10-10-2015, 11:01 AM
(10-10-2015, 10:17 AM)Yorkie Wrote: To my mind, the biggest con is the claim that electric engines are cleaner ... which are mostly powered by non-renewable hydrocarbon fuels - coal, gas, oil so the pollution just occurs in someone else's back yard ...
Not quite, David.
Take a look at the National Grid Status
When you've finished admiring the vintage dials, take a look at the top right.
If this pointer comes off its end stop:
it's time to batten down the hatches because it is so expensive to use oil for electricity generation it is only ever used in a dire emergency.
However, as we continue to demolish our more efficient coal fired stations without replacing them ...
There is one caveat - the oil powered plant is usually fired up before each winter to prove it still works, so don't panic at a brief burst of extravagance!
It can be very interesting during intensely cold, still periods to look at the peak demand, then note the 'Wind' pointer hovering very close to the zero mark ...
