Blackouts could hit Britain by 2015, says National Grid chief

[AtW]

So we should all be armed?

Not all - only those who pass checks, can afford 3rd party insurance (I'd say £1000 per year minimum), go through regular training how to act in such cases etc - maybe 10-15% of population. Since terrorists usually attack large crowds of people this would mean 3-4 armed with hidden firearms people who can suprise them.

This is unlikely to happen in this country unfortunately as I am sure plenty of people would incorrect judge risk of terrorists getting hands on those firearms higher than that of specific person being in the situation where such firearms use can save lifes.

[Mich the Tester]

So we should all be armed?

It's always handy to keep a well sharpened pencil in your pocket. They don't like it up 'em you know.

[Cyberman]

Wind power is now producing about 2.7% of the energy needs of the Netherlands. It's only quite recently been introduced but has grown quickly. The are enormous areas of the North Sea which can be used for wind energy, and which could potentially provide about a quarter to a third of the energy requirement of Britain, NL, Denmark and Belgium. It’s not the answer on it’s own, but is very useful as part of a strategy for diverse energy sources which could include wave, gas, solar, nuclear. It’s only by diversifying the sources of electricity that we can really avoid the situation of becoming too dependent on Russia or other unrelieable regimes for energy supplies.

I agree that there is a place for windpower in our power-generating portfolio, but it has been stated many times over the past few years that it can never supplant other means because when the wind stops you will get power cuts.
Also, the number of windmills required is impossible to build in the limited time frame that we have before our current power-stations are decommissioned.

[AtW]

when the wind stops you will get power cuts.

When wind stops (which in some places very rarely) you fallback to hydrogen from water that was split out using wind power when it worked: that's how one can achieve continuity of service.

All that's needed is reduction in demand for fossil fuels by 20-30% - prices will fall big time, so backwards countries like Russia would be kept in check.

[Mich the Tester]

Also, the number of windmills required is impossible to build in the limited time frame that we have before our current power-stations are decommissioned.

Is it really impossible? Over here in NL there is a government scheme for ‘green bonds’; they’re government bonds to fund wind and solar energy projects, and which provide a completely tax free return. There’s a huge waiting list to buy them; they’re only made available when the government decides to build some ‘renewable’ energy plant. Crazy, an environment friendly industry with people queuing up to invest in it, but the government restricts the opportunities to invest.

[Mich the Tester]

All that's needed is reduction in demand for fossil fuels by 20-30% - prices will fall big time, so backwards countries like Russia would be kept in check.

Or they would fall into the kind of extremism that we've seen before and become even more dangerous.

[minestrone]

Scotland has decided not to build anymore nuclear power stations despite the fact that we get about half our power from them currently, we are really fecked.

[AtW]

Or they would fall into the kind of extremism that we've seen before and become even more dangerous.

That would need to be handled by strong military but best with bribes - usually such countries are very corrupt and their leaders begin to value foreign visas and bank accounts even more than they do now.

The only really dangerous people are fanatics like in Iran. All the other backwards countries are corrupt to the core.

[Cyberman]

Is it really impossible? Over here in NL there is a government scheme for ‘green bonds’; they’re government bonds to fund wind and solar energy projects, and which provide a completely tax free return. There’s a huge waiting list to buy them; they’re only made available when the government decides to build some ‘renewable’ energy plant. Crazy, an environment friendly industry with people queuing up to invest in it, but the government restricts the opportunities to invest.

Yup, impossible, because each windmill produces so little electricity. We have to build thousands every week to make the deadline.
Just imagine the raw materials required, deciding where to put them, planning permission, working on water, depth, maintenance etc. It is a truly massive task and I have read articles on these problems many times over the past few years. It certainly is an opportunity to create a few jobs though in this recessionary period!!

[AtW]

Just imagine the raw materials required, deciding where to put them, planning permission, working on water, depth, maintenance etc.

That's why they should be put offshore in Scotland where there is lots of wind - perfect location though some people won't be happy at that either but they should be told to fook off and not come back until they get viable alternative solution.