Monday 11 October 2021

The great energy awakening

I saw a SUN leader today which urged the government to cut the excessive green taxes that we face in the near future, apparently as Italy and Spain are already doing. 

At last perhaps, after many years of eco-loons parading their virtues for all to see, there maybe the slow realisation that the fantasies of the greenies have no bearing on reality. China, whence our Xmas presents are to be made, is currently suffering from extreme power shortages with factories closed. This will at least give a chance to catch-up on supply chain issues, but is both unlikely to reduce prices as scarcity increases and also, umm, involves them lobbing another few billion tons of coal into their power system. 

As such, our efforts of our own pale into insignificance. And the ultimate victim must come in the form of "Net Zero 2050."

This plan, indeed law thanks to a virtue signalling parliament, has no basis in reality whatsoever, the technologies to make it happen do not exist nor the political will to build the nuclear baseload we would need.

But the biggest piece in buy-in, to change peoples' lives so radically you would need their support. Yes lots of people emote about green issues but as we know, most still drive diesel cars. They expect someone else to do something. In this case, it will start to impact everyone from now on, which I personally think is a huge vote loser and so will come upon more stringent scrutiny in the future. 

26 comments:

lilith said...

"huge vote loser" You are a funny guy Mr Unslicker. I think that moment passed...

Does Mr Drew have any recommendations? Battery storage, camping solar or a petrol genny? Perhaps all three?

My supplier proudly tells me my leccy is 100% green. There's no option for 100% mined/drilled sadly or I'd have picked it.

CityUnslicker said...

Indeed Lilith that time passed...when there was no consequence for saying save the polar bears. Now that the costs of the stance become apparent, I think a change in direction may come into play....my predictions are famously bad though I accept!

E-K said...

I had my first ride in an electric taxi. Impressive.

The driver tells me that there are virtually no places to charge it up on his circuit. He doesn't have a drive. He relies on a fast charger at a supermarket but most are low voltage chargers which (though free) result in the driver incurring a private parking penalty because the time needed exceeds the supermarket's stay.

He often has to queue behind several other drivers waiting at the charging point.

We are nowhere near ready for this - if many more people go electric there will be many more bottlenecks in the system.

Boris is a fantasist.

E-K said...

PS, Andrew Neil said "Boris presented a menu without the prices on it. Now you've got the bill how did you like your meal ?"

Nick Drew said...

@ My supplier proudly tells me my leccy is 100% green

Yours and many others', so, since these suppliers clearly don't depend on gas on coal, ask them why their prices are going up too ...

funny, that

Nick Drew said...

The de facto strategy (all nations) seems to be:

- fart around pretending to do whatever virtue-signalling seems to be required 'by popular demand' at any given time

- back-fill the resulting shortages with whatever panic measures are needed, propelled by another kind of 'popular demand' that will not be too picky as to what they are

tough shit, Greta: sorry, but you had it coming

Nick Drew said...

PS, I would be genuinely grateful if any reader can link me to an online answer from a supplier to that question above: if your f*****g electricity only comes from renewables, how coming your sodding price is going up like everyone else's?

Matt said...

I would think that 100% green comes with a large asterisk on the end that takes you to some tiny print explaining that it's all gas & coal but with some trees planted to offset it.

Scrobs. said...

Lils, can you please ask Elby to re-post his excellent piece about the cost of making a turbine, and the waste that goes into it all, and shows that the eventual life of the kit costs more than the savings, and that the net contribution to 'green' energy is negligible!

I'd like to ask him personally of course, but I've lost your address!

Much love, Scrobs x

(p.s. Nick, this can help you answer your question about dis-newables)!

Anonymous said...

Nick - It's a question that's bothered me for a while - pretty much every energy company states you'll be on a a tariff that's a 100% green/renewable electricity.
(side note - I assume green in this instance does include nuclear)

I know the company I work with has long term PPA's with wind and solar companies to ensure we have 100% green electricity to supply all of our locations (over 1000, most running 24/7 - so a decent requirement).

I assume every other medium large company, given they are now all woke, will probably be doing the same.

So if near enough everyone has agreed to receive 100% green energy where is it all coming from?

I sense if this were audited it'd be discovered as one huge con - but that's probably true for most things green.

Elby the Beserk said...

California ban the purchase of standalone generators..

Welcome to the future.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/california-law-eventually-ban-gas-powered-lawn-equipment-80500839

Scrobs.

Lots of links on the insanity of NetZero; can't recall the specific article you mention, but I'll scan my bookmarks.

Three of these links, I think) (maybe all four) link to PDF reports by various folk who know their field. I've saved all, and printed them off. Sent them to my MP. Response was there none.

And finally, what fun on the Covid front. We now know that the vaccines various neither stop you getting Covid, or indeed, passing it on. Ergo a vaccine passport is by definition discriminatory, as the great unjabbed present no more threat then the jab, maybe less, as there is some evidence for asymptomatic evidence amongst the jabbed.

