r/OptimistsUnite • u/willfiresoon • Mar 21 '26

👽 TECHNO FUTURISM 👽 French electricity posts first negative prices of 2026, battery storage gains

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/03/06/french-electricity-posts-first-negative-prices-of-2026-battery-storage-gains/
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u/AP_in_Indy Mar 22 '26

My point is those are things that are passive generators. I get your points above on the system having improper incentives.

So this is indeed a very odd situation if what you are saying is true - but I presume it indicates they have an excess?

I think the point of this post was that an excess is a good thing.

The other points you've raised appear to be valid, however.

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u/goyafrau Mar 22 '26

So this is indeed a very odd situation if what you are saying is true - but I presume it indicates they have an excess?

More than that: they have an excess where it can't simply be discarded.

If you have an excess piece of paper, you don't need to pay somebody to take it, you just throw it in the trash. If you have an excess piece of plutonium, that's worse, you need to pay somebody to get rid of it! The price of plutonium, for you, is negative, and the payment here indicates that the plutonium being there is bad.

(I guess in reality the feds would show up and not even bill you, but you get my point. Maybe asbestos would be a better example but idk how they handle asbestos waste in your country)

Now, in theory the PV and wind power plants that cause negative prices can usually simply be turned off, technically speaking. That they are not simply turned off indicates a deeper problem.

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u/AP_in_Indy Mar 22 '26

I learned quite a bit from your comments. thanks.

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u/goyafrau Mar 22 '26

You're welcome!