Some of you may not have read this, but it is relevant to the report in today's Times that the National Grid stepped in 24 hours later with proposals which could double or even treble the cost of putting power in the grid.
That action would, of course, make many renewable projects uneconomic.
A spokesman for the First Minister said: "The idea that connection charges should increase in the north of Scotland is totally ridiculous and flies in the face of the need to remove gross discrimination that already exists through locational charging."
On yesterday's post there were some interesting comments from those who have more knowledge of this subject than me and I appreciated learning more detail.
The fact is that the north of Scotland is subsidising the electricity prices of parts of England. That should not exist if we were a true 'union'. All of us would be equal if we were a true 'union'. As it is the various unionist governments in both London and Edinburgh have proved that equality is fluid insofar as some as just more equal than others.
It's very cold here and was around -14 last night. Although it's another beautiful sunny day there is no heat in the sun whatsoever and it's guaranteed tonight will be even colder. Where is a global warmist when I need the pep talk about the difference between climate and weather?
Posts
20 comments:
For those of us who enjoy the odd dose of climate history there is one theory that suggests a past ice age took effect from a warm period in about six months. I have already marked up the calendar.
The current executive at Westminster would do anything at all to scupper the Scottish Government's plans for renewables. Their first minister hates Alex Salmond so much that anything he can do thwart his plans is gold dust to him. He also wants to cover Scotland with nuclear power stations (maybe something to do with his brother working for Nuclear), and Salmond won't let him. So this is his revenge. Evil man. Can't wait for him to go.
Interesting Demetruis. I'm off to mark mine too.
It's all about destroying Scotland Tris. Personally I don't see why, if we're not to be treated equally, we can't stop sending power south, but then that's the bitch in me I suppose. Developed over years of being treated like a fool.
Don't worry Wind Power will save us. Yesterday it produced 0.1% of our energy requirements, and today it might manage 0.3%.
gives you the full details if you want to see how we are doing on the grid
Aye Fitaloon, the wind power has become a white elephant. Thanks for the link, much appreciated.
coldest night so far here last night. Even the house is cool and that's unusual.
It appears that I could be a bitch too SR. I'd stop it immediately.
Was -18 and getting colder at 06:30 at our house, never mind it's now got up to about -6 today. Off to burn some wind turbines to get some heat into the house.
I always thought wind turbines were another money making impractical scam.
Just have to look at my flagpole to see how often the wind blows hard enough here to turn one of these things and I'm fairly exposed.
Well, well, well – one learns a little something every day.
That little gem of information did not take long to emerge.
Now let me see if I’ve got this right …
The south ie Scotland’s central belt and Enlandshire have an energy shortfall. They will pay the energy companies handsomely for additional energy supplies, more so if they are green and renewable.
The Highlands has the perfect environment for green renewable energy.
But.
The same energy companies wish to charge an extortionate rate to allow such renewable Highland power to connect to the National Grid.
So the energy companies are effectively screwing both supplier and consumer.
I wish Mr Salmond every success in his inevitable battle with Westminster and the National Grid.
If such proposals come to fruition one can only be left with the simple conclusion that the lunatics have escaped and taken over the asylum.
Loath as I am, I've just checked the article in the Times and read a few of the comments.
In one instance a contributor 'Rohan' advocates it's perfectly reasonable for the source to be surcharged due to its remoteness from the area of demand.
This hangover of colonial economics is akin to advocating the removal of organs in order to better accommodate the growth of a cancerous tumour. Just another example of the syphoning off of regional resources Westminster, Whitehall and London generally.
However the Whitehall mandarins have a catch 22 to contend with. On independence the Scottish part of the grid would be come the Scottish National Grid. And, while the export of power would be a nice little earner the price would be set at the point of transfer.
And even if Westminster chose not to import any Scottish sourced power. Provided the Scottish government had the wit to keep the cost to consumers and industry below the rest of the UK, we could see a large part of the surplus being consumed at home.
It could go a long way to seeing Scotland in the vanguard of a resuscitated tiger economy.
Further, given the present run down on gas reserves and the current blackmail on prices, now may be the time when the implications of an increased reliance on electrical heating should be considered.
England subsidising Scotland? Yeh, and vampires give blood transfusions.
There are some (a minority of) climatologists that actually firmly believe that we are now entering a 'cooling phase' for the planet...
Also please note that Devon and Cornwall actually receive a subsidy instead of a penalty....
I understand that it's about transmission losses over distance (oh by the way, the Grid is privatised - handed over 3 or 4 years ago)so the way it goes is that we generate the electricity then the carrier loses most of it and charges for the privilege ... nice.
No warmth in sun? Come further south, Rosie it was boiling hot in my conservatory today in the sun. So come to sunny Ayrshire, the Costa Clyde! BTW I've heard you're a bit exposed.
I think you've got it in one John.
The comments were interesting Crinkly. I thought it a good article, even for the Times. Nothing so detailed in the Scottish press.
Regarding the upgrade, the power companies win both ways really.
Time we built our own storage on a serious scale.
Really John? Must be independent scientists and not in the pay of the big boys.
Aye Robert I knew that. Should have put it in the post.
Yes I also should have put that about the Grid in but I'm sure my readers already know it was privatised. All a ploy to usurp any Scottish plans of course as we now see.
Hey DL, it was 10 in mine and just erm... enough for a quick smoke.
I'm just one of these folks who gravitate towards exposure for some reason DL. ;)
Fitaloon, the link you've given won't load. i've tried for hours. Obviously it's overloaded and I'll keep trying but it is getting colder here. -8 in the home-made garden room where I have a smoke and there's a big radiator there too. It's a room between the old and new house with only one wall onto the garden. But it's less than 9 degrees now which is unheard of since it was constructed in 1992.
Post a Comment