Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

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  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    Wind is doing well today, and coal is at zero again.

    Live generation data from the Great Britain electricity grid

    as at 1.17pm we have coal at zero, gas at 10.4GW, nuclear at 6.7GW, wind at 12.5GW, and solar at 5.3GW.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • silverwhistle
    silverwhistle Posts: 3,776
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    as at 1.17pm we have coal at zero, gas at 10.4GW, nuclear at 6.7GW, wind at 12.5GW, and solar at 5.3GW

    and a full tank of hot water stored in my immersion tank. How much solar and wind is embedded and not recorded?
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    and a full tank of hot water stored in my immersion tank. How much solar and wind is embedded and not recorded?

    On that site, all wind and solar is shown. The embedded wind is estimated, and according to Gridwatch, which doesn't show it, you need to add another 30%. As far as I'm aware, all PV is embedded, that's to say it's on the 'low voltage grid', the Distribution Network, not the high voltage grid, transmission grid, managed by The National Grid.

    The embedded wind and solar is estimated, but I'd expect it to be pretty accurate as there's enough of both to use averages from the sample sites to estimate the whole.

    Quick look at the two sites and Gridwatch has wind at 6.46GW, so add 30% = 8.4GW, and Energy Numbers has wind at 8.2GW, so reasonably similar.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    Phew! That was close.

    Looks like RE got cheap enough, just soon enough to start heading off Indian thermal generation before it accelerated out of control.

    Net additions of coal are falling, and RE is accelerating. Expect CO2 emissions from India to rise (as their per capita levels are extremely low), but by far, far less than was feared just a few years ago.

    India Added More Solar & Wind In 2017 Than Coal-Based Capacity
    Perhaps for the first time ever, India added more renewable renewable energy capacity in a calendar year than coal-based capacity. One of the fastest growing renewable energy markets achieved this feat last year.

    According to government data, India added 12.8 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity against just 4 gigawatts of net coal-based power capacity added in 2017. Renewable energy dominated the new capacity added in India with a massive share of 66%, up from 42% in 2016. Coal-based power capacity had a share of 21% in the new net capacity added, down from 54% in 2016.


    India Had Coal-Free Power Capacity Addition During 8 Months In 2017
    India probably witnessed the greenest stretch of its power sector last year in terms of new capacity added. No thermal power capacity was added in 8 of the 12 months last year in India.

    India managed to add coal-based power capacity in only 4 of the 12 months last calendar year. In six months, India actually retired coal-based power capacity, leading to a net reduction in installed coal-based capacity during those months. Overall, India added 7,115 megawatts of coal-based power capacity and retired 3,111 megawatts of capacity in 2017 — a net capacity addition of 4,004 megawatts during the entire year.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    A nice brief feel-good story / update.

    Political Shenanigans Got You Down? These 5 Global Trends Are Positively Changing The World Right Now
    Reading, seeing, watching, or listening to what passes off as news these days can inevitably bring a sense of doom, uncertainty, and fear (FUD) that some politicians love to bathe in to justify their middlemen role and push whatever pet project they have for their business buddies. But there is also good quality news out there if you let independent journalists communicate what they know best, fields they master for the purpose of bringing more light to important matters.

    5 Trends That Will Give You Faith In Humanity
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    This is a good read, it shows how much more we need to do, but there are lots of benefits. We certainly need to start moving away from FF's as fast as possible now.

    IRENA: Renewables can account for up to two-thirds of total energy use, and 85% of power generation by 2050
    Meanwhile, procrastination to embark on energy transformation is seen as the key risk, and early action to channel investments in the right energy technologies is believed to be critical to reduce the scale of stranded assets.

    The roadmap currently anticipates up to $11 trillion of stranded energy assets by 2050 !!!8211; a value that could double if action is further delayed.
    Costs, investments, jobs

    Clearly, energy transformation would be cost intensive, but savings from reduced air pollution, better health and lower environmental damage would far outweigh these costs.

    According to IRENA, the additional costs of the comprehensive, long-term energy transition would amount to $1.7 trillion annually in 2050, while savings in these three areas alone would average $6 trillion annually by 2050.
    Another key benefit of the energy transition would be the employment boost in the energy sector. The report finds that while 7.4 million jobs in fossil fuels will be lost by 2050, 19 million new jobs will be created in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and grid enhancement and energy flexibility, for a net gain of 11.6 million jobs.

    !!!8220;Transformation will not only support climate objectives, it will support positive social and economic outcomes all over the world, lifting millions out of energy poverty, increasing energy independence and stimulating sustainable job growth,!!!8221; said Amin, addressing the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • GreatApe
    GreatApe Posts: 4,452 Forumite
    The jobs argument is an easy one

    If the renewables cost more there will be more jobs if the renewables cost less there will be fewer jobs.

    Seeing as how the argument is that solar and wind is going to undercut coal and gas that can't be true alongside more jobs.

    Basically the claim of more jobs + cheaper energy can't add up.
  • Exiled_Tyke
    Exiled_Tyke Posts: 1,186
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    GreatApe wrote: »
    The jobs argument is an easy one

    If the renewables cost more there will be more jobs if the renewables cost less there will be fewer jobs.

    Seeing as how the argument is that solar and wind is going to undercut coal and gas that can't be true alongside more jobs.

    Basically the claim of more jobs + cheaper energy can't add up.

    Yes it can. With RE a larger proportion of the jobs are involved with creating generating capability: assets for the long term. So when the consumer spends money in the RE their money goes towards long term generation. With coal production a larger proportion of the jobs are extracting to consumable itself: the coal. So consumers have to continually buy to suffice their need.

    But again we digress. Martyn's post wasn't about RE v coal, merely pointing out that as jobs in the coal sector are going RE is creating some. We don't want to get drawn into a debate on this again when the board is for Green Energy in the news,
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  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    Yes it can. With RE a larger proportion of the jobs are involved with creating generating capability: assets for the long term. So when the consumer spends money in the RE their money goes towards long term generation. With coal production a larger proportion of the jobs are extracting to consumable itself: the coal. So consumers have to continually buy to suffice their need.

    But again we digress. Martyn's post wasn't about RE v coal, merely pointing out that as jobs in the coal sector are going RE is creating some. We don't want to get drawn into a debate on this again when the board is for Green Energy in the news,

    Yep, I think you've nailed it. For energy (and everything else) there are two costs:
    CAPEX (capital expenditure) - to build the thing.
    OPEX (operating expenditure) - to run the thing.

    RE generation has very high CAPEX, as a lot of money and labour, goes into building and installing them (nuclear is similar). But RE then has low OPEX as the fuel is 'free'.*

    For coal, gas etc, the OPEX is high, with fuel representing the majority of the unit cost, but interestingly, the fuel source doesn't provide that many jobs as it's highly mechanised.

    So one of the biggest pluses for RE is the fact that it is highly labour intensive, and as the article clearly points out, means a net increase in employment, which is good news, great news, unless you work for the FF industry.

    *Whilst RE has a generic 'low OPEX', it still differs between technologies, so wind has far greater maintenance costs than PV, but wind also has a higher capacity factor / load factor, hence why per MWh costs come out similar(ish).
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    Just to say that coal is back. Did anyone notice it was gone?

    It's now generating 0.3GW, but the UK no-coal record of 40hrs 40mins was beaten this week with a no-coal period of 54hrs 50mins.

    Great news.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
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