Scaff
Moderator
- 29,734
- He/Him
- ScaffUK
Britain - The Official Thread
- Thread starter Ross
- 13,359 comments
- 616,644 views
- 2,216
- Isle of Wight, UK
Doesn't it seem profoundly apocalyptic that a nation, society and economy leant against the notion of perpetual economic growth should result in a situation where normal people should have to scale back their energy use for the sake of pocket-lining executives taking the world on a speculative ride in order to profit from tragedy?
Personally I would find the suggestion too cruel to leave my mouth. Our money laundering economy constantly grows - energy use grows over time, in step with the progress of technology, everything in theory should tick away and work and even if the monetary value of our bills go up we are supposed to make more money to cover that.
I know this is all very basic, pie in the sky stuff and largely ignorant of reality, but that's the principle of it, and that's why for me when the above quoted suggestion becomes genuinely sensible, it's time to admit it's borked and blow it up completely.
Nationalised nuclear plants in the shape of the Union flag NOW
- 17,320
- United Kingdom
Again, this is not the hill I would die on, but there's an element of responsibility that falls on us as individuals to make sure our lifestyles are sustainable to a given degree. Sure, whilst energy is cheap and plentiful we enjoy the good times, but it's now clear - energy profits aside - that as a society the basis of cheap and plentiful energy hasn't evolved in a sustainable way. This should be a wake-up call not only to us as individuals that what we consider the basic standard, is actually a comfortable standard, but also to our government to make sure that we're in control of such fundamental infrastructure if we aim to be a nation able to stand alone.
Our collective need for power as a society may have grown in step with the progress of technology, but that's a house built on sand if our own domestically controlled power generation capability hasn't also grown - I'd go so far as to suggest it should be fairly well decentralised too. For something that has become so fundamental to our way of life, anything other than generation surplus and grid redundancy seems bonkers, and yet here we are.
Hence, I agree with this. A surplus of energy will drive prices down, and redundant generation and infrastructure will cost money... it's not going to be done by corporations. The government has to step up.
But at the same time.... we as individuals need to accept that what we actually need in order to live reasonably well, is not necessarily as comfortable as what we're used to.
Maybe I am being unsympathetic, living a life in desperate misery (i.e. working) in order to pay a massive amount for certain basic needs (i.e. renting shelter) has been normalised in our modern society, perhaps I'm just surprised people are quibbling about another basic need that's relatively a lot more accessible, much cheaper, and easier to control the cost of, when the average house price these days is two-hundred and eight five thousand effing pounds.
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- 29,371
- Glasgow
- GTP_Mars
The trouble is, it isn't even people's energy use that's the problem - it's the standing charges that are increasing massively.
You could actually reduce your energy use to almost zero and still end up with a hefty bill every month.
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And, meanwhile...
Source: https://jcheshire.com/featured-maps/the-scarred-landscape-of-the-climate-crisis/
You could actually reduce your energy use to almost zero and still end up with a hefty bill every month.
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And, meanwhile...
Source: https://jcheshire.com/featured-maps/the-scarred-landscape-of-the-climate-crisis/
- 7,898
- Horbury, West Yorkshire
- GTP_Sprite
It did generate more until they sold their downstream networks (EDF Energy Networks) to CKG a Chinese owned business. Who later renamed it to UK Power Netowrks. Plus three wind farms to Chinese Nuclear Group.
I welcome a state owned system but unfortunately there are too many backhanders for the government to give it up.
Behind the scenes there are big moves taking place to unify the data held for metering and the like, this could help with any future desire by government to turn our energy sector back to state owned.
Smart Metering is a **** show and not fit for purpose and with engineers being thin on the ground and the parts to manufacture electricity smart hubs being scarce it’s getting worse.
I looked at our companies top big issues and you’d expect it to be complaints about cost… it’s not it’s complaints about Smart Metering. If the companies can unify that also across the suppliers then that’s another tick in the box for State Owned Energy.
- 87,574
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
Looks just like Italy.The trouble is, it isn't even people's energy use that's the problem - it's the standing charges that are increasing massively.
