The Net Zero Acolytes have got it all wrong! And its not Just Us - NetZeroWatch
My Christmas/New Year Message {a Present} to You - the general population and our 'deaf' Government See Letter to Dept of Energy & Net Zero
Government reliance on CENTRALISED power {electricity} generation is part of the root of their poor assumptions. It's the default position of 'Government' to think of CENTRALISATION - and that's just one problem that we will discuss in detail below. But Centralised Electricity Generation {gas/coal/bio-mass etc} is surprisingly inefficient - at converting fuel into electricity. Coal was the least efficient at 22%, with various Gas engines getting into the 30-35% fuel conversion efficiencies.
BUT the reason is the HEAT produced - is "squandered" up those Cooling Towers - if you read our previous articles you will see the futility of the Centralised Electricity Strategy - when there are clear, inexpensive and energy efficient alternatives {see later}.
The other assumptions {re Net Zero}, we have brought to your attention before in these articles on this platform Net Zero - They Haven't Got a CLUE and Again Net Zero - Cold Feet and the biggest question about "Fossil Fuels" a known misnomer
But, let us return to our interrogation with AI - Chat GPT in this case back in March 2023. Here we had to cajole AI into at least considering the alternatives {for once} and not being influenced by continued agenda politics {as we are again being subjected to in late 2024 and as it appears well into 2025. It has to STOP - as the Nation is being herded in the wrong direction - by politics and NOT Science. Read our Discussions with Chat GPT about Electricity Generation HERE
Once you read that - it's patently obvious that in order to radically improve Fuel Efficiency, we need to move to localised DECENTRALISED ENERGY {plus attendant Heat Networks}. For good strategic reasons -
- energy resilience,
- grid embedded energy and
- far greater energy efficiency.
Factor in, Bio-Methane production from Organic Waste Streams to power such decentralised systems then we have ENERGY AUTONOMY at the local level.
In addition our view to best utilise Renewables (Wind, Solar and where appropriate mini-hydro) is to take yourselves (Households, Commercial, Civic and Industrial Premises) OFF GRID as it were - for local Energy Independence. See our article regarding centralised vs decentralised renewables {solar in this instance}.
Centralised Renewables only seem to benefit the investors - but not the end users. Added to which the politically imposed 'manipulation' of the traditional fuel prices has simply compounded the problems for the end users. With UK Energy prices some 400% (yes 400%) higher than the USA. This is market rigging - by our own Government to "promote" the uptake of renewables.
Returning to our central strategy of Decentralised Energy {Electricity, Plus integral Heat and Cooling Piped Networks}.
Current Centralised Grid Capacity
It is no secret that the current grid infrastructure is near full capacity - hence calls to spend £billions on updating it. {yet another article from us - March 2024 - to discuss grid update} However, the promotion of EV's and Heat Pumps -- Leading to the need to Increase the Grid Network - this is simply COUNTER INTUITIVE.
Remember "Cheap Rate Electricity"? - that would be revoked if the quest for wide scale take-up for EV's and Heat Pumps were fulfilled - since, in practice, there would be a massive increase in power demand - typically overnight. The rationale for cheap rate electricity was to improve generation utilisation by NOT switching off power stations - but if you think that the power stations operators will keep cheap rates if the demand increases substantially overnight - no they will want the full rate. So, it is an endangered species for the moment!
Additionally, even now the Grid is having to spend money digging up the roads outside your houses to uprate the existing power cables to accommodate a larger power flow with EV charging needs.
Decentralised Power - Local Energy is the fastest and cheapest Solution.
The quick-fix desperately needed at present cannot be met by Nuclear or even small modular Nuclear, the times scales are measured in years - or decades is certain cases! No, the easy fix is small local gas powered {Natural Gas/Methane, Bio-methane, ideally} generation with attendant Heat and Cooling Networks. Termed "Combined Heat and Power" {and sometimes with Cooling too}. CHP.
The UK Government is actually quite keen to promote CHP {Combined Heat [network] and Power [electricity Generation]} however uptake is relatively low. But a few stand-out schemes need more publicity. Generally CHP is very much suitable within city or town centres, commercial retail parks, multi-story offices or apartments, and industrial factories {with specific Heat/Cooling needs}. In addition, since housing planners demand high density housing estates - CHP should be investigated as a radical energy efficiency option.
The UK Government have many CHP initiatives - see the UK CHP Map at this [LINK - Opens a New Window] additionally several enlightened local authorities have applied innovative applications - such as BUNHILL in London, as they are using the waste heat from London Underground as well. Southampton originally started with a Geo-Thermal Heat network {in 1986!} and has added Electricity Generation subsequently and Cooling {air conditioning chilled water network}. See Details HERE at this LINK in a new Window.
These installations ARE NOT UNIQUE - but expansion of these valuable and ENERGY EFFICIENT networks is well worth promoting to every city and town. Then, all we would need the Electricity Grid for would be National Load Balancing - Quite simple really.
So why is this invisible to the Net Zero Acolytes? In particular the Arch High Priest - ED Milliband? Come off your Insane Net Zero crusade and study some practical applications!!