Energy Matters Global and Domestic

[mickthemaverick]

I had an email from Confused.com about the energy cap today which included many links to various info. However one table I found quite interesting was comparing the average 4 weekly energy consumption by various appliances. The one that struck me the most was the 20kWh for an X box or similar, only 4kWh less than a kettle!! As I posted the other day a huge reduction could clearly be made by sacrificing such unnecessary, and some would argue unhealthy, devices!!!
You can have a look at what uses what here!!

[bobins]

The big problem for grid scale storage is the vast amount required. etc.
It ain`t gonna happen!

No matter how fast or slow storage solutions are developed they will be developed. Without them your calculations are worse, and the assets of wind generation no matter how intermittent will not be utilised to capacity, madness in itself.

Regards Neil

I think the one you missed out on Neil is 'interconnects'. Although only locally (as in near Europe) utilised at the moment*, I think they - by necessity - will become more common and quite possibly over truly enormous distances once you daisy-chain the links through countries. It would be madness to waste all that 'free' electricity generation capacity........ but then again current electricity market isn't exactly a shining example of a sane and rational model

*- As of now, we're not too far off flat out on the Norway and NEMO interconnects (importing), and about 2/3 capacity on the Dutch interconnect (importing), with either nothing or exporting going on on the others. We're importing about 9% of our total demand.

[bobins]

There isn't anything else, so if that still isn't enough, its draconian management of demand time. Rationing! Planned Power Cuts, Switching off the Street Lights, no artistic illumination of Buildings.

Regards Neil

<Tongue firmly in cheek : ON>

Nah, just stop all those BEV owners charging their cars. We keep being told range anxiety isn't a problem, so they shouldn't have a problem if we stop them charging their cars.

<Tongue firmly in cheek : OFF>

[NewcastleFalcon]

The market for gas is underpinned similarly with pipelines, and where pipelines don't extend Liquid Natural Gas shipped by sea. The market for gas has gone haywire with strategically restricted supply, and burgeoning demand.

Electricity probably was a bit more restricted and difficult to export/import now its getting easier and easier with the connectivity, and more connector cables on the way, recently reported on here one to Germany, and the really long one in planning to Morocco.

..and where the connectors don't reach, we have liquid Hydrogen heading between Australia and Japan, and liquid Ammonia contracted Canada and Germany, maybe the new vector of a World trade in exportable energy/electricity.

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

You can have a look at what uses what here!!

I think even if it doesn't really have that much effect, there is some satisfaction in doing something different. I was a bit disappointed in the A rated Fridge Freezer running 24/7. I was looking forward to ditching the underused freezer bit, and going back just to a fridge and a little icebox for the Magnums!

Regards Neil

[bobins]

There was an 'industry' chap on the radio the other day commenting on the gas crisis. He said the prices are so high because the speculators / buyers / dealers in gas reckon there won't be enough gas to power Eurpoe this winter, and that's why prices are so high. As he put it - if you can divide Europe's gas crisis needs into thirds, then a third has already been commited by Biden / the U.S of A, negotiations are ongoing with Japan to secure another third, and the last third could be achieved by reductions / economies / cutbacks. If they could organise that lot now, then the gas prices might stabilise a little.

[mickthemaverick]

You will recall I introduced a new way of using the kettle as described here, but I don't think I posted my surprise at the resultant month's consumption having introduced that a mere 7 days before I took the readings. Here are the readings for the month of July 19th/August 19th for the last 5 years:

Year Units used

2018 312 (normal living)
2019 299 (normal living)
2020 327 (COVID isolation)
2021 265 (a week's holiday in the period)
2022 224 (introduced the flask)

It is evident that the change to using the vacuum flask for only 7 days in this period has produced a significant reduction in consumption. I look forward to seeing the next month's readings!! Watch this space!

[bobins]

I think I might use your example, Mick. I'll be up for a flask of tea from you first thing in the morning

[mickthemaverick]

I think I might use your example, Mick. I'll be up for a flask of tea from you first thing in the morning

No problem, but you'll have to bring your own sugar if you take it!!

[thorter]

For a number of years, some very competent power engineers talked about the “coming ultra slow train crash of the electricity system”. The realities of the current phase of electricity supply problems were already apparent by 2019, with occasional spiking of the wholesale price. The reduced demand due to covid delayed the evil day. Then Putin merely took advantage of the situation. The root cause was the elimination of existing dispatchable generation below sufficiency, without having in place the necessary alternative capacity. This of course was Europe wide.

