Are we being forced to go electric?

[Gunk]

Reading through the thread I am wondering how on Earth wind energy is clean energy. Surely, at best, it can only be relatively clean energy with all the construction materials and human activity needed to build the whirly things.

The irony is that it’s not clean, most people are unaware that there a number of huge gas powered generators across the country which trip in when the solar and wind power do not produce enough electricity at peak times.

 

[Gunk]

Any of you given any thought to the service industry?
We all want mobile phones, electricity etc who fixes and maintains the infrastructure do you think?

Maintenance engineers that's who, how do you think they get from site to site and what alternative is there, an engineer employed local to every site on standby?

Some lads I know will take 2 days travelling to the Highlands to fix a fault but that's the world we live in, can't have it all.

I can’t do my job without a car.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

The irony is that it’s not clean, most people are unaware that there a number of huge gas powered generators across the country which trip in when the solar and wind power do not produce enough electricity at peak times.

It's worse, as they're not all gas, some are diesel. They're effectively old train engines parked near a sub station. I doubt they get counted in any CO2 inventory.

You can add in the lost farmland, and infrastructure for cables and haul roads to that too. I also doubt many have the decommissioning factored in.

 

[Gunk]

It's worse, as they're not all gas, some are diesel. They're effectively old train engines parked near a sub station. I doubt they get counted in any CO2 inventory.

You’re right, some are train engines converted to run on gas, I know a chap who maintains them.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

You’re right, some are train engines converted to run on gas, I know a chap who maintains them.

Not all run on gas, some are still diesel, or worse.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I’ve said elsewhere just build some more nuclear power stations and be done with it

 

[mistyoptic]

Not all run on gas, some are still diesel, or worse.

Remember going on a tour of Trawsfynnydd nuclear power station years ago. They showed us the power plant from an HS125 which was their backup

 

[Arrowfoot]

With the cost of petrol/diesel going up by the day and now teaching £1.50 a litre, I wonder if it is a conspiracy by the automotive industry and the government to force us to buy electric cars?

It more to do with market forces. The fossil fuel industry are less likely to invest on new reserves and extraction methods when the agenda around the World is on renewables and penalties are high on carbon emission.

There will come a time when petrol stations are few and far between, prices become higher. Still early though but when the momentum picks up, it will move fast. For the time being, it will go up and down with cartel movements but overall, it will slowly trend upwards.

Btw the recent fuel delivery / driver shortage issue is not driving fuel cost. Fuel prices are going up around the world.

 

[Arrowfoot]

I’ve said elsewhere just build some more nuclear power stations and be done with it

It will come to that.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

It will come to that.

Or better still Fusion - once that's solved I can't imagine a world short of power.

Edited as I had typed Fission instead of Fusion - dopey me!

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Taxi from North Wales to Devon?

How about
taxi to main line train station
train to Devon on a decent rail system
taxi to accommodation - or a hired electric car if you need to be mobile??

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Or better still Fission - once that's solved I can't imagine a world short of power.

Fission is what we currently have. Think you mean fusion.

 

[Alex321]

Or better still Fission - once that's solved I can't imagine a world short of power.

You mean Fusion. Fission is what we have now for nuclear power stations.

 

[classic33]

How about
taxi to main line train station
train to Devon on a decent rail system
taxi to accommodation - or a hired electric car if you need to be mobile??

Possible, but how many trains in the early hours?

 

[cougie uk]

Possible, but how many trains in the early hours?

What would have happened 50 years ago ?
What would happen if you'd had a drink that night ?

Yes yes we all know cars are convenient but we've managed to live without for centuries without them. Times change. Humans can adapt.