Energy news in general

Evan3020

Some of the Dinosaurs would have seen the comet/asteroid months before it hit but why worry about what you can't change.
The end of the Dinosaurs was our chance, when we are gone it will be another species time.

doodling

Hi,

The problem is that the alternative to nuclear at the moment is gas.

As nuclear has the smaller environmental footprint then it makes sense to go for it.  Not to mention the current cost / availability / political issues associated with gas (which will probably get worse as scarcity increases, irrespective of the machinations of Russia).

If you think the answer is something other than those two then make sure that that it takes into account dark winter nights when the wind isn't blowing (and hasn't been for a fortnight).  If you think that energy storage is the answer then please do provide an estimate of how big that storage would be and what technology it will use.

Evan3020

No single type of generation is a total solution but that does not mean they are of no use.

gt94sss2

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/aug/08/uk-braces-for-even-higher-bills-as-norway-threatens-electricity-export-cut

The_Green_Hornet

gt94sss2 said:

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/aug/08/uk-braces-for-even-higher-bills-as-norway-threatens-electricity-export-cut

As usual for the Guardian the headline doesn't match the details.

"This results in historically high electricity prices and a situation where, for the first time in many years, we cannot completely rule out a period of electricity rationing in the spring. But our professional authorities emphasise that the probability of this is low.”

MattMattMattUK

Evan3020 said:

If they had continued with project Apollo instead of switching to the space shuttle we would already  have colonies on Mars and the Moon.
We should be a 3 planet species.

The moon is a satellite not a planet, no other planet in the solar system is even close to being colonisable apart from Mars with 60s/70s technology and even with current technology it is barely colonisable and would require trillions to sustain even a relatively small colony, any colony would be decades away from even basic levels of self sufficiency. 

Starship launch costs would make it just about possible to colonise Mars over the next 10-20 years, the moon within ten, but both will still cost hundreds of billions, ultimately reaching trillions and again would still not be able to survive without regular resupply from Earth.

Evan3020 said:

Nothing is going to happen in that timescale.
Anyway i am the one advocating no new nuclear.
I am all for switching to renewables.
I just refuse to worry.

Nuclear is pretty much the only viable option in the short to medium term, the only long term viable options are nuclear combined with fusion, if we ever get that working properly. Renewables have a part to play, but the reality is that in most of the world nuclear is going to be needed for at least 50% of power and likely far more. Near the equator solar can play an important part, but ultimately that will be focused solar thermal, not PV. The UK could be almost entirely energy independent in the next 15 years with nuclear, producing all required energy for residential, industry and domestic travel in a carbon neutral way, at less than half of current supply costs, with no issues of intermittent supply.

Evan3020

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/SMART-1/Moon_Welcome_to_the_double_planet

Evan3020

John Young was a "profound believer that humanity should be a multi-planet species," Chaikin said. He used to talk about how if we stay on this planet for too long, something's going to get us, whether it was a super volcano or whatever. He really was a true believer."

GingerTim

Humanity barely deserves this planet, let alone any others.

Mstty

So what is better?

Vat off energy or remove the green levies.

For me has to be VAT even though that is the lower amount in the consumers pocket.

BBC News - Tory leadership: Do Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak's tax pledges add up?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62122166