UK Power supplies Winter 2022/2023. Are you prepared ?

[unclebulgaria67]

@tobyjugg2

 

So I guess that you are undecided about whether fracking in the UK would be on balance a good or bad thing to do ?

 

My reading of the fracking debate is that there are about as many pros and cons.  Personally, if I were in charge of making decisions, I would be wanting money spent on less risk energy production options, that could provide reliable enviromentally friendly energy.  With fracking, the risk of pollution on a small island and the consequential health issues that could be caused, would possibly be more costly to deal with, than the benefit derived.

[unclebulgaria67]

@tobyjugg2

 

Sure that you have both of those answers to hand.  Lots of information online about fracking, but I am not equipped to weigh up the evidence.  MP's will have to carefully study all of the information, before Parliament decides whether to grant licences for test drilling sites.   The new Chancellor of the Exchequer recently said in March 2022 that he was not convinced of the case for fracking, so there may not be majority support even in the Tory party for it.

 

My instincts are to invest in quickest safest way to obtain energy supplies and to invest in technological research to find ways to provide energy for the future. And technology that helps reduce the amount of energy demand.

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Fracking can never be made completely safe

ENERGYPOST.EU

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As fracking is starting up in the UK, Prof Richard Davies of Newcastle University writes that we can manage its risks, but not guarantee complete...

 

If you read the article, you will see the complexities involved.  I don't know whether there are any areas in the UK, where fracking could be done at an acceptable risk level.  And if they found such sites, whether they could actually deliver any useful supplies at a rate that would make it viable.

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Fracking Pros and Cons: Why Is It Controversial?

SELECTRA.CO.UK

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With the fracking debate returning in light of the global energy crisis, we've laid out the main fracking pros and cons in our quick guide to...

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Quite a good paper from the Univesity of Manchester on  economics of Fracking. Was issued 4 years ago, but probably still relevant information.

 

https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/files/65318663/Economic_viability_of_UK_shale_gas.pdf

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Don't pretend to have the level of knowledge on fracking and other forms of energy supply.

 

Will leave that to experts who produce the various publications.  Hence posting links to the publications.

 

I don't have to go through all of the information to debate it on here and I certainly do not have to agree or disagree with the viewpoints of other posters to this site or those who publish articles on a subject.

 

Just because Government have made an annoucement that mentioned fracking does not mean that it is going to happen.  Personally I cannot see it happening, as there will be too much local opposition and companies will be reluctant to invest money, as the risk v reward position is very unclear.

[unclebulgaria67]

Agree HB.  Very complex subject and I have not read any expert suggesting that fracking would deliver viable supplies within the time period required.  UK needs enviromentally friendly reliable sources of energy and many of these could be installed fairly quickly e.g. onshore/offshore wind and solar. 

 

Another possibilty could be Anaerobic Digestion to produce bio gas ?

 

Anaerobic digestion - Wikipedia

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

 

[unclebulgaria67]

How much energy would a typical home wind turbine produce ?

 

How much would a wind turbine cost to install including any storage batteries ?

[unclebulgaria67]

Sounds promising!

 

‘Game-changing’ new battery charges in 3 minutes and lasts 20 years

WWW.INDEPENDENT.CO.UK

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Harvard professor describes technology as ‘a new battery paradigm’ for electric vehicles

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Experts don't appear to agree on risks, so I don't think Government are in a position to decide on whether fracking could proceed in some areas of the UK.  Some of the experts on either side of the argument will be biased.

 

Is there a truly independent organisation that could weigh up all of the available information to help decide if fracking could proceed in a few selected areas ?

 

Government says that fracking can only proceed with the consent of local people. So how may objections need to be received for fracking to not go ahead ?  As was seen with HS2 and compulsory purchase orders on people's homes, objections were simply ignored.

[unclebulgaria67]

Don't think it is helpful to compare fracking with other activities, as each individual project has to be gone through in exact details to understand risks and if/how these can be mitigated.

 

Personally, if I were in a decision making position on fracking, I would have to receive  overwhelming evidence to support it, as the UK is such a small geographical area, that any issues such as earthquakes and pollution could have such a devastating impact. And the costs of dealing with incidents would fall to taxpayers to meet and costs could far exceed any potential revenues that were estimated.

[unclebulgaria67]

I am allowing for the possibility that in a few remote areas of the UK, that there is enough supporting evidence for fracking to be progressed, without much local opposition.

