Here is Clear Proof That Renewables Won't Save Us in Winter.

 

Courtesy of GridWatch: Go look at their website

Just look at this. The coldest day of the winter so far. Look at that huge swath of Orange as Gas supplies the bulk of the load on the electrical grid. 70% of UK grid energy being produced by gas. 

Being a day influenced by low pressure, there is no wind. Also cloud cover has killed solar production. 

The eco-loons always counter this by saying that the wind will be blowing in at least one part of the country. But, wherever that sliver of the UK is, it needs to be plastered in wind turbines to produce anywhere near the capacity for the rest of the nation. The grey nuclear bar is also helping keep up with demand and I see what is left of our coal-fired production capacity is doing its bit too.

The two things that are not are wind and solar.

If any diagram shows the strategic requirement for gas, this is it. We need to be producing a lot more of it within our own borders. And we need to do it quickly. We need to be syphoning those flares off on oil fields, we need to be sucking the methane out of old landfills. We need to be fracking too. We need as much gas as we can get.

It also shows the lunacy behind the closure and destruction of the coal-fired power stations, unable as they are to contribute meaningfully to electricity demand. 

Can we just put to bed the idea that renewables will produce anywhere near the capacity the UK needs? 

It's a fallacy, an illusion, a pipe-dream. 

Can someone with some sense take charge of our energy policy, PLEASE?

Gas Consumption Even Worse Yesterday.

 

Courtesy of GridWatch: Go look at their website

How did we do on the first really cold day nationwide?

Well, here's yesterday's energy chart. Solar is limited (as it always is in the UK in Winter) to a small contribution for a limited amount of time. Wind has reduced to about 10% of energy production and gas is up to 60% at the end of the day. Considering the number of offshore wind farms that blight the horizon and provide hazards to shipping off our coast, you'd think it would be more. But renewables.

Nuclear, the grey smudge at the bottom is helping. Coal (in black) started strong in the morning considering we only have a handful of stations left and contributed throughout the day. 

Interesting is the pink smudge in the evening. That's us supplying energy to France.

Don't forrget this is only electricity production. Direct burning of gas in boilers is not counted. This is Gridwatch's data, so this is electrical energy on the grid for the day.

That's a heck of a lot of very expensive gas....

How's Those Renewables Working Out This Winter?

 Here is the graph:

Courtesy of GridWatch: Go look at their website

See that big swath of Orange? All Day? That's gas fired generation plants. 

At the top of the graph is a sliver of black. Guess what? That's coal, baby!

See that little streak of Yellow that lasts about 4 hours? That's winter solar in the UK. Fucking Useless.

At least the Turquioise band representing wind is contributing something. But only about 15% of the daily total.

That's why our energy costs are so high. 

It started with Thatcher, but the governments after her did this. They made us hostage to world energy prices. They made us reliant in a big way on gas.

Way to go.