The Future of Power Generation in Great Britain

[durbster]

Sorry for interrupting the obsession with wind and but an Australian mate has installed a new solar system installed and now thinks it will produce more than enough power to run his house on (with battery storage).

There are also schemes that allow you to sell any excess power to your neighbours, which is a superb idea.
https://powerledger.io

Obviously this isn't a solution for the UK any time soon, but I think it's interesting to see where the future of energy production may lie.

[voyds9]

What is the pay back period (will it ever be reached)
Will he still have a standing charge to pay
In the event of a power cut is his system allowed to function (In USA they cut off so as not to electrocute anyone working on the system)

[V8 Fettler]

Coal still bending the needle, where would we be without coal when power is really needed?

1.26GW is substantially less than the rated output of Ferry Bridge C (now closed)

[eliot]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

O

You have managed to post on PH

Did the lights go out?
Have we had power outages due to your remarkable insightful revelation?

Or, has the balanced grid, interconnectors, mixed energies - and dare I saw experts and engineers who can see past the ends of their noses allowed you to continue with your fascinating morning?

It's all good - because at the end of my nose I have the following:

[Matthen]

rolando said:

Matthen said:

Anyone know what the maximum capability of the grid, ignoring wind and solar, is?

Take a look at DUKES

Thanks for that, very interesting.

[chrispmartha]

V8 Fettler said:

where would we be without coal when power is really needed?

Isn't that the whole point of the thread?

[PRTVR]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

eliot said:

Now down to 1.26gw

O

You have managed to post on PH

Did the lights go out?
Have we had power outages due to your remarkable insightful revelation?

Or, has the balanced grid, interconnectors, mixed energies - and dare I saw experts and engineers who can see past the ends of their noses allowed you to continue with your fascinating morning?

No the lights did not go out, but no thanks to wind, the interconnection has a limit, what will replace coal? Not wind, a hydrocarbon powed station to step up to the mark when the variability of wind happen, what is being displayed is the futility of wind.

[V8 Fettler]

chrispmartha said:

V8 Fettler said:

where would we be without coal when power is really needed?

Isn't that the whole point of the thread?

I agree, the future is coal.

[Matthen]

V8 Fettler said:

chrispmartha said:

V8 Fettler said:

where would we be without coal when power is really needed?

Isn't that the whole point of the thread?

I agree, the future is coal.

Nah, it isn't. The future is fusion. The time of coal is now.

[V8 Fettler]

Matthen said:

V8 Fettler said:

chrispmartha said:

V8 Fettler said:

where would we be without coal when power is really needed?

Isn't that the whole point of the thread?

I agree, the future is coal.

Nah, it isn't. The future is fusion. The time of coal is now.

The short term future is coal.

I read this as operating at 100% capacity (or as near as)

[Matthen]

V8 Fettler said:

Matthen said:

V8 Fettler said:

chrispmartha said:

V8 Fettler said:

where would we be without coal when power is really needed?

Isn't that the whole point of the thread?

I agree, the future is coal.

Nah, it isn't. The future is fusion. The time of coal is now.

The short term future is coal.

I read this as operating at 100% capacity (or as near as)

Nah, there is another 4GW in the tank according to Wikipedia. Whether it's accurate or not, I've no clue.

[chrispmartha]

V8 Fettler said:

chrispmartha said:

V8 Fettler said:

where would we be without coal when power is really needed?

Isn't that the whole point of the thread?

I agree, the future is coal.

You probably don't agree seeing as I don't think the future is coal - not long term anyway.

Edited by chrispmartha on Tuesday 12th December 10:00

[Jinx]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

So what you are saying is the 'catastrophic' policy that has been wheeled out over the years etc etc etc has actually worked, even today ?

Like yesterday
The Day Before etc.

https://youtu.be/ob1rYlCpOnM

[PRTVR]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

PRTVR said:

No the lights did not go out, but no thanks to wind, the interconnection has a limit, what will replace coal? Not wind, a hydrocarbon powed station to step up to the mark when the variability of wind happen, what is being displayed is the futility of wind.

So what you are saying is the 'catastrophic' policy that has been wheeled out over the years etc etc etc has actually worked, even today ?

Like yesterday
The Day Before etc.

At a large cost to everyone, even jobs, we use to have an aluminium smelters, now gone due to the high cost of electricity.

[XM5ER]

rolando said:

ake a look at DUKES

Interesting, especially the flow diagram of inputs and outputs, by far the biggest output (consumer) of energy being the conversion, transmission and distribution of 'leccy. That, in a nutshell describes my issue with electric cars.

[Blue Oval84]

Just dropped by this thread as I thought that today's Gridwatch looked interesting, I see you're all on it already

[jshell]

V8 Fettler said:

chrispmartha said:

V8 Fettler said:

where would we be without coal when power is really needed?

Isn't that the whole point of the thread?

I agree, the future is coal.

mid-term is gas, with coal back-up, some windy bits/bytes and a smattering of French nuclear...

[MYOB]

jshell said:

mid-term is gas, with coal back-up, some windy bits/bytes and a smattering of French nuclear...

Don't forget wave and tidal!

[rolando]

MYOB said:

Don't forget wave and tidal!

Both intermittent, therefore insecure, just like wind and solar. All four need back-up from coal, gas or imports. Nuclear is for base load. Others, such as hydro are insignificant.

[silentbrown]

PRTVR said:

At a large cost to everyone, even jobs, we use to have an aluminium smelters, now gone due to the high cost of electricity.

I thought we still had (a rather small) one in Lochaber, run from hydro power?

... and the fate of the Anglesey one was pretty closely tied to the nearby Wylfa Magnox station. The smelter was basically used as a large, controllable base load - they'd basically be paid to turn the smelter off at peak demand periods.

As for jobs, it's always swings and roundabouts. "In 2015, an estimated 234,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees were working directly in low carbon and renewable energy (LCRE) activities in the UK, accounting for 1.0% of total UK non-financial employees.".