Energy Matters Global and Domestic

[Peter.N.]

Judging by the number of people that are getting rid of their electric cars and changing back to ICE I don't think the demand is going to be anything like they thought it was but I'm sure we will still have oil.

As regards hydrogen unless someone invents something to produce hydrogen at a viable price I can't see that working either. I shall hang on to my oil boiler which is much cheaper per Kwh than electricity. We don't have gas anyway, they have it in Charmouth but that is over 2 miles away, can't see then wanting to run a pipe to us.

We already have our own 11kv supply and transformer.

Peter

[NewcastleFalcon]

JUst watched the Heat pumps: What they really mean for you on the telly referred to earlier by Steve and Bobins. A lot more in the programme than just heat pumps.

A very decent job done of summarising many of the topics covered in this thread, and a worthwhile watch. Nice to see such matters being covered in a decent documentary rather than opposing views being given the youtube rant treatment!

I-player link was in the article, but its here if anyone wants to give it a go.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p ... atpumps%5D

Neil

[myglaren]

The Register.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology claim to have found a novel new way to store energy using nothing but cement, a bit of water, and powdered carbon black – a crystalline form of the element.

The materials can be cleverly combined to create supercapacitors, which could in turn be used to build power-storing foundations of houses, roadways that could wirelessly charge vehicles, and serve as the foundation of wind turbines and other renewable energy systems – all while holding a surprising amount of energy, the team claims.

[Gibbo2286]

JUst watched the Heat pumps: What they really mean for you on the telly referred to earlier by Steve and Bobins. A lot more in the programme than just heat pumps.

A very decent job done of summarising many of the topics covered in this thread, and a worthwhile watch. Nice to see such matters being covered in a decent documentary rather than opposing views being given the youtube rant treatment!

I-player link was in the article, but its here if anyone wants to give it a go.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p ... atpumps%5D

Neil

I've watched that programme twice Neil, do you not think the presenter is a bit anti it all?

[bobins]

I think the presenter was Justin Rowlatt, if so - he's always struck me as someone who is only too happy to go with the current narrative that electricity is always good and carbon based fuels are always bad. I was - genuinely - surprised at how balanced the BBC web piece on it yesterday seemed. I was expecting the usual 'heat pumps are the future, you should all get one right now and that's all you need to know' angle.

[NewcastleFalcon]

I've watched that programme twice Neil, do you not think the presenter is a bit anti it all?

I tend to judge these things against my own views (as no doubt we all do), and the number of vocal armchair interventions I make during the programme. I let most of it just flow, and the most interesting bits were when they stopped talking about heat pumps. I usually give the Falcon view when Hydrogen crops up, but they did make some of my usual points for me, and as for Carbon Capture and Storage at the Refinery, coming from my own view that is an exercise in pointlessness and remaining unconvinced that it does what it says, it prompted probably my only significant vocal intervention of the show. I usually summarise this up in a single word whenever "Carbon Capture and Storage" is mentioned.

Neil

[bobins]

There was a bit on the radio the other day - IIRC, there's been a CC&S plant running successfully in the North Sea for over 2 decades now. I couldn't tell whether it's been good, bad, or indifferent - I know no more than that.

[Gibbo2286]

Wasn't sure where to put this, it's something I haven't seen before but a couple of interesting videos from Phillpa Forester.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Wasn't sure where to put this, it's something I haven't seen before but a couple of interesting videos from Phillpa Forester.

Snap Gibbo thought I had come across it before. Steves post on the Electric Vehicles Infrastructure thread.

I'll regurgitate my comments!

What happens when an EV (petrol or diesel) runs out of miles

Hold the front page, the vehicle stops

Of course prior to that you will have received plenty of warning. In the case of the Leaf it announces in its reassuring tech voice "low battery charge" when the predicted range left is around 18-20 miles, up pops the same message on the screen, and an amber warning light, and advises the driver to find a nearby chargepoint, and even pops up where they are. Of course the smartphone generation simply tap into zap map. As the video shows the car does its best to give fair warning for even the most ignorant of drivers to take action before the car finally decides my driver is thick as two short planks I'm going to stop. Even at this point the car tries to help by still keeping juice in reserve to power some essential systems in case the ignorance of the driver has reached stratospheric levels and in spite of the warnings they have not even pulled over to a safe place to await a wholly avoidable recovery from the AA/RAC or other such operator.

Neil

[myglaren]

Ten LEDs to replace the last six halogen bulbs in the house.
The last fluorescent tube went last week, along with the vivarium it was in, snake died on its thirtieth birthday.
The vivarium heaters went too. Haven't noticed any appreciable reduction in electricity consumption though.

[mickthemaverick]

Ten LEDs to replace the last six halogen bulbs in the house.
The last fluorescent tube went last week, along with the vivarium it was in, snake died on its thirtieth birthday.
The vivarium heaters went too. Haven't noticed any appreciable reduction in electricity consumption though.

Swapping out the 12 halogens for LEDs is what made the biggest difference to us Steve so hopefully it will for you too!!

[CitroJim]

I'm interested to see how the LED replacements for my much-loved fluorescent battens perform Mick

I hope I won't be disappointed...

[mickthemaverick]

You certainly won't in terms of brightness and the bonus is instant light with no start-up delay and of course less power with virtually no heat loss at all

[CitroJim]

I need them brighter Mick My old eyes need it!

[mickthemaverick]

You can even see the difference during the day, I have just taken these:

MTM Original As it is in daylight

MTM Original With the lights on during the day

MTM Original The lights 3 x 11W fittings