Re: On service to the gods

In urp, Halla wrote in response to Jymn:

<snip>
[Nuclear Power]
I feel the country is being bludgeoned into it. Though I
have some optimism for fusion, that could be the effect of
growing up reading scifi.

I don't know a lot about it TBH but I don't trust a
government to dispose of the waste in a responsible way - one
of the reasons this lot appear to be so keen is that they
don't actually have to worry about the waste thing. There are
plenty of people pointing out problems with, for example,
wind farms or tidal generators, so it's easier to go with
what they know and be assured of havign enough electricity.

To me the problem is being tackled the wrong way round. Instead of a upward
spiral of power production to feed increasing consumption, reducing
consumption by both increased efficiency and reducing demand makes more
sense to me. It also then makes microgeneration a practical proposition.

What I do have is some serious pessimism reagarding socalled
renewables and the lipservice being paid in that direction.
I know real research is expensive, but it pays off.
Currently the large scale renewable projects all cost more
energy to produce than they can yield in thier life time - I
can't be the only one to see the flaw in that surely.

A growing number of people are, plus with things like
windfarms no one much seems to like the way they look. How
they can get along with pylons but not turbines I don't know.

I live alongside two small windfarms, though one of them has failed to
deliver any electricity for a while (its offshore and apparently the linking
cable has been severed and won't be repaired for some time.)
http://www.power-technology.com/projects/blyth/blyth1.html

However the 2 2MW offshore turbines are reckoned to be able to produce
enough electricity to power 3000 homes. (Though Blyth has over 14,000 homes,
not to mention industrial needs.)

Then there's the issues such as who pays for the disposal of
turbines once they are out of service, how they are attached
to the hills in the first place (concrete a turbine into
place - very environmentally conscious), all that sort of
thing. Sounds like a hassle for not a lot of return. Why
aren't newer houses being built with some of the new breed of
small turbines? If we can all live with satellite dishes on
houses we can get along with small household turbines.

Very true.

<snip>
[underwater power cables]
It may not be, after all the largest cod are to be found
near hot water outlet pipes, however I'd prefer some
research to be carried out first to determine just what
impact there was.

Although of course some research must be done while things are
happening. <g> They could make a judgement about likely
impact, but they're not going to know until they try - which
is something that has got humans into trouble before. ;-)

And presumably will again.

And a willingness to switch it off if
any problems were judged to be serious - but I'm an idealist.

Poor you. <g>

:~)

Its the not in my backyard syndrome.

Gotta love the NIMBYs...

Why?

Plus people don't necessarily live where its easiest to
generate energy. Transmitting electricity over distances is
not efficient.

<nods>

Too many people seem to consider having a power plant on
their doorstep would have an adverse effect on their
property prices

Well it would, mostly because everyone else would think tha
thaving a power plant on their doorstep would damage their
property prices... ;-)

Whereas without a national grid, things may be reversed.

(and sometimes their
health). And would rather live somewhere pretty and commute
long distances to work.

<nods> Because there is lots of traffic where they work,
because of the commuters... <g>

viscous spiral that one ;~)

<snip>
[geothermal energy / underground heat exchanger - and ants]
The pipes are full of liquid, they'd drown (and the whole
thing would stop working if they got into it)

That's the bit that worries me - some drowned ants I could
have on my conscience (hey, I am already responsible for the
death of hundreds of thousands of aphids and a few dozen
ants, a few more wouldn't bother me overmuch),

:~)

digging the
sodding stuff up again to find the leak would make me weep.
<g>

I can understand that.


You could be lucky and lower the ground tempreture to
sufficient extent that it became uncomfortable for the ants.

They seem to like sand, and we're on the old seashore/bed
here...

Ants seem to like anywhere they can annoy people. We're obviously a better
food supplier than woodland :~)

The horizontal systems shown in several Grand Designs aren't
the only method. You can go vertical, but the installation
costs do the same.

Heh. I suspect the planners would have a fit, too, as the
road may develop a sudden dip. <:-)

That could be a problem :~)

<snip>

It has different species, too. Fewer daisies, lots of
dandelions. Grass is interestng stuff (when you get a few
varieties), but a bit of a pain to ID if it's not one of the
easily spotted ones. :-)

I shall take your word for it ;~)

Jymn


.

Relevant Pages
Loading