Comments on: Atomic shambles: UK nuclear plans need urgent rethink

By: JamesWimberley

JamesWimberley — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 17:17:00 +0000

The average capacity factor of wind turbines in the UK over 2007-2012 was 27.5% (government data reported by Wikipedia). The trend is up, from design improvements, better maintenance and meteorology. In Germany, also from the retirement of some badly designed early turbines. Current projects are typically around 40% CF onshore, more offshore.

Your factoid “10% of requirement” is meaningless b/s. Developers and grid managers are well aware of the expected capacity factors before they start construction.

Your “90 active shalegas wellheads” has similar credibility. Fracked wells have very short lifetimes, so constant drilling of new wells, and injection of the fracking water and chemicals, is needed to maintain output, even if the wellhead is shared. As for “conspicuously failing to raise the surface temperature”, words fail me.

By: PCAH

PCAH — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:26:00 +0000

It’s nothing to do with China; it’s nothing to do with costs. Hinkley C must be abandoned because its routine discharges of radioactive sea, land and air pollution would be an infringement of the public’s right to life under the EU Human Rights Act.

By: Rog Tallbloke

Rog Tallbloke — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 08:58:00 +0000

The 6500 wind turbines currently slicing birds and bats across the blighted British landscape produce an average of 10% of requirement. A mere 90 active shalegas wellheads could do the same, reliably, constantly, predictably, at much lower cost. The fuel produced can be used near urban centres, meaning much lower line losses than from remote wind turbines and solar arrays. The Carbon dioxide emitted is greening the planet, and conspicuously failing to raise the surface temperature.

Get real and get fracking.