On reducing demand, the problem is that domestic and civic consumption is a relatively minor part. Things like food production, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, bulk refrigeration, warehousing and distribution, servers, such manufacture as survives and a myriad of similar things, are a major 24 hour demand on the system. Nearly all will already be as efficient as possible, as is the way with business. It is not clear how consumption can be reduced much without collapsing the economy, but the plan is to increase consumption greatly for electric vehicles and heating.

Mandating technologies has never been effective in the past, but that is what is hoped will replaced a proper market. Why not make wind and solar farms responsible for supplying dispatchable electricity? That way there would be a real incentive to find solutions.

[bobins]

Thanks for your thoughts, Thorter, they chime very much with my own. I've never accepted the mantra - "For salvation, just add electricity" as there are so many other factors that will screw with the plan, but these other factors don't fit with the current narrative so tend to get ignored or disparaged. I can't help thinking that 'balancing' technologies i.e. Smart meter regulation, vehicle to grid, etc, etc, will have to run so efficiently to make the system work as planned that the wholesale deployement is nothing more than a pipe dream - one glitch in 'the system' and it'd be chaos. There seems to have been a deficit of 'joined up thinking' in the push to electrify everything

[thorter]

Extracted from National Grid, current generation record, less solar. It is in half hour blocks. You can see the daytime hump, but note how little it falls during midnight to 7am. Much of this is the result of 24 hour industrial and commercial use.

[Peter.N.]

There are 12 volt and 24 volt compressor type fridges, freezers and TVs available for motorhomes etc which would be more efficient than running mains type from an inverter and no standby current of course. A few solar panels and batteries should run these for most of the time. Their consumption is around 100w but they don't run all the time of course, would probably only require about 1 Kwh per day which I would think you could supply even in the winter.

!2v or 24v lighting could also be run from it with very little energy required for LED lamps. You only need something to cook on then, we had a Rayburn cooker for many years and wish we still did wish we still did, we probably have enough wood round here to run it and it also heats the water of course plus keeping the room warm. We could at a pinch cook on the top of the multifuel stove

We have had our 'rent a roof' solar panels for about 10 years, have always supplied some power but have really come into their own now at coming up for 50p per Kwh, wife is only allowed to wash and tumble dry when the sun is shining and use one appliance at a time, its supposed to be a 4 kwh system but I rarely see more than 2.5 but that's not to be sneezed at. We also have an LPG hob which is cheaper to run than mains gas at the moment with a 47Kg cylinder..

I am seriously thinking of fitting some more panels on the roof of the garage for a completely separate supply, we are not allowed to charge batteries with our installed panels and the inverter won't work unless there is a genuine mains supply on it, a generator or inverter wont fire them up, does anyone know how to?

We have a small diesel generator but it requires fuel of course although at 50p per Kwh it may be cheaper to run that.

Peter

[NewcastleFalcon]

The price Cap Unit Rates announced today.

REgards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

That's the chart now. If there isn't to be a perpetuation of the dominance of the large straw coloured section, of a commodity which is being inflated in price beyond all norms, unacceptable and unaffordable for the UK grid/UK Businesses and domestic consumers, then any action which helps I welcome.

One of the actions, which the UK is doing better than most is in commissioning new capacity for the dark blue element of the chart. Regardless of the down days, in my view more development of wind the better.

Storage a waste of time because we will never be able to make enough of it I welcome each additional amount added, and yes would welcome storage development being tied in with all windfarm licences, and all solar developments.

In a many a mickle makes a muckle way more encouragement for home/industrial solar and battery storage.
Build a modern factory today and it will be covered in solar panels, or like NIssan at Sunderland did they installed their own wind farm. Not in any sort of "green crusade" but because it saves on their energy bills.

Looking at the chart failure would be thinking, we'll never be able to alter the current mix, we will just have to suck it up and buy gas at a ridiculous manipulated price, and pass it on to the customers. I welcome any moves to reduce dependence and demand for gas, to commission new solar wind and storage, but not to entirely throw away gas capacity, but to to utilise it as necessary to support renewables on the infrequent complete down days. Over the course of the year, the dark blue portion expanding as new capacity comes on-line, and the straw coloured requirement shrinking can only be a good thing, and certainly better than doing nothing.

Regards Neil