this post was submitted on 30 Nov 2025
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Every damn power plant is a glorified steam engine
Except solar. And wind. And hydro.
Some solar is also boiling water
And some of it is boiling salt!
Which then boils water, of course.
But some of it is electrons from photonic impact, no water involved! In the process of energy generation anyway. Statistically and perhaps somewhat ironically, the electrons from that photonic impact may well be used to boil water regardless... Humans just fucking love boiling water.
My local solar steam generator was shut down years ago as it was no longer worth testing direct reflector material anymore — even if they had gotten perfect reflectivity they couldn't compete with photovoltaics anymore
Expect for solar, it's all just flowy stuff through spinny stuff: wind, water, steam. GRAAAAAAAAAA
Solar is very tiny flowy stuff through very tiny spinny stuff
Good ol' mill.
Spinny stuff is basically the universe on all scales, so it makes sense. And that's fucking cool, IMO.
wind is just the effects of premade steam
and fuel cells
And waves/tidal, but now we're getting into the really niche types.
Isnt hydro in a small part powered by steam just post condensation steam.
I do enjoy a nice glass of post condensation steam on occasion
I dunno if "power plant" quite fits for solar and wind. Definitely for Hydro, though.
"Power Plant" won't be a fitting term until we can generate electricity (at a viable scale) from chloroplasts.
And wouldn't that just be solar with extra steps?
Hydro also uses steam
In liquid form?
It's still the same turbine shit
It’s all turbines, but quite dissimilar turbines.