You could actually reduce your energy use to almost zero and still end up with a hefty bill every month.
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And, meanwhile...
View attachment 1182828
Source: https://jcheshire.com/featured-maps/the-scarred-landscape-of-the-climate-crisis/
- 7,177
- Lisboa
- FLAT_TWELVE
In fact Italy looks a lot worse from what I've been reading about the river Po ...
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- 17,320
- United Kingdom
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
You know, they are talking about serious electricity shortages and blackouts for the coming winter. Your country is not self-sufficient, and relies on imports from Europe which may not be available for much longer. So maybe now is not too late to reopen a few coal mines in the effort to save lives?
- 7,898
- Horbury, West Yorkshire
- GTP_Sprite
Do you mean the news which started circulating in UK news outlets as early as March this year and has popped up nearly every month since?
Hard not to see it. Does this have any bearing on the UK? Errr nope… so your point is?
Just so you know, because based on the comment…
That’s not accurate at all for the UK.
Russian Gas also made up a small amount of none EU imports. The reason for the UK struggling is down to global markets and the current demand.
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
You have a cost of living crisis. You have an energy crisis. Some people are not going to make it through the winter. What to do?
In Germany they are reopening coal fueled power plants in a desperate bid to heat homes and fuel industry this coming winter. I know the UK used to have a thriving coal industry. What's left of it, anything at all? Can you possibly make use of this resource to save the lives of your people?
- 7,898
- Horbury, West Yorkshire
- GTP_Sprite
I’m sure like every year some young and elderly will suffer tremendously and the majority of us will feel the pinch quite a bit.
There isn’t an easy solution, as for coal, we have closed all our Deep Mines, but we still operate close to 30 open cast mines in the UK. We operate only 3 fully coal powered stations, so coal isn’t a solution for the UK.
As you can see we generate most of our power from Ccgt Stations.
This is the current grid output as of 9:20 this morning.
The UK relies heavy on Gas for generation and also home heating. So no to coal but yes to North Sea Gas. However there are a lot of rigs currently undergoing repairs & modernisation/upgrades so I don’t think will be able to help this winter even into next spring or summer. Maybe winter 2023.
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
It looks as though Norway supplies most of your imported natural gas as well as most of your imported crude oil. Russia used to provide 24% of your refined oil imports, but not anymore. Before the war, Russia supplied 40% of Europe's natural gas. Now Europe wants its natural gas from other sources, including Norway. Reduced supply has obviously sent demand - and prices - soaring to unheard of levels.
This site seems to have up to date comprehensive information: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nati...trendsinukimportsandexportsoffuels/2022-06-29
Edit: I revoke my previous endorsement of the candidates. In light of your energy bill forecast for the coming winter, it's clear to me they are both pretty much clueless about what to do.
This site seems to have up to date comprehensive information: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nati...trendsinukimportsandexportsoffuels/2022-06-29
Edit: I revoke my previous endorsement of the candidates. In light of your energy bill forecast for the coming winter, it's clear to me they are both pretty much clueless about what to do.
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- 17,320
- United Kingdom
Made me laugh but it's interesting to see the support for nationalisation.
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- 29,371
- Glasgow
- GTP_Mars
Nailed it.
- 24,002
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
Way to build that (outside of London) Red Wall back up, Liz!
Now all it needs is an effective Labour opposition to take advantage of it come the next GE.
Now all it needs is an effective Labour opposition to take advantage of it come the next GE.
- 29,371
- Glasgow
- GTP_Mars
- 87,574
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
- 24,002
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
I wasn't actually expecting an effective Labour opposition (unless they have the foresight to install Andy Burnham as leader between now and the next GE) Just hoping for one. 
- 437
- Merseyside
- merseyxshore
I know he did well speaking up for Manchester that time, but the man is far too similar to Starmer in my opinion. Can't be doing with another spineless centrist. We simply cannot limp on with these fence-walkers any longer.I wasn't actually expecting an effective Labour opposition (unless they have the foresight to install Andy Burnham as leader between now and the next GE) Just hoping for one.
