Below is an extract from the excellent Wikipedia’s article on National Grid which references Bernard Quigg’s paper at the last Claverton Conference. Can anyone help on this – it seems to me that the Costs of Transmission derived from Bernard’s’ paper are too high when compared to the method derived from Triad charges, Is this […]
Read MoreENERGY MARKETS OUTLOOK:IDENTIFYING RISKS AND DRIVERS STAKEHOLDER EVENT THURSDAY 7 MAY 2009
AT THE BERR CONFERENCE CENTRE, 1 VICTORIA ST, LONDON SW1 Following the publication of the second Energy Markets Outlook report in December, the Department of Energy and Climate Change is holding an event on Thursday 7 May from 09:30 to 14:00 to focus on the risks and drivers affecting energy markets. The event will […]
Read MoreIs wind power reliable? – An authoritative article from David Millborrow who is technically experienced and numerate, unlike many other commentators
The UK has committed itself to a very ambitious target to increase its wind powered generation
capacity by 2020. The EC’s 15% renewable energy target implies that renewable electricity,
much of its wind power, will have to provide between 35-40% of electricity supplies. This has
caused concerns in some quarters that the UK ‘s security of supply will be placed in jeopardy.
However, others say this concern is overplayed. In the following article, David Milborrow*
debunks myths surrounding wind power’s reliability.
Read MoreArticle in IET queries role of wind power and balancing costs in the UK
David Millborrow is a Claverton participant…. Thanks to Hugh Sharman for forwarding this piece. This article from David Millborrow seems to pretty much demolish this article.. .. http://tx1.fcomet.com/~claverto/cms/download/316/ …………………………………. Quote ” Today, the UK is committed to European Union targets to deliver 35 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2020. Starting from a base of […]
Read MoreRenewables and the Grid Conference – May 13-14, 2009 | Almas Temple Club, Washington, DC
Part Two of an Interconnected Conference with: National Energy Policy Transmission holds the key to meeting renewable energy goals nationwide. It is projected that nearly all easily accessible wind sites will be exhausted within two to four years, and both utility-scale solar and geothermal are likewise transmission constrained. Hundreds of billions of dollars of […]
Read MoreHow Much Wind Energy is there? – Brian Hurley – Wind Site Evaluation Ltd.
Introduction
The starting point is an estimate of the total quantity of kinetic energy in the atmosphere. Lorenz gives 1.5 x 106Joules/m2 as the quantity of kinetic energy contained in the atmosphere(1). Smil gives a figure described as the annual “solar radiation reaching the earth” as equal to 5.8 x 1024Joules, or 1.84 X 1017W, and 360W/m2(2). Annual Solar radiation absorbed by earths surface(land and sea) 2.9 x 1024Joules, or 9.19 X 1016W, and 180W/m2. Note the solar constant is 1,366W/m2. Smil refers to a source from Lorenz(1976) that “atmospheric motion” was about 2% of 3.5PW insolation. ( Applying 2% to Smil’s 9.19 X 1016W giving 1.84 X 1015W with his figure for winds below 1km 1.22 x 1015W is the right order of magnitude
Read MoreEarthwatch Lecture – Forests and Climate Change
Earthwatch Lecture – Forests and Climate Change Thursday 26th March, 7.00pm-8.30pm at the Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR Our forests, home to an extraordinary range of biodiversity, and arguably one of our greatest safeguards against climate change, continue to be depleted at an alarming rate. How can we set about securing their future?
Read MoreBWEA MEDIA ROUNDTABLE AT BLOOMBERG, APRIL 8th 2009 9:30 to 11 am – PLEASE BOOK IN ADVANCE
BWEA (British Wind Energy Association) will be launching its first Budget submission, ahead of the Budget speech on April 24th. Following a consultation process led by the BWEA, the UK wind industry is putting forward proposals to the Treasury on how to maintain the momentum in the wind sector, on and offshore, during the […]
Read MoreToronto gets feed in tarrifs – we don't – we wonder why.
Quote “Renewable energy in Ontario got a massive boost Thursday with the proposal of a fixed-price plan that, by June, could see the province paying out generous premiums to large and small generators of green power. The premiums – called advanced feed-in tariffs – are what the government guarantees to pay over the life a […]
Read More"These Fossil Fools" – Catherine Mitchell – excellent article in the Guardian on futility of market solutions to climate change
The UK’s energy policy has to focus on lowering carbon emissions by a combination of renewable energy and reducing demand. This requires a system almost entirely different from that we have in place today: one that is conducive to innovation and change; and one that is flexible and resilient to all sorts of technological futures.
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