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The future of energy (if any)

...on serious topics that don't fit anywhere else at present.
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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#81 Post by Alan H » April 13th, 2016, 10:45 am

Latest post of the previous page:

Why it's time to dispel the myths about nuclear powe
Thirty years has passed since events in Chernobyl, while Japan marks the fifth anniversary of the Fukushima disaster. We need more than ever to have a reasoned discussion on the issues
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Tetenterre
Posts: 3244
Joined: March 13th, 2011, 11:36 am

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#82 Post by Tetenterre » April 13th, 2016, 2:43 pm

Ah yes. The Fukushima disaster. Where the radiation levels in most of the the evacuation zones (it was higher in the plant itself) nearly reached the average (mostly from radon in granite) over the whole of Cornwall - about 8 mSv/yr (Some Cornish hotspots get more than double that).
Steve

Quantum Theory: The branch of science with which people who know absolutely sod all about quantum theory can explain anything.

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#83 Post by Alan H » May 16th, 2016, 2:32 pm

World's largest floating windfarm to be built off Scottish coast
The world’s largest floating windfarm is set to be built off the coast of Scotland after its developers were granted a seabed lease on Monday.

Statoil, the Norwegian energy company, expects to have five 6MW turbines bobbing in the North Sea and generating electricity by the end of 2017. The company has already operated a single turbine off Norway.

The Hywind turbine is one of the frontrunners in a global race to develop flotillas of floating wind turbines that can conquer the deep oceans and reap the strongest winds on the planet. Existing offshore wind turbines, standing on concrete and steel foundations driven into the ocean floor, flounder on heavy costs when depths are greater than about 40 metres.

More than 40 projects around the world are in various stages of development. Most are inspired by rugged oil and gas rigs that have weathered storms for decades. Offshore windfarms also largely avoid the difficulties caused by the visual impact of windfarms on land.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#84 Post by Alan H » August 11th, 2016, 10:14 am

Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#85 Post by Alan H » August 11th, 2016, 10:33 am

Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#86 Post by Alan H » August 11th, 2016, 10:36 am

Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

User avatar
Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#87 Post by Alan H » September 15th, 2016, 1:47 pm

Nationalising 'our' new nuclear power stations: It’s absurd that Hinkley is going ahead while cheaper, cleaner options are blocked
t’s finally happened. After weeks of speculation, and despite a hastily called review by Theresa May, the government has given a green light to the most expensive white elephant of a project in British history.

The nuclear power station proposed at Hinkley Point is no ordinary piece of infrastructure. Indeed, according to Greenpeace it will be the most costly object ever built on Earth. A large chunk of the funds for the construction will come from China as part of a deal that will see it lead on the development of another reactor in Bradwell, Essex.

EDF, an energy company owned by the French state, will stump up the rest of the construction costs. Just months after people in this country voted to “take back control”, ministers want to place a big chunk of our energy system in the hands of foreign governments.

The amount of cash for this project that is set to be provided by UK taxpayers is eye-watering. The National Audit Office produced a detailed report in July on the viability of nuclear power in the UK, significantly revising its estimates of the “contract for difference” subsidies, up from £6.1bn to £29.7bn. Essentially, UK bill payers and businesses are underwriting the whole project through a promise of unjustifiably high payments for every unit of electricity produced.

This is a terrible deal that has been slammed by economists and environmentalists alike for locking us into paying twice the current wholesale electricity price for 35 years.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#88 Post by Alan H » October 10th, 2016, 5:26 pm

The UK government has put the energy market on warning. Here’s why.
The UK’s new government has not been shy in calling out broken markets. Theresa May herself has talked repeatedly about markets that aren’t serving consumers, returning to the energy market time and again as an example.

The PM’s speech to Conservative conference was no exception, noting the number of people on expensive energy tariffs. And the message was backed up loud and clear by business minister Greg Clark, who said, no doubt choosing his words carefully, the government now has a duty to act.

Why is the energy market coming in for such criticism? And are ministers right that this is an area where a bolder approach could help?

