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produire en continu

English translation: continuously-generated

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:produit(es) en continu
English translation:continuously-generated
Entered by: Tony M

12:59 Nov 3, 2008
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Energy / Power Generation / fossil fuels vs. wind energy
French term or phrase: produire en continu
Hi – might have a few on this one today. I've got a document pushing the benefits of wind energy compared to coal and nuclear energies.

The context is that current energy use (which is high) favours existing technologies or sources of energy: "la priorité est donnée à des énergies produites en continu".

I would be happy to go with something like 'energies currently in production' or 'energies produced on an ongoing basis' etc., but I was wondering if the phrase refers more to the specific energies being discussed – i.e. non-renewable energies?

Maybe I'm just making it hard on myself and the simpler solution is best!
Nora Mahony
Ireland
Local time: 06:21
continuously-generated
Explanation:
I think you might be slightly missing the point here.

One problem with 'traditional' generation methods is that they are inefficient to keep stopping and starting (cf. coal-fired boiler or nuclear reactor!) — it is better to keep generating continuously. Hence we have evolved ways of using energy that enable producers to sell this otherwise 'waste' capacity to consumers, in the form of, for example, cheap off-peak night tariffs.

I've read a story, don't know if it's actually true, that Westinghouse (I think it was) in the US originally started generating power for industrial use, but found they had redundant capacity outside working hours, so they hit upon the 'novel' idea of selling 'spare' electricity to the public for lighting their homes etc.

All this is of course very wasteful of natural resources, inasmuch as it would be better to only generate just as much electricity as is actually needed at any given moment (instead of looking for uses to absorb superfluous production); or, in the case of fickle power sources like solar or wind, better still to only use power when it is freely available — hence the long-standing quest for a satisfactory way of 'storing' electricity!
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 07:21
Grading comment
With thanks!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1continuously-generated
Tony M
3 +1always available
Bashiqa


  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
continuously-generated


Explanation:
I think you might be slightly missing the point here.

One problem with 'traditional' generation methods is that they are inefficient to keep stopping and starting (cf. coal-fired boiler or nuclear reactor!) — it is better to keep generating continuously. Hence we have evolved ways of using energy that enable producers to sell this otherwise 'waste' capacity to consumers, in the form of, for example, cheap off-peak night tariffs.

I've read a story, don't know if it's actually true, that Westinghouse (I think it was) in the US originally started generating power for industrial use, but found they had redundant capacity outside working hours, so they hit upon the 'novel' idea of selling 'spare' electricity to the public for lighting their homes etc.

All this is of course very wasteful of natural resources, inasmuch as it would be better to only generate just as much electricity as is actually needed at any given moment (instead of looking for uses to absorb superfluous production); or, in the case of fickle power sources like solar or wind, better still to only use power when it is freely available — hence the long-standing quest for a satisfactory way of 'storing' electricity!

Tony M
France
Local time: 07:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 338
Grading comment
With thanks!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for this – I suspected that it was more of a qualitative description than it first appeared, but without the insider knowledge, it's hard to know what qualities we're talking about.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rimas Balsys
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Rimas!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
always available


Explanation:
As an alternative to Tony's. The drawback to solar or wind is that they are not "always available".

Bashiqa
France
Local time: 07:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 23

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: Yes, though I think the use of 'produire' rather tends to place the emphasis on the generation aspect.
12 mins
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