Electric cars and the grid..... it has begun.

[pint]

Wind has all but completely off-set coal. It’s been a successful demonstration. Now we can proceed to replace gas.

coal was replaced by gas (and France) not wind, biomass finished off any remaining coal.

that's clear to see on the national grid website

 

[brewdexta]

Several gas powerstations went bust recently because they don't get paid much when the wind is blowing but are then expected to step up when needed.

Which proves that privatising power production is cobblers. As is all these power companies supplying energy over the same wires/pipes with loads of tariffs, creating an artificial market that doesn't server the consumer.

 

[daleyd]

It is totally wrong to link the price to gas - they did that because gas USED to be cheap.
The problem remains that wind is unreliable. We need electric all the time not just when it's windy. Several gas powerstations went bust recently because they don't get paid muchwhen the wind is blowing but are then expected to step up when needed. Wind farms are still paid no matter what.

No they didn't it's always been linked to gas due to gas being the energy source used to balance the grid - it's the first energy source they turn off when other stuff takes up demand, nothing to do with it being cheap or expensive, it's just that currently it's expensive so it has a knock on effect with prices.

We are also told we need to move away from gas. Currently we can us gas ALL the time, or we can choose to ramp gas down when the wind blows, thus getting ~ a third of our needs annually from a source that is not gas.

I really can't understand that you are in agreement that we can't carry on using loads of gas, but a solution that reduces our need for this is somehow unpalatable for you. It's a valid point that it's intermittent but we have no alternative sitting there waiting to take it's place, nuclear is great but it's years away and comes with it's own set of problems. You can wave your hand and magically pretend these problems don't exist but unfortunately they do.

You don't need to tell us every time it's not windy that there's no electricity provided by wind - everyone knows that.

 

[minimutly]

Which proves that privatising power production is cobblers. As is all these power companies supplying energy over the same wires/pipes with loads of tariffs, creating an artificial market that doesn't server the consumer.

The bit that’s wrong - doesn’t serve the customer - as you say, is that the suppliers aren’t forced to produce the same product - so you could compare like for like easily and accurately. Sure, the distribution costs would vary by supply size and location, nothing you could do about that.
It’s a bit like the car insurance market - cloudy.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I think we're probably done with this thread now, it's just become 80 pages of regurgitated drivel and will just keep going round and round in circles.
Mind the doors........