Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

lstar337

The Dean of Gloucester braved the weather to climb up on the Cathedral roof and bless the solar panels before they were switched on.

Do you think having them blessed increases the efficiency at all?

Maybe Martyn or zeupater can look up the official figures and do some sums on it for us. :rotfl:

zeupater

lstar337 wrote: »

The Dean of Gloucester braved the weather to climb up on the Cathedral roof and bless the solar panels before they were switched on.

Do you think having them blessed increases the efficiency at all?

Maybe Martyn or zeupater can look up the official figures and do some sums on it for us. :rotfl:

... considering we only achieved 60Wh yesterday, ours could have done with blessing too ... :think: mind though, with that kind of performance we wouldn't have really wanted anyone up there casting a shadow! ... :silenced:;)

Z

Martyn1981

lstar337 wrote: »

Maybe Martyn or zeupater can look up the official figures and do some sums on it for us. :rotfl:

"The sun shines on the righteous ...... (I could be in trouble) ..... and the unrighteous, in equal measure" ....... (phew!)

Blessed are the geeks, for they will inherit the earth

[Who knew my Divinity O'level would one day come in handy? 7 years in a Church school and I came out a devout atheist. Tip for anyone with children in a faith school, don't ask the teacher "what if it's just a book?" it doesn't go down well. M.]

ed110220

From a little while ago, but in case anyone missed it Vietnam recently abandoned plans to build its first nuclear power plants as it deemed them uneconomic compared with other sources of electricity.

https://cleantechnica.com/2016/11/24/vietnam-dumps-nuclear-power-plans-due-costs-doubling/

Martyn1981

I didn't think we'd get to this point so fast.

100% renewable energy system cheapest for South America

The study looked at the costs for electricity in a 100% renewable energy system in South America, and found that it would range between EUR 47 to 62 per MWh, while other options, including new nuclear and carbon capture and storage, would cost between 75-150% higher for the electricity.

Interestingly, the renewable energy source that would come out on top in this forecasted system is solar PV, by quite some way. In fact, the study forecasted that solar PV would make up 415 GW of the 688 GW required for a 100% renewable system, which is approximately 60%, and significantly higher than hydro dams that would make up 144GW, and wind that would account for 69 GW.

michaels

Only the BBC could see us procuring stand-by power supplies using battery storage 40% more cheaply than building new gas powered power stations as being a bad thing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38263177

Martyn1981

I'll be honest I couldn't quite work out where that article was going. Perhaps it's down to my lack of understanding.

I have found a couple more articles (saying similar) today. From which, overall, I take it storage and batteries are being seen in a more favourable light going forwards.

‘Considerable confidence’ in UK storage projects as they win 15-year contracts

Speaking to Energy Storage News this morning, Anthony Price, director of the UK’s Electricity Storage Network, said the results showed a step-change in confidence in the technology.

“There was no reason why storage could not participate in the long term contracts [but] some folk in the industry didn't feel necessarily comfortable [that] storage technologies had matured sufficiently.

“But with significant changes that have taken place in the industry over the last couple of years, I think that a number of providers have become more comfortable with the idea of storage taking part,” he said.

Storage secures 3.2GW of Capacity Market contracts in auction success

Martyn1981

Ecotricity named one of the ‘most disruptive’ companies in Britain by Sunday Times

Ecotricity has been named among the top ten disruptive companies in Britain for its work in developing the Electric Highway and its upcoming investment in the country’s first green gas mill.

The inaugural Virgin Media Business Disruptor 10 has been released as part of the 20th anniversary edition of the Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100.

It recognises companies for having a business model, product or service that is creating a new market, or transforming existing markets and rapidly taking market share from its competitors.

Ecotricity was selected as “the world’s first green energy supplier with an electric highway”, referring to its network of high-speed electric vehicle chargers.

Martyn1981

New wind energy record - an early Christmas clean energy bonus

Spoiler alert - it briefly hit 10GW and 23% of UK leccy demand.

theboylard

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37902773