The answer is yes on both counts. It’s now hard to deny that Britain’s energy market is broken in some basic respects. And it looks like action might be needed to put that right.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#89 Post by Alan H » October 17th, 2016, 9:55 am

An excellent analysis of the problems with the broken energy 'markets' and the Competitions and Mergers Authority's pathetic attempts at regulating them: How do you solve a problem like overpriced energy bills
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

User avatar
Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#90 Post by Alan H » April 21st, 2017, 6:33 pm

Britain set for first coal-free day since Industrial Revolution
The UK is set to have its first ever working day without coal power generation since the Industrial Revolution, according to the National Grid.

The control room tweeted the predicted milestone on Friday, adding that it is also set to be the first 24-hour coal-free period in Britain.

The UK has had shorter coal-free periods in 2016, as gas and renewables such as wind and solar play an increasing role in the power mix. The longest continuous period until now was 19 hours – first achieved on a weekend last May, and matched on Thursday.

A National Grid spokesman said the record low is a sign of things to come, with coal-free days becoming increasingly common as the polluting fuel is phased out.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#91 Post by Alan H » August 1st, 2017, 10:52 am

Centrica increases electricity prices 12.5%
British Gas owner blames government policies for rise that will hit 3.1m customers
Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, insisted it had been making a loss on the supply of electricity to UK homes for more than a year as it announced a 12.5 per cent price increase for 3.1m domestic customers from the middle of next month.

It blamed the rising costs of government energy policies, such as subsidies to support wind farms and solar projects, for the electricity price increase for customers on its standard tariff — the most common rate. These costs, plus network charges, had increased 16 per cent since 2014, the company said.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

stevenw888
Posts: 694
Joined: July 16th, 2010, 12:48 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#92 Post by stevenw888 » August 2nd, 2017, 4:04 pm

This price increase needs to be taken in context. British Gas are merely putting up prices 5 months after other members of the big six put their prices up, in April 2017. At the time British Gas said it would delay a decision until August. According to a BBC report, even after the 12.5% increase, it is still the cheapest of the big six operators.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40787555
"There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots." - From the film "Top Gun"

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Alan H
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Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#93 Post by Alan H » August 2nd, 2017, 4:30 pm

stevenw888 wrote:This price increase needs to be taken in context. British Gas are merely putting up prices 5 months after other members of the big six put their prices up, in April 2017. At the time British Gas said it would delay a decision until August. According to a BBC report, even after the 12.5% increase, it is still the cheapest of the big six operators.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40787555
Indeed. But still nearly £300 pa dearer than some others for an average household.

Apparently, the Government is 'concerned' about the price hike but we're still waiting for the price cap they promised.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

User avatar
Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#94 Post by Alan H » March 30th, 2018, 6:53 pm

Wind and solar overtake nuclear as source of UK electricity for first time ever
More UK electricity was produced by wind and solar sources last year than by nuclear power stations, for the first time according to the latest government figures.

Renewables’ share of electricity generation shot up to 29 per cent, while nuclear sources accounted for around 21 per cent.

The increase means low carbon energy sources – which include both renewables and nuclear – now account for over half of all electricity generated.

Wind had a particularly good year, giving weight to renewable energy leaders who are calling on the government to end its ban on wind-power subsidies.

“These official figures confirm that it’s been another record-breaking year for wind energy, which generated 15 per cent of the UK’s electricity in 2017,” said Emma Pinchbeck, executive director of trade body RenewableUK.

“The move to a smart, renewables-led energy system is well underway.”

The figures published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy showed renewable energy generation was up nearly a fifth due to increased capacity and higher wind speeds.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

User avatar
Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#95 Post by Alan H » April 26th, 2018, 10:12 am

China Installs Nearly 10 Gigawatts Of Solar In First Quarter, Up 22%
China installed a total of 9.65 GW worth of new solar PV capacity in the first quarter, made up of 1.97 GW worth of utility-scale solar capacity, and 7.68 GW worth of distributed solar capacity.
Hinkley C will generate just 3.2 GW when it starts up - in seven to ten years time.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

User avatar
Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The future of energy (if any)

#96 Post by Alan H » April 28th, 2018, 1:09 pm

This visit to Chernobyl and the nearby abandoned town of Pripyat is fascinating:

Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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