Climate Change showdown

[albie]

Just 3 years to pull back from the brink, or 1.5 degrees baked in:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2314731-global-emissions-must-peak-in-just-three-years-to-stay-below-1-5c/

Not looking too good, here and all over the globe.
Humanity has never faced a crisis like this before.

[River Don]

If anything with the war and energy crisis, emissions will be rising even faster right now. We've had to burn more coal in the UK this winter.

That recent hot spell over the Antarctic was as outlandish as the heat dome in Canada last summer. It makes you wonder what horrors this summer will bring.

[danumdon]

There is obviously a major issue with climate change that looks like it will be get much worse before we ever start to see any reductions to the levels that are considered sustainable.

Like you stated we are having to use more coal and gas to balance our energy requirements and we are now seeing the fruits of years of constant can kicking when it comes to our future energy sources requirements. Nuclear power stations have been decommissioned without any clear and proper thought as to what will be our future primary baseload source and the renewables look like they have been open season for vested interests to take subsidies and blight our land with wind and power installations in areas where they should never have been situated. They have a role to play but the locations should of been better thought out before implementation.

Its a pity that the government could never bring itself to seriously consider wave power and tidal barges, the big upfront costs could of been dealt with and the payback should of guaranteed future energy to be plentiful but at a cost that this nation will tolerate.

We have plenty of people who talk the talk on this issue but some of their deeds are breathtaking in the hypocrisy that they demonstrate. Many preach the good word and will even protest, some will turn up at the marches in big SYV's and will always ensure they have their two or three overseas holidays each year along with the numerous weekends away. I can recall a recent ER pretest in which "big hitter" Emma Thompson even flying from the US to the UK to attend the protest, what kind of hypocrisy is that? do as i say not as i do, eh.

Some will talk the good talk and attend the big fight but deep down its just an illusion to give the right impression about their true ideals.

"If you really mean it and want it, lets see you do it" should be the minimum requirement.

[SydneyRover]

Here's some Jolly good news

''Jasper Jolly
British drivers bought more electric cars in March alone than in the whole of 2019 even as the broader market slumped, according to new figures that underline the accelerating pace of the UK’s transition away from internal combustion engines.

There were 39,315 new battery electric vehicle registrations during the month, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a lobby group. In 2019 there were 37,850 electric sales''

the Guardian

[River Don]

I suspect those who are able to want to get away from filling up at the pump with expensive fuel but the price of electricity is also high.

It might help for now but very soon the time will come when the government has to tax electric vehicles as much as they do petrol and diesel.

For me, I can't yet afford an electric vehicle and they don't yet have the range to be able to get me to London with confidence. An unavoidable journey I have to make now and again.

The only answer at the moment is just keep my use of the car to a minimum.

[SydneyRover]

I suspect those who are able to want to get away from filling up at the pump with expensive fuel but the price of electricity is also high.

It might help for now but very soon the time will come when the government has to tax electric vehicles as much as they do petrol and diesel.

For me, I can't yet afford an electric vehicle and they don't yet have the range to be able to get me to London with confidence. An unavoidable journey I have to make now and again.

The only answer at the moment is just keep my use of the car to a minimum.

That's true RD the money has to come from somewhere, it's either that or raise taxes, we use PT and walk wherever we can and I'm pretty sure our next car will be at least a hybrid. Gas is much cheaper per Kw here than electricity but we will put in an electric water heater when this gas heater finally konks out, it's 14 years old now. Same with the cooking, over to an induction top which bst raved about and electric oven.

[SydneyRover]

This doesn't help either

''Quarter of bus routes axed in England in last decade
Campaigners say Rishi Sunak gave tax break to car users but has not helped public transport users''

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/04/quarter-of-bus-routes-axed-in-england-in-last-decade

[normal rules]

Should I start planting banana trees and date palms in the garden?

[SydneyRover]

Should I start planting banana trees and date palms in the garden?

mangroves would be a better bet where you live.

[Metalmicky]

Some possible good news....

https://www.newscientist.com/video/2315208-nuclear-fusion-breakthrough-achieved-with-new-projectile-technique/

[albie]

In response to the climate emergency, the UK has produced a new energy strategy.....which does not understand that 3 years means by 2025!

Decent summary in the FT:
https://www.ft.com/content/ebfc8c0b-7acc-4695-b4be-45e0b8b0ba0f

There is no way that viable finances will come from private sector without assurance of high electricity prices, and maybe not even then. High electricity prices are baked in to cover the establishment costs.

It needs to be seen as a political massage to Tory MP's.
Offshore wind will happen, onshore and solar also on a unit cost basis.

The nuclear element is long term, with Flamanville in France now in year 17 of construction. Massive cost over-runs and delays in project completion make nuclear too slow for 1.5 degrees.

[River Don]

I think the nuclear announcement is pie in the sky. It's just so expensive to build it. And it's such a long-term project. Expensive and long-term. Not qualities the Tories are likely to sign off on.

Hinckley will be built but beyond that I'm very sceptical.