Still I have weaselled out of our local medical practice that they WILL let you in without a mask by prior arrangement, by a side door. Noted there are various studies that show masks are a) ineffective and b) not good for your health. Me? Well if anyone speaks to me masked I can't hear them and tell them so. We're past caring and will refuse to observe any further lockdowns or whatever.

https://www.netzerowatch.com/britains-electric-car-strategy-is-doomed-to-failure/

https://www.thegwpf.org/publications/net-zero-every-urban-street-and-front-drive-will-be-dug-up/

https://www.netzerowatch.com/new-paper-decarbonisation-plans-fail-engineering-reality-chec

https://www.netzerowatch.com/gwpf-welcomes-recognition-public-has-been-misled-over-net-zero-costs/

Suspect this is the article you wanted, from dear old Anthony Watts WUWT site, a daily visit for me

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/09/26/wind-turbines-generate-mountains-of-waste/

https://stopthesethings.com/2017/08/10/wind-industrys-dirty-little-secret-turbines-to-generate-40-million-tonnes-of-toxic-waste/

And of course, building more and more turbines means

1. Even more horrendous pollution (and disease) from the mining of the rare metals required.

2. Massive increase in CO2 emissions to create the steel for these turbines - steel of course still requires coking coal.

3. Massive increase in need for concrete for the plinths. Concrete/Cement account for 10% to 20% (according to sources various) of global CO2 emission.

It seems to me the the base ideology at the heart of this is - in order to save the planet, we must destroy it. AKA, that old core dogma of totalitarianism - the ends justify the means.

Other fun items.

https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2021/09/29/add-another-2500-to-that-heat-pump-bill/

Heat Pumps require old form wider copper pipes. Any houses with the now standard microbore pipes will need a complete replacement.

"The issue is said to be that many houses built since the Seventies were fitted with microbore central heating pipework.

This means the diameter of the pipes is less than 15mm, typically eight or 10mm, while technologies such as heat pumps require a diameter of at least 22mm.

Microbore became highly popular in the new-build market for central heating installations as it was cost-effective and easier to install due to its smaller size.

But because the pipework is largely hidden from view under the floorboards, a replacement can reportedly be expensive and highly disruptive."

Not to mention Hydrogen, today's great renewable hope...

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/17/gas-only-boilers-face-2026-ban-race-hit-hydrogen-target/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2020/06/06/estimating-the-carbon-footprint-of-hydrogen-production/

Elby the Beserk said...

Blogger E-K said...
I had my first ride in an electric taxi. Impressive.

The driver tells me that there are virtually no places to charge it up on his circuit. He doesn't have a drive. He relies on a fast charger at a supermarket but most are low voltage chargers which (though free) result in the driver incurring a private parking penalty because the time needed exceeds the supermarket's stay.
7:14pm
==================================================

Free? Nope, you and I are paying for it.

And they've discovered that fast charging significantly reduces battery life. Shame we can't recycle them eh?

Graeme said...

You talk about losing votes but, for the voter, is there a party that does not kowtow to the green nonsense? How many MPs voted against the ridiculous, nonsensical Climate Change Act?

Graeme said...

I looked it up: in 2008, there were only 5 rational MPs

dearieme said...

Apparently in the US there is - or will be - a hybrid Ford "truck" (i.e. pick-up) which lets you use it as a generator that you can run your house off temporarily.

I wonder if you can buy a version with an especially big fuel tank.

Scrobs. said...

Many thanks Elby, that's plenty to go on!

As our electricity bill has gone up by nearly 50%, I'm burning all the wood I can find now!

Anonymous said...

I note many of the links include statements like "if we converted all the cars in Britain to electricity, we would need [insert impossible innovation of your choice here]..."

These people are missing the point. There's no intention of converting all the cars in Britain. The intention is that come the Brave New Green World, only those and such as those (you know who they are) will have access to private transport. The rest of us can wait for the bus.

andrew said...

@ matt 8.37
100% green...

In the local newspaper bristol airport declared it was carbon neutral

Apart from the planes people fly on
And the buses that people use to get there
And the cars people use to park in their extortionate carparks
Etc
Etc


andrew said...

In the same way i am carbon neutral apart from everything i do.

E-K said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
E-K said...

Elby - Look at the many YouTube videos "Vaping in a mask". Most masks are pretty useless - and this is before we even consider particles smaller than vapour.

I suggest you look at the ones where the vlogger takes the vape directly in the mouth and not through the mask before exhaling as this would be more realistic if they had Covid.

hovis said...

talking of masks E-K: interesting isn't it how everyone is green and wants to bann plastic straws and all until they get scared witless by Govt. propaganda promoting a superstition, (which also happens to be a reinforcing social compliance technique) that a cloth and plastic "disposable" masks stop viral infections. hey presto massive waste, pollution and grot.

Could we not just burn useless discarded masks in place of biomass?

Elby the Beserk said...

"Anonymous said...
I note many of the links include statements like "if we converted all the cars in Britain to electricity, we would need [insert impossible innovation of your choice here]..."

These people are missing the point. There's no intention of converting all the cars in Britain. The intention is that come the Brave New Green World, only those and such as those (you know who they are) will have access to private transport. The rest of us can wait for the bus.

12:56 pm
---------------------------------------------------

One every two hours weekdays in our neck of the woods... none on Sundays, reduced Saturdays. On yer bike is what it means for us.

Elby the Beserk said...

hovis said...

Could we not just burn useless discarded masks in place of biomass?

9:21 pm
=======================================================

A Bonfire of the Politicians would be far more satisfying.

tolkein said...

With nuclear, and green hydrogen plus renewables - I'm betting we will find better batteries or another tech solution - why not?

Anonymous said...

Looks like it's time to start stabbing people in the neck.