The latest Investing Matters Podcast with Jean Roche, Co-Manager of Schroder UK Mid Cap Investment Trust has just been released. Listen here.
Crumbs, that's awful. And also the reports of charger cables being chopped and nicked.
I'd buy a FCEV/Hybrid tomorrow if there was a reasonable infrastructure.
I suspect I'll be waiting a long time so EV customers will only have BEV as the option.
This means my BEV Range Rover will weigh as much as a Ford Lightning or Hummer.
Crumbs, I live in south Dorset and didn't know that.
Ah well, it had no effect on meee aargh so I'm not worried.
Warning: This link contains an unpleasant photo.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/technology/uk-gearing-up-for-energy-boom-as-firms-give-dream-fuel-a-huge-vote-of-confidence/ar-AA15KEcc?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=2fae4d9b969746f6ad0f29ce8ab6519d
Oh yes, I see what you mean.
I had to skim read that as there is only 3 days until Christmas but I get the main points :)
Even the 'Final Conclusion' is 2 pages long.
I agree with the author that people with either a) no brains or, b) a vested interest would either a) keep out or b) declare their interests or bias.
I also agree that the whole choice of energy generation/usage/storage is horses for courses.
Hydrogen has a place in the mix. Anyone who blindly poo-poos it is silly.
And we'll have to accept that things may be more expensive.
The article reminds me of the Tesla Truck/Semi claims by Elon who is a wonderful salesman and preacher.
With all the Musk Fan Boys whooping and clapping every time he mumbles something.
Indeed, Elon is a massive cult but I have to take my hat off to him for vision and enthusiasm.
I would have thought so, assuming identical turbines in identical conditions.
2x (Gen + Excess) = 2xGen + 2xExcess.
Thanks for the link.
I just looked at snapshot:
https://www.energydashboard.co.uk/live
Assuming it is accurate, wind is currently producing about 5GW and, no surprise, solar about 0.5GW. And we're importing ~2GW.
Total generated ~ 40GW. Demand ~ 37GW
Head scratch: it appears we have 3GW excess so why are we importing? Contingency? Contractual? Weather forecast?
Excluding imports, UK nuclear generation is about 6GW.
Let's switch off Nuclear.
On the face of it, right this moment in time, we'd have to (over) double our wind turbines assuming they're all working now. I appreciate location is a factor.
If the wind reduces (looking at UK wind map) we will have to have many more if you don't have lots of storage.
Wind generation is not linearly proportional to wind speed, see here:
https://windroseexcel.com/guides/how-to-compare-wind-speed-vs-wind-power/#:~:text=The%20relationship%20between%20wind%20speed%20and%20wind%20power,is%20vital%20in%20terms%20of%20predicting%20electricity%20produced.
How many day's worth of storage for the low/Zero wind low light winter weeks?
Oh dear, this could turn into a marathon which, I'm sure, many others have done to the nth degree with proper, accurate data.
Yes, it may well be. But I guess if we doubled our wind turbines we'd have extra excess.
I'd better polish my Magic Wand. (Not a euphemism).
I understand what you mean but isn't storage during excess generation the point?
Otherwise you're dragging UK demanded power from the grid which may affect all those electric toys we have and BEV chargers.
If you don't want 24/7 power from nuclear you'll need huge renewable generation capacity and massive storage.
Apart from a recent glitch, our UK grid has demanded large amounts of leccy from France mostly generated by nuclear.
Looking at that report it appears to be very backward looking and not forward planning.
Very worrying.
But what would alternative parties offer?
It's easy for them to moan - like backseat drivers.
It just needs forward thinking politicians right now, a forlorn hope.
I agree with Toneman about the likelihood of importing foreign equipment.
A Company will likely startup and import cheaper Chinese electrolysers and the (whichever colour) Government will change their minds.
I'm old enough to remember the 1980's TV programmes who said UK can take the lead in PV solar panels... yeah right.
One man's opinion... but he has been around a bit:
I have no experience so can't say whether he's right or wrong.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+skillbuilder+ground+source&docid=608054343284457307&mid=7C83DB9536D43A9A5C897C83DB9536D43A9A5C89&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
Crumbs, I knew the install was pricey but I didn't realise the annual costs were so high.
Whilst I have a big garden to support Ground Source pipework I was put off by the amount of equipment and turmoil.
£25k buys me a lot of gas. I'm sure I'm not the only person with that stodgy, but logical, opinion.
I'd investigated air-source H/P and I'm still none the wiser and not convinced.
All I know is that installation quality is hugely significant and there are plenty of get-rich-quick Companies flogging them.
Obviously, if there is a Government subsidy to fit it then the installers will add a few grand to the price to cash in.
They are very serious about 'net zero' :)
And then there's the reports of noise and ice-filled elements requiring an electrical heater to defrost.
I like the idea in principle (being a Physicist) but the practical side is concerning.
I must collar my neighbours who had one fitted 18 months ago for their opinion.
Note: their direct neighbours either side are moaning about the humming noise.
I think we're all going to have to accept that going green-as-possible, especially for retrofit, is going to be expensive.
Thanks, interesting links.
Where can I get accurate information on Lithium reserves in Ukraine?
I looked at 5 search results and got 5 vastly different results.
One from a Russian source which claimed 10x another source.
I realise the Internet is always right but I'm beginning to wonder... it's a conspiracy!
Interesting.
I wonder what the battery status will be like with the projected huge growing demand?
E.G. supplies from "uncertain" sources, questionable mining practices in places etc.
I find the battery obsession, sorry, demand graphs concerning.
If we buy battery materials or batteries we don't want to be stuck with a single supply from an uncertain source.
Surely we have learnt from the recent lessons of being held to ransom on oil & gas?
You never know, this might concentrate the minds onto Hydrogen and other things that we have a lot of.
They could start with all the hot air generated in Parliament.
My farm will remain safe.
Maybe copy the Saudis and sell it to China?
I was just looking at this and seeing the renewable shortfall.
https://www.energydashboard.co.uk/live
Half a bucket of U-235 should sort that :) (24GWh / kg)
Oh fair enough, forgive the Newbie.
Big numbers aren't they :)
I agree, storage is crucial.
It would be vaguely interesting to work out how many tonnes of hydrogen (for example) we'd need to store for UK winter when the sun don't shine and the wind don't blow hard enough. Like right now and the past 4 days in dull, still Dorset.
Let's say 2 week's worth; ~65 TWh based on Wiki (2021). That's based on annual average, so 2 weeks in winter would be much more. And, it might be a lot more for contingency.
Then work out how much generated electrical energy is required (over a period in the good times) to produce that amount of hydrogen with ITM's electrolyser @x% efficiency.
I don't know the state of play for converting the hydrogen into electricity as I suspect the idea of Fuel Cells for 24/7/365 generation of GW is unlikely.
Possibly gas/steam turbine gen set.
Undoubtedly, there will be a mix of storage methods as described in that Youtube link I provided.
And I would assume, in practice, the storage type would be chosen based on location/geography/connectivity.
Apart from a recent glitch we import quite a lot of electricity from France.
I would imagine, in the real world, it's hard to ignore the case for nuclear generation as a contributor maybe for the next 50 years.
Fusion has been "20 years away" for the last 50 years.
The laser method has indicated nuclear fusion in a speck sized object.
It'll go quiet for another 10 years.
I can't see what's wrong with people experimenting with different forms of energy production though.
I support it, as I support the work into energy storage from renewable/green(ish) generation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8xsg9iK5yo