Tidal energy on its way.

Hydro. You turn the tap on. Nothing is faster. They do it at times of high demand when the price is high, and turn off when demand and cost falls.

Pumped hydro, they pump water up to the reservoir when demand and price are low, and run it down when high.

They can predict demand pretty well. You will find the AC frequency varies by only a very small amount with mismatch of S and D.

Oh yes, I am well aware of hydro-electricity and pumped water storage, but both of these require very specific locations - mostly in Scotland and Wales, if I'm correct. I still don't think they could replace the ability to provide an instantaneous output when needed that is presently done by fossil fuelled power stations.

Metered Windpower currently produces in the region of 5%-10% of UK supply and, once built, will sell into any price. Last Saturday it was producing almost 5GW, and as I write it is about 1.6GW. Unmetered windpower is about half as much again.

Total demand as I write is about 32GW and Nuclear is producing about 7.2GW

Wind power is unreliable as it (obviously) requires wind! Not only wind, but wind that is neither too weak or too strong. We don't want blades flying off and generators burning out!
Nuclear power, on the other hand, can provide a continuous output. The only drawback is that we haven't invested in it sufficiently. The Frogs have, and consequently we are obliged to buy electricity from them.
 
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Oh yes, I am well aware of hydro-electricity and pumped water storage, but both of these require very specific locations - mostly in Scotland and Wales, if I'm correct. I still don't think they could replace the ability to provide an instantaneous output when needed that is presently done by fossil fuelled power stations.

National Grid, mate.

Tip in a bucket of electricity in Perthshire, and it comes out in London.
 
Nikola Tesla solved the problem over a century ago and we could all have free electricity from the earth. Sadly, bread headed marketeers shut him out of the loop out of greed and we're all left paying the price. :confused:
 
Oh yes, I am well aware of hydro-electricity and pumped water storage, but both of these require very specific locations - mostly in Scotland and Wales, if I'm correct. I still don't think they could replace the ability to provide an instantaneous output when needed that is presently done by fossil fuelled power stations.

National Grid, mate.

Tip in a bucket of electricity in Perthshire, and it comes out in London.

Yes, I'm aware of that!
What I meant was, there are probably no more suitable locations for expanding hydro-electric or pumped storage, or if there are they are likely to be less efficient or productive.
 
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Nikola Tesla solved the problem over a century ago and we could all have free electricity from the earth. Sadly, bread headed marketeers shut him out of the loop out of greed and we're all left paying the price. :confused:

Yes, I've read about his theories of power transmission through the atmosphere. I don't think they proved very practical, at least not on a national scale.

A very interesting man, though, with some strange but fascinating ideas many of which, as I understand it, are still not fully understood.
 
Nikola Tesla solved the problem over a century ago and we could all have free electricity from the earth. Sadly, bread headed marketeers shut him out of the loop out of greed and we're all left paying the price. :confused:
So why hasn't his work been revived now that we are on the brink?

Seems rather foolish or short sighted now that people are falling over themselves to find energy crisis solutions before oil runs out.

Or is there another reason?
 
Something that really bugs me is the Wind Turbines scattered all over the Country spoiling country and coastal views, when it has been proven that they are not financially viable.
As for those turbine built at sea....WHY ?
We are a small country surrounded by sea and therefore surrounded by tidal energy, I'm sure that some sort of turbine can be produce that works under the water and is not an eyesore.
And whilst on the subject of being a small country surrounded by the sea, why or why do we suffer droughts and water shortages ? I can remember as a young lad in the 60's an Uncle who worked in a Desalination Plant, surely in the following 50+ years since then there should have been vast improvements on techniques and viability of this as a major source of our Water Supplies.
 
Reglarly in the South East. Poor blighters.

Really?

When was the last drought and/or water shortage in The SE then?

Hosepipe bans - yes

Drought/water shortages - seventies?
 
Okay - we are talking semantics here.

To me, the phrase 'water shortage' indicates something much more than just a hosepipe ban. To me it means a restricted water supply and not merely a ban on watering the garden or washing the car.

It means interruption or cessation of the normal supply whether that be by use of standpipes or otherwise.

Noseall wrote 'Regularly in the SE. Poor Blighters' hence me asking the question.

Not being able to wash the car or water the garden with a hose doesn't amount to being 'poor blighters' IMHO.

If it means something else to you then fair enough.
 
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