Record year for renewable energy as low carbon sources top 52pc

[JohnAtronis + 78]

UK Government’s bet on subsidizing renewable energy power has already halved the carbon emissions from the power generation industry over the past five years.

The boom in solar panels and wind turbines also led to the first full 24 hour day without coal-power since the Industrial Revolution.

Solar power reached a fresh record by making up a quarter of Britain’s electricity supply on Friday May 26 at 8.9GW, while wind turbines set a new record on Dec 7. Overall, renewable energy reached its highest total output level at 19.2GW in late March.

[Stephen + 67]

yes, good thing on paper. But dont forget how much all of this is costing:

https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2017/11/23/climate-policies-to-cost-66bn-in-next-five-years/

 

[Joanna + 68]

But how many MegaWatt hours did renewables contribute over the whole of 2017 and as a percentage of the total electrical energy consumption for the year? Now that would be interesting to know.

[JohnAtronis + 78]

According to government figures for 2016 total electrical energy production was 338.6 TWh. Renewables was 82.8 TWh - about 25%.

So yes, we still need thermal.

[Meanwhile + 49]

we cannot rely on wind and sun power and have to have a backup all the time.

[JohnAtronis + 78]

4 minutes ago, Meanwhile said:

we cannot rely on wind and sun power and have to have a backup all the time.

and yet, 83 % of the population still use gas to heat their homes. 

[JohnAtronis + 78]

All new builds should automatically have solar panels by law. Tidal barrages, off-shore wind farms, HEP, so many possibilities. Invest in a European wide power grid to take advantage of local conditions for solar power and wind. Oh we are leaving EU so lets just crap along alone.

[Meanwhile + 49]

The Europe wide grid would be a big step as it is these utterly irrelevant production figures are just pie in the sky. To run the UK totally on turbines and solar would need an area the size London covered in panels

[JohnAtronis + 78]

No one is seriously talking about running the UK entirely on turbines and solar. It's all about diversity, variety and sharing the load. 

[JohnAtronis + 78]

14 minutes ago, Stephen said:

yes, good thing on paper. But dont forget how much all of this is costing:

https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2017/11/23/climate-policies-to-cost-66bn-in-next-five-years/

 

No mention of the household power bills trebling as well.
Or how much in subsidies do taxpayers have to pay to solar and wind-farm producers.

[Stephen + 67]

20 minutes ago, JohnAtronis said:

UK Government’s bet on subsidizing renewable energy power has already halved the carbon emissions from the power generation industry over the past five years.

The boom in solar panels and wind turbines also led to the first full 24 hour day without coal-power since the Industrial Revolution.

Solar power reached a fresh record by making up a quarter of Britain’s electricity supply on Friday May 26 at 8.9GW, while wind turbines set a new record on Dec 7. Overall, renewable energy reached its highest total output level at 19.2GW in late March.

Of course they did when they are highly subsidized and coal is demonized and shutting down , what would you expect