Renewable energy sources - the good, the bad and the ugly

Of those 4 countries you have mentioned, all of them produce a higher percentage of their energy by hydro power compared to the UK. So even though Switzerland is covered with far more snow, the melting of the snow plays a significant part in their hydro power mix. I think the UK hydropower currently stands at 2% of the energy mix, well below all those countries mentioned. Switzerland's main source of energy is hydropower, close to 30 fold greater than the UK, so they will not need the same emphasis on solar and wind like the UK. I can understand Switzerland looking at having solar panels in between rails tracks, their rail network is the most densest in Europe after all.

Most carparks, new and existing in France must have a percentage of the car parking lot covered by solar panels, failing to do so with in the time frame set out in the legislation would result in fines of 20,000 to 40,000 euro's annually to the operators, I wouldn't call that innovation.

France rules on mandatory solar for car parks

 

The Hinkley Point nuclear power station is just a couple of miles away from here. Now on it's 3rd reactor ( C ) which began construction about 12 years ago and run by EDF ( Electricite de France ). Not sure when A shut down but possibly in late 80's/early 90's. B then took over and was shut down a couple of years ago. The start date for C to actually begin producing is constantly delayed and the amount of power required to get it into production is quite staggering. There have been a number of setbacks including the inability to stop fish from being drawn into the water inlets, the encroachment on farm land as well as their plans for salt water lagoons and the need to build more pylons to get the future electricity supply connected to the national grid. Plenty of protests from surrounding communities with regard to some of their plans.
On the issue of household energy costs in general, I notice that much of it only mentions gas and electricity. Oil prices should also be in the equation as not all of us are on mains gas

 

You're missing the point @gks. If Switzerland can make photo voltaic panels that wor between rails then surely the UK can too, regardless of what other pwoer sources are available. Similarly, if France can decide that using the roofing of car parks that are already covered to produce PV power, then so can the UK instead of covering arable fields or just doing nothing.

 

So if we adopted the same trial as Switzerland and put photo voltaic panels between rails, we still would need to use airable fields. If Switzerland put solar panels in between all the tracks they say it would generate 2% of their energy. For the UK with a less dense railway network and a far greater population, then it would generate about 0.5% of our energy.

In France carparks that can park 80 or more cars have a mandate to have 50% of the carpark covered by solar panels, whether they are covered or not. The only exception is, car parks that have less than 80 spaces or the operator can prove that due to location solar panels wouldn't provide enough energy due to shade by tree's etc etc to cover the costs of installation, then they would be exempt.
If this legislation was for carparks that are already covered only, and my understanding this is not the case, then I would be more for it.

The last time the UK built a reservoir was in 1992, now there is talk of building 9 by 2050, not just for water security but to produce power. It's the lack of investment in hydro power and nuclear over the decades that we are where we are now.

 

There is another BUT, would you want battery storage systems near schools, public buildings, hospitals etc etc. When France announced the new legislations for solar panels on carparks and new public buildings, the regulators encouraged the use of battery storage systems to store excess energy, encourage , not mandated.

 

I still think the UK problems are the grid.
You can generate electricity anywhere, but getting it into the grid is the biggest problem surely.
Which is probably why they are focusing on generation in one massive place rather than a bit here and a bit there, not sure how other countries do it?

 

You don't have to wait for me, we are on the same page.

 

Ed millipede was on the TV this morning wittering on about 14 billion for a new nuclear power station.
After all the doom and gloom when they came into power nearly a year ago about a 22 billion black hole they seem to be throwing money around like crazy now.
Apparently they have now got the finances on a sure footing.
Not really sure what they have done to achieve it,, just realised this post would have been better in the moan thread.

 

They keep saying it was the right decision to take away the WFP ... and now it is the right decision to put it back.

Eh?

 

And they use the money for other things for that time, it's like a free loan!!!

 

WFP saved just over 1 billion I think.
I assume the other 21 billion has come from the increased NI payments

Still it's good to know it's all sorted now and we can spend spend spend.

 

What the govt is aiming for is Economic Growth - quite what they mean by that is not easy to discern. Do they want the average citizen to spend money on needless products whether or not they can actually afford it or do they want more financial institutions to invest in the UK - if the latter, what do they want them to invest in ? Infrastructure ? The NHS ? Power generation ? Military ? Police ? . I expect they will eventually decide on the priorities ( maybe )