Vague_Boy Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 They are trying to convince us that building a new nuclear power station is the only think that can save us too. I'd rather have power cuts. You may get both. A hydro plant is preferable to both tho. Where are these to be situated? And how much extra capacity is there? According to the British Hydro association Report 2010: The potential for further practical and viable hydroelectricity power stations in the UK is estimated to be in the region of 146 to 248 MW for England and Wales LINK [PDF file] And up to 2,593 MW for Scotland LINK [PDF of their 2008 report] As of 2012, hydroelectric power stations in the United Kingdom accounted for 1.65 GW of installed electrical generating capacity, being 1.8% of the UK's total generating capacity LINK So the established capacity is measured in gigawatts and the extra potential capacity (assuming you don't care about areas of natural beauty) is measured in megawatts. However, by the very nature of the remote and rugged geographic locations of some of these potential sites, in national Parks or other areas of outstanding natural beauty, it is likely that environmental concerns would mean that a large number of them would be deemed not to be suitable, or could not be developed to their full theoretical potential. LINK This ill-informed blind faith in "renewables" without any consideration of ERoEI or other practicalities reminds me of the following: My larger point is that the high-tech gadget-oriented vision of “renewable” energy, as imagined by the most wishful, rests on the quicksand of diminishing returns. There would seem to be a parallel belief among a pragmatic subset of the wishful that the tactic of using the remaining fossil fuels to prepare for a post-fossil fuel future is a matter of buying time until “they,” the scientist-nerd-innovator-geniuses, come up with a new and superior energy source. For all I know, this miracle will occur. Weirder things have happened in human history. (What would Ben Franklin have thought of Adobe Photoshop?) However, this idea of buying time until the tech demigods deliver a technology miracle is just another way of describing a cargo cult. Kunstler, James Howard (2006-04-01). The Long Emergency (Kindle Locations 2258-2263). PGW - A. Kindle Edition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geared Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 We were supposed to get one weren't we, it was only a small one but still. They were going to install an Archimedean screw (I think it's called) in the Don near Meadowhall. There's plenty of rivers around the country, why not install a bunch of these to boost our hydro output. or you know, actually invest some money in tidal power research and make that viable - I mean it's not like we're short on coastline to install it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peer Gynt Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 We were supposed to get one weren't we, it was only a small one but still. They were going to install an Archimedean screw (I think it's called) in the Don near Meadowhall. There's plenty of rivers around the country, why not install a bunch of these to boost our hydro output. or you know, actually invest some money in tidal power research and make that viable - I mean it's not like we're short on coastline to install it. Solar energy is also pollution free and viable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geared Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Making the solar panels isn't pollution free, not sure about the newer ones but it used to be the case that more CO2 was released making and shipping the panels (from China) than was ever saved over their lifespan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peer Gynt Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Making the solar panels isn't pollution free, not sure about the newer ones but it used to be the case that more CO2 was released making and shipping the panels (from China) than was ever saved over their lifespan. You've hit the point there 'from China' a country with no Eco policies whatsoever just as they found in East Germany factories etc after the wall came down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geared Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Eco-policies are a hot topic over there now. You've got cities suffering smog worse than we had in the 1950's, Cities many times the size of London back in the 50's. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-24579101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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