 

Does not mean that I am in favour of fracking or think it would a sensible viable way forward.

 

If Government allowed fracking to go ahead and there were awful consequences, the public would no doubt blame the politicians responsible for allowing it and not the companies involved.

[unclebulgaria67]

"Allowing for the possibility"  is just that. That it is possible that Government allows the go ahead for a fracking site.

 

For example, within the Bowland Shale Formation areas.  But not sure what specific site.

 

The Carboniferous Bowland Shale gas study: geology and resource estimation - NERC Open Research Archive

NORA.NERC.AC.UK

 

[unclebulgaria67]

The news that EU countries now have over 80% of their target amount of gas stored, which should see them through Winter, must have UK Government concerned how they compare.

 

Would be very embarrassing if lights went out in the UK during the Winter, as the UK had not invested in storage, with Truss having signed off on closure of gas storage site in 2017.

[unclebulgaria67]

HB, yes I did see that. I just noted online that there was now further commentary about how EU countries had worked together to build up gas supplies.

 

Once the state funeral has taken place and the country returns to normal business, then I would expect to see Truss put under a lot of pressure to explain exactly how her Government will ensure the UK has sufficient supplies of energy to meet demand. In addition to the financial support Government will be providing.

[unclebulgaria67]

So we have former company CEO saying fracking won't work in UK due to geography.

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/21/fracking-wont-work-uk-founder-chris-cornelius-cuadrilla

[unclebulgaria67]

And very few areas where fracking could take place and probably too much opposition. Will current Government just try to steamroller one site to go ahead and gamble on consequences being at an acceptable level. E.g. enough being extracted, minor earthquake damage and little local disruption impacting on any local population  ?

 

https://news.sky.com/story/over-a-quarter-of-local-authorities-in-england-are-covered-by-oil-and-gas-licences-could-fracking-come-to-your-area-12702639

[unclebulgaria67]

If the Direct Debit amount is more than you can afford, then you have the rights to cancel the DD and only agree to a new DD for an amount you can budget for.

 

@snowdragon  contact EON to confirm you are on pension credits and cannot afford the new DD amount, so will cancel the DD, if it is not reduced down to £xx  per month which you are able to budget for.

[unclebulgaria67]

Smart meters mean the energy companies can cut energy supply remotely?

 

If this is possible, then if there is going to be restrictions on supplies, I can see those with smart meters being affected, if there is no marker on the supply records, that there are vulnerable members within the household.

[unclebulgaria67]

Appears switching off supplies is possible, but actions would need to be taken to enable it.

 

Emergency measures could allow networks to switch off household power | This is Money

WWW.THISISMONEY.CO.UK

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A series of backdoor 'modifications' to the Smart Energy Code have been proposed by officials and look set to pass into law by next spring.

 

[unclebulgaria67]

There is emergency powers legislation which enables ministers to make decisions without votes in parliament. 

 

I can just see that it would be an easier option to cut off via smart meters, rather than cutting off power to whole areas of the country.  When power is cut off to whole areas, then this would include care homes, sheltered housing units and other housing for vulnerable people. Whereas cuts via smart meters, if this were possible on any scale, might reduce usage enough, for supplies to be maintained to priority users including Hospitals.

[unclebulgaria67]

@tobyjugg2

 

Increased costs in transportation ? Cost of shipping have increased quite a lot I believe and then you have the road transport costs of getting it to the pumps.

 

There is definitely profiteering involved, but I am guessing those involved in the accounting for this industry would point to increased costs, so the additional profits are disputed.

[unclebulgaria67]

LNG processing issue will need to be dealt with urgently.

 

Dozens of LNG-laden ships queue off Europe's coasts unable to unload

WWW.EURACTIV.COM

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Dozens of ships carrying LNG circling off the coasts of Spain unable to secure slots to unload have prompted grid operators for the...

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Smart meter or mostly just an Energy company remote control ?

 

BBC News - Rise in energy firms remotely switching homes to prepay meters
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63554879

[unclebulgaria67]

Had most people been aware of why smart meters were being installed, they would not have had one.

 

In the UK, there was no compulsion, and they were sold on saving money.  

 

I don't have a smart meter, as each time I was contacted, I was just about to change suppliers.

 

I bet that those meters that are not working correctly enough to allow a switch of suppliers, will still work, when the suppliers want to cut off or restrict supplies.