Time for a quick cuppa? When the final whistle blows, demand for electricity usually soars, causing a headache for energy companies.
Researchers at the University of Leeds and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have now found a way to manage these short-lived draws on the electricity grid far that could halve the fuel needed. The amount of electricity drawn from the national grid varies enormously at different times of day. It usually peaks in the early evening for a couple of hours after the mass exodus from school and work. Short-lived spikes are also common after major televised sporting events, during commercial breaks and in the morning hours. But matching the highs and lows in demand with a steady supply is a major challenge. Energy companies typically top up a 'base' supply of energy with electricity from power plants that are just switched on to cope with the peaks. However, the gas-fired generators often used to feed these peaks are notoriously inefficient, expensive to run and sit idle for long periods of time.
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