hours. And how much to then 
fill it by about the same amount in the next 6 hours. Start 
getting ideas.

Wave power is a hard master - but the energies available are 
immense. Thought exercise. Hinge two VERY large barges 
together. Load them to the gunnels. Moor them in a wave line 
so they happily hinge  to and fro as waves pass by. Now 
consider how much energy it would take to make the large and 
loaded barges do the same thing in the absence of waves or 
water. Start getting ideas. (Gargoyle wave contouring raft)
[IEEE: heaving and pitching bodies, cavity resonators, wave 
focusing, pressure devices surging devices, paddles, 
outriggers.]

There are bidirectional hydro systems now that pump water 
into storage basins. The overall efficiencies are reasonable 
if not stunning.

Vanadium Redox batteries promise to allow utterly immense 
battery systems to be implemented in future. Not up to 
pumped hydro size.

A hydro scheme used as a load leveller for a wind + sun + 
hydro system can greatly extend the duration that the water 
reserve can be useful over in dry periods. And the wind and 
solar can reverse pump the solar system if so designed.

The dread hydrogen could be used as a load leveller with 
wind and sun using electrolysis and either thermal 
combustion or fuel cells. Scale probably not nice for fuel 
cells. Not yet anyway.

Ocean thermal (OTEC) has promise. It works. Probably poor 
cost effectiveness so far.

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_thermal_energy_conversion

Hawaiian land based !!!!!!!! trial OTEC

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:OTEC_in_Hawaii.jpg


Quite a few of these schemes, and various others that are 
available, could be expensive. But, until the TRUE cost of 
nuclear is used in calculations, it stops marginal ones 
being considered. Even if nuclear stations are not being 
built it acts as "dog in the manger" to other prospective 
solutions through its offer of alleged cheap, or not too too 
dear,  power. Thought exercise: Price insurance in the 
genuine free market for nuclear power generation without any 
government intervention whatsoever. Go fishing.



            Russell








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