[River Don]

The glaring omission in these proposals, is insulation.

Low tech, fast, relatively inexpensive. They could subsidise a home insulation program very rapidly.

They could also tighten up on building regs for insulation very quickly.

But they don't

[selby]

 Hinckley will be the last of it's Type, The smaller Rolls Royce modular smaller units will be the ones pushed to come on stream.
  And I can see them being an export model.

[albie]

Hinckley will be the last of it's Type, The smaller Rolls Royce modular smaller units will be the ones pushed to come on stream.
  And I can see them being an export model.

Agree about Hinckley, Selby.

The RR SMR are not likely to be commercially attractive without cost reductions to make them competitive with wind and solar including battery storage.

The only export market would be to state owned energy systems.
They are unbankable for venture capital.

RD is right, this is a political policy statement and very unlikely to happen.
Wind and Solar knock the socks off nuclear in terms of value for money.

[selby]

  The one thing I would do is make solar a requirement for building permission especially on the large industrial units.
   They have direct connection into the network and with battery storage  would cover large areas that otherwise cover agricultural land.

[albie]

Not really necessary to cover agricultural land, if you focus on the built environment.

There will be some applications for solar farms, as agriculture moves away from dairy and livestock to new income sources. It will be interesting to see how many will look to diversify into multiple use facilities, making use of growing space beneath a solar array.

Battery storage is being retofitted in the UK as we speak, and is suited to re-used brownfield sites. It is container based.

[ravenrover]

The cheapest and quickest to install and become productive is land based wind farms. Why is the  Govt against it? NIMBY perhaps?

[River Don]

  The one thing I would do is make solar a requirement for building permission especially on the large industrial units.
   They have direct connection into the network and with battery storage  would cover large areas that otherwise cover agricultural land.

I can't see why large industrial warehouses shouldn't have solar arrays on them.

It's got to be better to make the most of an industrial site, rather than cover Greenfield land.

[BobG]

I'm really curious about the lack of focus on insulation in the govt. plans. There has to be a reason. The usual thing to do is follow the money. Who makes money out of this country not having enough insulation?  Energy companies?

BobG

[River Don]

I'm really curious about the lack of focus on insulation in the govt. plans. There has to be a reason. The usual thing to do is follow the money. Who makes money out of this country not having enough insulation?  Energy companies?

BobG

I can only think it's the energy companies who might be against a comprehensive national insulation program. Possibly the government is simply reluctant to subsidise it.

The housebuilders lobby against tighter regs in the first place.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Here's some Jolly good news

''Jasper Jolly
British drivers bought more electric cars in March alone than in the whole of 2019 even as the broader market slumped, according to new figures that underline the accelerating pace of the UK’s transition away from internal combustion engines.

There were 39,315 new battery electric vehicle registrations during the month, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a lobby group. In 2019 there were 37,850 electric sales''

the Guardian

Good luck getting one though, at least a years lead time on most brands.

[ravenrover]

Wonder no one has pushed the idea of small domestic wind generators  say on the chimney

[SydneyRover]

''The three-bladed Aeolos-H 5kW Wind Turbine provides maximum efficiency with fewer resources used. Its rotor blade has a diameter of about 6.4 meters and weighs about 836 pounds overall.

It features a Three-Phase Permanent Magnetic Generator that is exceptionally efficient''

they're a bit big

[ravenrover]

I saw a clip on the news of  Looe Island  Nature Reserve they had a small wind generator on their chimney as their only source of power which made me ask the question

[SydneyRover]

I haven't seen the clip Raven, I just googled the size of wind turbine required to power an average home and it cam up with 5-15kw, I google the size of a 5kw one to be on the safe side. It depends of course what the demand of the property is,

Here's some more on Looe.

https://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/our-conservation-work/on-land/looe-island-sustainable-visitor-development-project

[River Don]

I remember David Cameron having a wind turbine installed on his Kensington house roof and it not being a success.

I'm not sure putting them on domestic houses is very effective, which is why you don't see them.

For turbines to be really effective they've got to be very tall, so they are reaching further up into the atmosphere where the wind is stronger and more constant. Unless you own a farm or something it's not going to be suitable.

I wonder if it would be safe to instal larger turbines above carparks though?

[albie]

Small wind turbines do not work well in urban areas, because the buildings break up the wind and cause turbulence.
Cameron installed one as a PR photo op, not because he was serious about renewables.

In urban areas, solar on unshaded roofspace is the best micro solution by far.
In exposed locations, wind is a no brainer, especially when you capture the wind energy overnight then use it when required.

That is why battery storage is such a gamechanger, because it allows transfer of resource from low demand to high demand applications. Interconnection across to Europe is also important, and the UK now has 7 such two way interconnections.

[SydneyRover]

Something positive to report

''Cornish pilot scheme cuts bus fares to encourage use of public transport
Ticket prices reduced by between 20% and 40% in four-year initiative backed by £23.5m government grant''

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/11/cornwall-pilot-scheme-cuts-bus-fares-public-transport