Renewable Energy Discussion thread

[SV650rules]

Large battery fire in Arizona 2019, Lithium fires are very nasty with really toxic fumes, even a car battery fire is a real problem for firefighters, with full respirator gear needed, and at 400 volts on car batteries ( a lot more on grid storage ) there is a real danger of electrocution.

https://www.solarpowerworldonline.co...re-in-arizona/

[DJ123]

With the amount of mining needed to procure all the ingredients to create a Battery, you're on a level playing field with the CO2 output. Currently the EV equivalent produces 10 tons more just to create it - so it needs to have a longer life to offset the initial debt before it is even Carbon neutral, let alone Carbon Negative.

[SV650rules]

Originally Posted by DJ123

With the amount of mining needed to procure all the ingredients to create a Battery, you're on a level playing field with the CO2 output. Currently the EV equivalent produces 10 tons more just to create it - so it needs to have a longer life to offset the initial debt before it is even Carbon neutral, let alone Carbon Negative.

I agree, but the greenies want you to ignore the messy details and focus on the 'zero emissions' from the car on the road ( without worrying about all the emissions needed to build the car and the fans on sticks and solar panels made of toxic substances ). The greenies don't like us using energy, have a goal to make energy expensive so that we cannot afford to use much, given their way the greenies would have us all back in the stone age. Electric vehicles with their rare earth elements make us more reliant on places like China, which cannot be good given Chinese record on democracy and human rights.

[Dave20046]

I noticed there was warnings of disruption to grid supply this evening (London/South England). No idea of the cause or circumstances , obviously I don't think it's due to e-vehicles but I am wondering how/why it came about and if it undermines their previous announcements about being ready for e-vehicles and having enough to go round.

[SV650rules]

Originally Posted by Dave20046

I noticed there was warnings of disruption to grid supply this evening (London/South England). No idea of the cause or circumstances , obviously I don't think it's due to e-vehicles but I am wondering how/why it came about and if it undermines their previous announcements about being ready for e-vehicles and having enough to go round.

If you think we are ready for EV look at this site, and look at historical data. The fans on sticks have been contributing nothing of substance to the grid ( about 5 or 6% ) - solar nothing, even the few remaining coal fired stations been contributing more than wind and solar combined - the output of renewables is highly variable and during the coldest spell we have had for a while, with high demand for electricity have provided very little, even the cables from France and Belgium have been flat out.

http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

[DJ123]

Originally Posted by Dave20046

I noticed there was warnings of disruption to grid supply this evening (London/South England). No idea of the cause or circumstances , obviously I don't think it's due to e-vehicles but I am wondering how/why it came about and if it undermines their previous announcements about being ready for e-vehicles and having enough to go round.

Brexit. France turned the power off whilst they added the tariff charges to it

[svenrico]

Originally Posted by Dave20046

I noticed there was warnings of disruption to grid supply this evening (London/South England). No idea of the cause or circumstances , obviously I don't think it's due to e-vehicles but I am wondering how/why it came about and if it undermines their previous announcements about being ready for e-vehicles and having enough to go round.

Weather!

[Seeker]

The National Grid warnings are issued because the electricity reserve margins are too low and it's basically a request for more power to be input to the grid (usually by starting up more gas turbines), it doesn't mean there will be a blackout unless the turbines didn't come on line.
The grid is a bit unbalanced at the moment because new wind farms are coming on line faster than the grid can support them. New interconnectors are needed to transfer power from the north of the UK to the south and a new interconnector has just been approved to connect Shetland to Scotland (and thus the grid).

Like them or loathe them, wind turbines are here to stay as are solar farms but they're not a complete solution unless mass storage is feasible. Here's an article on small nuclear reactors which might make more sense than the expensive French/Chinese debacle currently being built at Hinkley Point:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/sci...lear-reactors/

[SV650rules]

Originally Posted by Seeker

The National Grid warnings are issued because the electricity reserve margins are too low and it's basically a request for more power to be input to the grid (usually by starting up more gas turbines), it doesn't mean there will be a blackout unless the turbines didn't come on line.
The grid is a bit unbalanced at the moment because new wind farms are coming on line faster than the grid can support them. New interconnectors are needed to transfer power from the north of the UK to the south and a new interconnector has just been approved to connect Shetland to Scotland (and thus the grid).

Wind has been non-existant during weeks of cold weather during last months, grid storage normally means hours not days or weeks, try storing enough to supply 45GW for up to 7 days...

Funny how solar has been absent from grid many times during our coldest times, Oh its Winter in UK, short days and cloudy - seems we will get power from solar when we need it least ( unless it is to keep air conditioning running in our very hot summers ). Oh and windfarms get paid more for not generating ----- WTF

https://www.power-technology.com/fea...switching-off/

[Seeker]

Originally Posted by SV650rules

Wind has been non-existant during weeks of cold weather during last months, grid storage normally means hours not days or weeks, try storing enough to supply 45GW for up to 7 days...

Funny how solar has been absent from grid many times during our coldest times, Oh its Winter in UK, short days and cloudy - seems we will get power from solar when we need it least ( unless it is to keep air conditioning running in our very hot summers ). Oh and windfarms get paid more for not generating ----- WTF

https://www.power-technology.com/fea...switching-off/

yes, we accept you're a fossil fuel fan but it's simply not sustainable. Are the Tories doing a good job, do they have a sensible energy policy? Absolutely not.

Is switching to low carbon power going to be a flawless, inexpensive transition? No. Should we stop because better things may come along? No.

You criticise wind power and sometimes with valid points but you don't mention things like this:
https://www.theguardian.com/environm...carbon-sources

Yes, the article has flaws, I for one cannot believe that burning wood chips from North America qualifies as carbon neutral no matter how much Drax tries to spin it. We are limping in the right direction though, imho