Petrol/Diesel cars

Storage will help with the demand part of the problem, i.e. where do we get the energy from when the wind isn't blowing. However, they won't provide enough inertia onto the Power Grid when faults occur. Briefly put, the system has to provide enough inertia to keep the system stable for the loss of several things like: a Double cct (a pylon going down), a generator failing, substation faults etc. etc. The inertia required to keep the system stable can only (at the present moment in time) be provided by large rotating generators. At the moment the UK has Nuclear power stations, Gas fired power stations, and a few coal fires generators (being decommissioned rapidly) Gas fired power stations won't be around forever (obviously), so they are being replaced by the least carbon producing generation available i.e Nuclear

 

Yes, you are right, in my haste I mistyped one key word in my sentence lol. All Governments will tax people at any point they can. If they could tax the air that we breathe they would

 

The Germans opened a brand new coal fired plant only this year.

 

I think I understand. What about storing the power in reservoirs? Letting the water out through a turbine would effectively be generating power via a large rotating generator wouldn't it? All we need is loads of large water basins and be continually pumping from the lower one to the higher one whilst another pair is doing the opposite. We could flood all the Welsh valleys and Scottish Glens....

 

Yeah, they’ve put HS2 in to compensate. Laughable!

 

You shouldn't have said that, there will be an army of tax designers working on it right now...

 

A few years ago, I worked on a bid for EDF Hinckley Point C build to design a system to record the components used in construction. This had to record every component used - down to the screws and washers - and had to retain the data for 100 years for legal compliance (we didn't win the bid unfortunately).

Of the two nuclear power stations that were started building in the last decade, Hitachi have already pulled out of the site on Anglesey due to escalating costs leaving Hinckley the only one under construction.

You have to remember though, that there are a number of different designs for a nuclear power station. The new ones use very different technology and are a lot safer than the older ones. Gen 3/3+ (or even Gen 4) fission reactors using thorium bed are much, much safer than any that are running in the UK now - and we don't have the risk from earthquake/tsunami that Japan has.

You forget the biggest battery in the UK (possibly the world) - Dinorwig in Snowdonia. Basically a reservoir on top of the hill with pipes to one at the bottom with a power station in the middle - it can spin up in 12 seconds and provide 288MW for 5 hours.

 

Did they? Just searched and found it, what are they thinking?

 

I'm sure they've been looking at it for a long time mate

 

I didn't forget Scoff lol There are 6 hydro generators at Dinorwig all rated at 290 MW. That still doesn't provide enough inertia onto the Power Grid, to keep it stable post-fault. I worked for National Grid for over 30 years, the last 15 years in the Control Room at Wokingham

 

There are many such hydro plants in the UK already, Dinorwig in Wales is the biggest with 6 * generators at 290 MW capacity. Scotland has lots of small hydro places around the lochs and glens, but has two larger sites at Cruachan (6 * ~100 MW) and Foyers (2 * ~150 MW)

 

Just need more of them then.
We could have them near the coast so we'd only need one reservoir higher than sea level and pump between the sea and reservoir. Obviously wouldn't be drinkable. On the plus side it would provide new marine environments for wildlife.

 

Dodgy knees and 2 thrombosis in left leg suggest otherwise for me certainly. You may be fit but I challenge you to carry a week's wirth of shopping on a bike - 35km round trip to the big supermarket and we live on a long 1 in 5 hill and there are many in this region with small towns and even the major cities built on hilltops with tortuous hairpin climbs (as with much of central Italy -very mountainous). Add to that snow and ice in Winter and searing sun and high temperatures in summer. Cycling here is very popular but as a recreational sport with many groups of cyclist sout at weekends mainlt clubs and teams (complete with support car) but even the keenest I know treat it merely as recreational since the combination of climate, distances between places and the terrain make cycling impractical for general everyday use and commuting. Add to that the condition of the roads and the standard of driving and solo cyclist are very vulnerable.

 

'Time will tell' (see what I did there?) Coit!!

 

Rolls Royce are working on pre-pack meccano nuclear reactors you bolt together on site. £2 billion a go.

 

The cost and energy needed to pump would outweigh any benefits. ( the energy it produces wouldn’t provide enough energy to run the pump, in effect) Or it would have been done during the modern era. I forget the term used on the lines. you can’t get more out than you put in. Not sure that now can apply to all forms. But even solar and wind power require energy to work. The only difference. it’s a natural inexhaustible source. Until the planet dies.
Reservoirs and dams were built to give water turbine energy. Some natural rivers are above sea level but they eventually flow back into the sea. All rely on gravity.
The Aswan dam although not built purely for generation. Probably the best example.
Most water treatment plants are built below reservoir levels. And are generally at the highest point in the areas they supply. Using gravity from reservoir to door.
Booster pumps required to reach those below gravity feed.
On the other side. wastewater treatment plants are generally at the lowest point in an area. Gravity fed. And eventually the effluent going to river next door. Again generally gravity.

 

Where is all the extra electricity coming from the green do-gooders don’t want wind turbines cluttering up the countryside

 

Daft. They should put the tax ON fuel and abolish the tired excise duty . Far fairer in many ways. since the higher the mileage the more wear and tear on roads and pollution you create the more you should pay. Adding it to the fuel costs is only one option though and difficult to make it transparent. .

Unfortunately you are more likely to end up, like here in Italy. toll roads AND an annual tax which is around 300 euros.

One thing the UK could do now we out of the EU is introduce a 'vignette' to allow access to UK road like they have in Switzerland,and many other countries and abolish the domestic annual vehicle Excise duty. It sounds the same BUT all foreign visitors lorries cars etc have to purchase one on arrival in the UK (or pre purchase) That way foreign commercial lorries do not get free access to UK roads whilst UK lorries on the continent have to pay to use theirs. It is a double win as it partially levels the playing field for UK hauliers competing with foreign hauliers and , given the number of foreign lorries/cars we see on our roads would bring in additional revenue for the treasury. Switzerland annual vignette is around 35 euros and is valid for 14 months (Jan to Jan with a months grace either side to renew) Trailers are not exempt as a friend found out when he came to Italy via St Gotthards with a trailer with 2 touring motorbikes onboard. He had to pay for the car as well as two bikes and a fine as he was stopped well inside the border, although I believe he may have got away with paying for the car and 1 trailer ( I could not really tell what he said due to all the expletives he uttered as he was telling us!!)

 

Plus construction costs.

Apparenyly, the future's battery storage on a massive scale i.e. like every household / building having battery storage feeding back into the grid. Most of these batteries being ex electic vehicle batteries which are still useful after they're no longer good enough for vehicles.

 

Who was 'intimidated' ?
Never thought Sunak was a bully or a threatening type myself