Our dependence on electricity

[Uilleachan]

Plenty people where I am living off the mains, water and electricity, managed myself for a good few years.

I think nuclear is too expensive, a case of privatizing profit whilst we nationalize the massive overhead. Waste, a huge issue thats not going away.

At the risk of sounding political, I'm happy that here in scotland we're not planning any more nukes and I'll gladly accept the lights going off if thats what no nukes means
in the longer term, however I don't see it coming to that.

 

[boatman]

Benefiting from solar panels especially in Summer I am bewildered that these or photo-voltaic tiles have not been fitted to every suitable house roof built in the last few years. If the mains went off permanently I think we could shift to a direct current system and storage batteries for basic electrical use with enough notice. Of course this has a touch of post-apocalyptic fantasy about it but the principle is sound.

 

[ammo]

We have wind farms by our home. They are not very productive, when you consider what they're output is compared to the cost of construction and maintenance. They are not a viable answer. They are Damn ugly too.

 

[Andy BB]

We have wind farms by our home. They are not very productive, when you consider what they're output is compared to the cost of construction and maintenance. They are not a viable answer. They are Damn ugly too.

..now add to that the cost of anchoring them offshore, the vastly increased maintenance costs due to their location and saltwater environment, and you begin to get an idea of why offshore windfarms are an economic joke measured in costs/kwh. (unless of course you're the owner, and get rich on the subsidies................)

 

[andybysea]

and like i said far from green there construction and use cause alot of wildlife problems,they are like sticking a plaster on a amputated limb in terms of effective output compared to coal and nuclear powerstations, we should have gone the French route and gone all nuclear years ago, we led the field in its development. Now alot are coming to there de-commision times and i dont think windmills are going to be enough to cope.

 

[boatman]

Generally, structures built in the sea enhance the local productivity of the sea around them, Google artificial reefs. I do not see why wind turbine supports should be any different. What I cannot understand is why wind turbines do not have tidal generating turbines in their base.

 

[santaman2000]

Generally, structures built in the sea enhance the local productivity of the sea around them, Google artificial reefs. I do not see why wind turbine supports should be any different. What I cannot understand is why wind turbines do not have tidal generating turbines in their base.

Yep. The best fishing and shrimping is near the oil rigs.

 

[dean4442]

I'm incredibly reliant on electricity, without it my day to day life would be next to impossible..................................I am an electrician by trade though!
Colin

 

[andybysea]

The building of them is very destructive to aquatic life, and the vibrations from use cause many marine mammals problems as well as fish.

 

[santaman2000]

The building of them is very destructive to aquatic life, and the vibrations from use cause many marine mammals problems as well as fish.

So why are many such creatures attracted to the oil platforms with vibrations of their own?

Simple enough really. The smaller creatures look at it as an artificial reef and the larger ones up the food chain follow them. They soon learn those vibrations signal "lunch."

 

[andybysea]

Nuclear powerstations also attract large amount of sea life, as for offshore windfarms im only reporting what i have been told by someone who works on marine surveys for such things.

 

[santaman2000]

Nuclear powerstations also attract large amount of sea life, as for offshore windfarms im only reporting what i have been told by someone who works on marine surveys for such things.

Fair enough, I'm only reporting what I've been told as well. In my case from shrimpers and fishermen. Still, it's hard to imagine nuclear power stations attracting sealife? Most I know of are inland. Not all, but most. The ones along the coast I do know of though, do seem to attract crabs.

All that said, I'm more in favor of nuclear power than wind power with current technology.

 

[boatman]

Warmer water from their outflows is attractive to some species.

 

[presterjohn]

I'm in favour of Nuclear power plus all the other alternatives to fossil fuels such as solar and wind. We need the mixture of power sources and should never rely on just one or two in future. Fossil fuels will be around for ages yet mind you. Having said that they will become more and more expensive to procure. I can guarantee that they will be reopening all the old closed down coal pits within the next 20 years. It is not financially viable yet but by then I bet it will be.

I also think it will be more and more important for electrical items to use less and less power in normal usage too.

 

[Hagrid]

I'm in favour of Nuclear power plus all the other alternatives to fossil fuels such as solar and wind. We need the mixture of power sources and should never rely on just one or two in future. Fossil fuels will be around for ages yet mind you. Having said that they will become more and more expensive to procure. I can guarantee that they will be reopening all the old closed down coal pits within the next 20 years. It is not financially viable yet but by then I bet it will be.

I also think it will be more and more important for electrical items to use less and less power in normal usage too.[/QUOTE) The new nuclear power station at Hinckley Point(Somerset) wont be up and running for 10 YEARS, in the meantime all the coal fired ones are being shut due to EU directives. I hope you lot have got plenty of torches and candles cos you are going to need them when the lights go out!!!

 

[BillyBlade]

I'm in favour of Nuclear power plus all the other alternatives to fossil fuels such as solar and wind. We need the mixture of power sources and should never rely on just one or two in future. Fossil fuels will be around for ages yet mind you. Having said that they will become more and more expensive to procure. I can guarantee that they will be reopening all the old closed down coal pits within the next 20 years. It is not financially viable yet but by then I bet it will be.

I also think it will be more and more important for electrical items to use less and less power in normal usage too.[/QUOTE) The new nuclear power station at Hinckley Point(Somerset) wont be up and running for 10 YEARS, in the meantime all the coal fired ones are being shut due to EU directives. I hope you lot have got plenty of torches and candles cos you are going to need them when the lights go out!!!

That need for torches might well rise significantly if Scotland becomes independant. Scotland is already a net exporter of energy, as well as water and food etc. We even have the delight that is Boris Johnson calling the other week for a pipeline from Scotland to southern england to supply more water, as the housbuilding cant progress without water to come out the taps when they are up.

Hence, it wouldn't take much to see real issues with electricity shortages in England at all.

 

[RobD]

I am told a single solar panel doesn't create a lot of power, hence why houses have several installed. My question is this:

If every single house/block of flats etc had several panels on their roofs what amount of power could this create? I mean every house in the entire country, so several hundred million panels. Surely this combined would create enough power to keep us all happy?

 

[rik_uk3]

I am told a single solar panel doesn't create a lot of power, hence why houses have several installed. My question is this:

If every single house/block of flats etc had several panels on their roofs what amount of power could this create? I mean every house in the entire country, so several hundred million panels. Surely this combined would create enough power to keep us all happy?

Not at all, nowhere near the power needed. It would however be welcomed by the Chinese factories who manufacture the vast majority of solar panels sold world wide.

 

[santaman2000]

Not at all, nowhere near the power needed. It would however be welcomed by the Chinese factories who manufacture the vast majority of solar panels sold world wide.

As well as the gold and silver mines that supply the raw materials.

 

[FGYT]

I am told a single solar panel doesn't create a lot of power, hence why houses have several installed. My question is this:

If every single house/block of flats etc had several panels on their roofs what amount of power could this create? I mean every house in the entire country, so several hundred million panels. Surely this combined would create enough power to keep us all happy?

No no it would not by a long shot if we paneled the entire country it still wouldnt

and I have a big big roof with a lot of panels (4Kw) £15k worth 2 yrs ago

Its currently making 400w


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