Power to the people

[Dextraneous]

I know that we've discussed this sort of stuff before but here goes anyway.

IMHO wind turbines aren't the way to go due to the erratic nature of the wind and the empirical evidence that the overall is significantly below any form of optimal output.

Nuclear power will always be politically problematic, even though current research such as this may well have mileage in it.

There are, however, ongoing developments in wave and tidal energy production such as these.

Is it not time that "we" threw ourselves at such methods as these to deliver long term solutions to energy production instead of the unpleasant, unpopular, inefficient cash cows that we currently seem to have adopted?

If we did so successfully, then we could free ourselves from the ramshackles of the fossil fuel elephant within a generation or so. With sufficient energy production we could include industrial production of hydrogen to run our car and transport systems.

Eutopia is possible, if only we have the guts to go for it (PS - I've not been drinking today )

 

[maltaron]

I certainly agree with your comments, Dex, but with one exception - wave power. Ocean waves are mainly a function of the wind, which as you say is unreliable.(Before anyone rubbishes this, I know things like the moon pull and earth wobbles affect waves). The most reliable natural energy is in the tides which rise and fall twice a day, every day without fail, and being an island nation we are surrounded by tides. Perhaps this why the EU do not subsidise it, as Germany is virtually land locked.

 

[mattylad]

I certainly abhor the wind power.
Here in Rossendale we had a lovely landscape, lovely hills that are now blighted with windmills, not just a few but we will soon be numbering 69 on Scout Moor, we have many on other hills too.

And we see nothing from it, the residents dont get any reductions in their bills.

 

[enyam]

With plenty of coal left in the ground I just wonder with all the money spent (wasted?) looking at alternatives as to whether a viable cleaning system couldn't have been developed to clean the emissions.There are such things used on chipboard factories.

 

[Dextraneous]

And we see nothing from it, the residents dont get any reductions in their bills.

And nor will you due to subsidies making the electricity generated nearly twice the going cost of conventional methods. Hence my use of "cash cow"

 

[Dextraneous]

With plenty of coal left in the ground I just wonder with all the money spent (wasted?) looking at alternatives as to whether a viable cleaning system couldn't have been developed to clean the emissions.There are such things used on chipboard factories.

Indeed! However, fossil fuels are finite and it would seem to be a sensible thing to try to utilise somewhat less finite resources.

 

[ajstoneservices]

I'm putting up a wind turbine here (if it gets through planning) for you all to contribute a little more towards my chav lifestyle

 

[JBR]

I certainly abhor the wind power.
Here in Rossendale we had a lovely landscape, lovely hills that are now blighted with windmills, not just a few but we will soon be numbering 69 on Scout Moor, we have many on other hills too.

And we see nothing from it, the residents dont get any reductions in their bills.

I agree with all the sentiments expressed in this thread although, in all honesty, I have to say that the sight of wind turbines in the countryside doesn't bother me.

What does annoy me is the money that is being wasted on these useless things, which appear to be sprouting up everywhere in a bid to appease the naive greenies.

 

[JohnD]

It's very difficult to get the voters to agree to any kind of large power scheme, whether it,s a tidal barrage such as Morecambe bay, or windmills, or valley-flooding for hydro, or a nuclear station.

As the decisions are made by people who want to get voted in next time, they won't do anything until it's too late.

 

[ajstoneservices]

Governments do not have to worry about votes as shown by the HS2 bs. If they had the will they would push their agenda through regardless of what the voters think.

 

[EFLImpudence]

What does annoy me is the money that is being wasted on these useless things, which appear to be sprouting up everywhere in a bid to appease the naive greenies.

Your money is being wasted but those building them and renting the land including the sea-bed are doing very well, thank you.

That is their purpose.

 

[Norcon]

Fossil fuels only have about 150 years left. Less if you factor in population growth and the advancing economies of the banana republics.
By that time all the worlds forests will be gone and anything capable of being burnt will be burning.

That's our legacy on earth!

"God forbid that India should ever take to industrialism after the manner of the west... keeping the world in chains. If [our nation] took to similar economic exploitation, it would strip the world bare like locusts.”

Mahatma Gandhi.

 

[JohnD]

Governments do not have to worry about votes as shown by the HS2 bs. If they had the will they would push their agenda through regardless of what the voters think.

hs2, by chance, does not blight many prosperous homes in beautiful areas that are loved by conservationists.

 

[ajstoneservices]

It will blight far more expensive homes and upset more rich people than the severn barrage would. The route has upset just as many conservationists as it has conservative voters.

On-shore off-shore wind farms upset upset the voters of all parties and a few conservationists too. They don't like their beautiful views spoiled either.

Can't be ar$ed with making it bold

 

[jockscott]

Tidal power could be one way to keep producing electricity. Tides are fairly constant and regular. Tidal generators can produce electricity on the incoming and outgoing tides.