this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2024
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Power grids would mean long distance power transmission, so AC has an advantage. If the point of consumption is near the point of PV generation, DC can and is already being used.
I know factories with solar panels on their rooftops to cut down power bills and instead of converting to high voltage AC, a custom-built DC power system is used.
How does AC have an advantage in long-distance transmission? Arguably they can be more efficient.
Sorry I wasn't being clear. AC is used for connecting within areas of densely populated cities, e.g. British National Grid. If we are talking about really long distances (> hundreds of kilometers), HVDC is indeed preferred.
I was talking about a trend of some factories replacing AC from power grids (possibility generated in nearby cities) with DC from solar panels on their rooftops. So it's a long distance compared to that.
I don’t disagree that it is used, I just don’t think it really has an advantage in the modern day. However switching would be extremely difficult so the historically dominant AC continues.