intermittency

noun

in·​ter·​mit·​ten·​cy ˌin-tər-ˈmi-tən(t)-sē How to pronounce intermittency (audio)

Examples of intermittency in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But nothing compares with experiencing intermittency on a personal level. Joshua Spodek, Ars Technica, 13 Jan. 2023 So while renewables are plagued by the problem of intermittency because the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow, nuclear power remains constantly available. Kristen Walker, National Review, 5 Feb. 2024 And unlike most other clean energy sources, there’s no attendant call for battery storage or other baseload solutions that could balance out the intermittency of this new energy source across the power lines. IEEE Spectrum, 29 Nov. 2023 If implemented at scale, that level of carbon capture would give the Barry plant an emissions profile more like a geothermal plant’s and without the intermittency of wind and solar power. IEEE Spectrum, 29 May 2018 Asked about the intermittency of solar and wind, Nutting pointed out that during the Texas freeze last year most of the outages were due to natural-gas failures. Jeff McMahon, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2022 These include helping with managing the intermittency of renewables, providing heat for hard-to-decarbonize industrial processes, and even desalination or the production of hydrogen (either for direct use or for the production of synthetic fuels). John Timmer, Ars Technica, 28 Apr. 2023 Their broader point that wind and solar are still challenged by intermittency, however, is spot on. Roger Conrad, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023 While all grids must currently grapple with the issue of intermittency—when the wind doesn't blow, and the sun doesn't shine—and the use of stable power sources to underpin those fluctuation, an interconnected grid helps balance the shifting supply and demand of a renewable-heavy grid. Katherine Dunn, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intermittency.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intermittency was in 1662

Dictionary Entries Near intermittency

Cite this Entry

“Intermittency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intermittency. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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