Electricity generation. The pros and the cons.

[Jocko]

madness

What would be your solution? Label gas as Green like the EU wants to do?

[culzean]

madness

What would be your solution? Label gas as Green like the EU wants to do?

Absolutely,  of course other colours are available...

[madasafish]

madness

What would be your solution? Label gas as Green like the EU wants to do?

IF the Government's timetable is sacrosanct and it wants to stop using natural gas, it needs largescale hydrogen generation which is economical. It needs to have Largescale production planned and in build now so it can develop it to make it economical and attach it to a large LARGE supply of green electricity.

As there is no such plant planned, the other alternative - apart from using Natural gas - is to let us all freeze on cold winter nights.

I would remind anyone who says Rolls Royce nuclear, the first plant will not be operational until 2040. And if conventional nuclear the lead times from start to output are a MINIMUM of 10 years - and often longer.

Large scale electrical storage through water takes 10 years plus. There are no such plans.
Battery technology does not exist for the loads required.

We will freeze  ("we" excluding politicians of course)

[John Ratsey]

Large scale electrical storage through water takes 10 years plus. There are no such plans.

However, plans exist for schemes which would substantially increase the current pumped storage capacity and some have planning consent. However, they are waiting for the commercial aspects to look attractive https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-57510870.

[madasafish]

Large scale electrical storage through water takes 10 years plus. There are no such plans.

However, plans exist for schemes which would substantially increase the current pumped storage capacity and some have planning consent. However, they are waiting for the commercial aspects to look attractive https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-57510870.

Which proves my point: the Government are not serious AND not competent in this area.

(although "in this area" may be superfluous  :'( )

[JimSh]

Large scale electrical storage through water takes 10 years plus. There are no such plans.

However, plans exist for schemes which would substantially increase the current pumped storage capacity and some have planning consent. However, they are waiting for the commercial aspects to look attractive https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-57510870.

Also expansion of Cruachan scheme
https://www.cruachanexpansion.com/project/

[JimSh]

Large scale electrical storage through water takes 10 years plus. There are no such plans.

However, plans exist for schemes which would substantially increase the current pumped storage capacity and some have planning consent. However, they are waiting for the commercial aspects to look attractive https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-57510870.

Which proves my point: the Government are not serious AND not competent in this area.

(although "in this area" may be superfluous  :'( )

Just noticed this on Tidal flow which I would think would have great potential.
The name of the developer doesn't sound like a good old fashioned British engineering firm.

"Mauricio Pereira, Head of Renewable Energy here at Bureau Veritas, said: “Quite simply, tidal stream electricity has the potential to become one of the lead sources of renewable energies in the world. The energy potential of tides can be predicted for years to come with tidal turbines able to harness the energy of high and low tides down to the minute."
The government would appear to be happy to sell off the country's utilities to the highest bidder.

[Neil Ives]

The government would appear to be happy to sell off the country's utilities to the highest bidder.

Nothing new there!

[John Ratsey]

Just noticed this on Tidal flow which I would think would have great potential.
The name of the developer doesn't sound like a good old fashioned British engineering firm.

"Mauricio Pereira, Head of Renewable Energy here at Bureau Veritas, said: “Quite simply, tidal stream electricity has the potential to become one of the lead sources of renewable energies in the world. The energy potential of tides can be predicted for years to come with tidal turbines able to harness the energy of high and low tides down to the minute."
The government would appear to be happy to sell off the country's utilities to the highest bidder.

This project http://www.tidallagoonpower.com/projects/swansea-bay/ would have been under construction by now if gov't had been more supportive and choose which version of the Severn barrage you prefer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severn_Barrage.

[culzean]

The Severn Estuary is a special area of conservation - so no proposal is going to get far - anyway Tony Blair thought it was a good idea, so probably never going to happen..

[JimSh]

Scottish Government ramping up offshore wind generation with floating platforms.
Estimated additional generation 25,000MW.

"Crown Estate Scotland has today announced the outcome of its application process for ScotWind Leasing, the first Scottish offshore wind leasing round in over a decade and the first ever since the management of offshore wind rights were devolved to Scotland. "

https://www.crownestatescotland.com/news/scotwind-offshore-wind-leasing-delivers-major-boost-to-scotlands-net-zero-aspirations
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-60002110

Edit added BBC Scotland link

[madasafish]

More windpower without storage is a recipe for disaster.

[JimSh]

More windpower without storage is a recipe for disaster.

Yes. Storage will be required for the excess energy.

From BBC article
"The inherent unpredictability of the wind means we need masses of overcapacity to allow us to keep the lights on when some of the turbines are not turning. But those looking after the grid need to be more clever than just building more turbines.
That means a growing use of smart technology and increased storage - through batteries or green hydrogen - will become critical in the coming years."

[Jocko]

Without a doubt, storage is required but it is better to build the generation capacity before the storage than the other way round. And let's face it. In the waters around Scotland, the wind blows virtually all the time. it certainly is a draughty country!

[John Ratsey]

More windpower without storage is a recipe for disaster.

Plus there will be the problem of needing additional power lines to get the electricity to England once Scotland is using (or storing) all it can when the wind is blowing properly (and I hope that the generators don't get paid for turning off the turbines when there is excess generation).