When Wind Turbines Spoil The View

The other day I was watching a programme about the effect that wind turbines were having on people living in the country. There was a woman on it who could see a number of turbines on the hills behind her house.

She was obviously unhappy about them. One of her comments particularly struck me: "All I wanted was for things to stay the same".

I can sympathise with her. People move to the country for peace and quiet, a change of pace, long walks in the countryside, and beautiful scenary. And here they are dumping a bunch of turbines on her favourite view. Even a town-dweller like me can see how sad that is.

You could say it was the modern world rearing it's ugly head in the old world but it's a lot more than that. This is more than a new housing estate being built next door, cuts to local bus services, or outsiders buying up half the village as weekend cottages, to name just a few of the many pressures on country life.

In a way it's actually about trying to help preserve the countryside (along with the rest of the planet) as best we can in the face of the growing threat of climate change. Make no mistake about it, when that starts to bite, the countryside will be changed beyond all recognition.

That might be scant consolation to people like that poor woman but, to quote from a film called the Leopard "if we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change".

Safer Nuclear Power?

In an earlier post, I made a case for using more nuclear.

The basic argument was: We need to dramatically cut our carbon emissions and intermittent renewables like solar, wind, tidal and wave are not going to be sufficient. We need more 'base-load' to replace the thousands of coal and gas fired stations and the only real choice is nuclear.

The trouble is, nuclear stations can be dangerous when they go wrong (ask the Japanese), have a reputation for being expensive to build and run, and then there's all that radioactive waste when they finish their useful lives.

So, basically, nuclear power is the lesser of two evils. After all, future generations wouldn't thank us for leaving them with an uninhabitable world just because we didn't want to leave them with a whole load of nuclear waste to deal with.

The good news is that there's a type of nuclear reactor that considerably reduces most of these problems:

Integral Fast Reactors (IFRs)

IFRs extract way more energy (95%) from their fuel than the traditional reactors (5%). They therefore need considerably less fuel and the radioactive life of the resulting waste is a few centuries rather than tens of thousands of years.

IFRs can use the waste, including plutonium, from existing reactors as their fuel source. Turning a problem into an asset.

The combination of increased efficiency and the use of existing waste means that nuclear reactors have enough fuel available for centuries.

These reactors run at lower pressures so there's considerably less chance of explosions.

Crucially, if the cooling system fails for some reason, the higher temperatures have the effect shutting down the reactor, meaning no melt-downs.

Reduced risk of explosions and no melt-downs means that IFRs are cheaper to build.

Finally, the radioactive material is relatively difficult to weaponise and, since IFR waste never leaves the site, it can't be stolen/diverted by terrorists.

So, they're cheaper to build, they're a lot safer, they can run off nuclear waste, and they have enough fuel available for centuries to come. Nuclear power looks a whole lot more attractive.

Here's a blog entry from George Monbiot on IFRs. He's an environmentalist and journalist for the Guardian newspaper.

More about Integral Fast Reactors.

Buying A Solar Panel: Part 9

We've just received our first quaterly payment for the solar panels: £190.

At first I was pretty disappointed but after talking to our energy providers, I realised that both the FIT and the export payments are based on the amount of energy you actually generate in a quarter.

In our case, we generated 425 kW (it was only Winter!) so the calculation is 425 x 0.433 = £184.02 (FIT) plus 212.5 units (50% of the actual units) x 0.031 = £6.59 (Export).

Next quarter should be way more, We've already generated 300 kW in less than a month.

Book Review: Six Degrees by Mark Lynas

Six Degrees: Our Future On A Hotter Planet by Mark Lynas.
Published by Harper Perennial. 346 pages. Price £8.99

The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that the global temperature is set to rise by between 1 and 6 degrees C by 2100 (Depending on how seriously we take the threat of climate change).

But what would 6 degrees (or, for that matter, 1 or 2) actually mean for us? Mark Lynas, a UK based environmentalist, author, and journalist, attempts to answer that question having trawled through many of the available scientific papers on the subject.

He devotes one chapter to each degree of warming, and concludes the book with a chapter called Choosing Our Future. By contrast to it's source material, the book itself is very accessible, reading a bit like a globe-trotting travelogue, as it shows you what the effects of global warming will have for different regions of the world.

As you might expect, the book does get a bit grim. By the time, you get to the end of 6th chapter you are left in no doubt that the planet would be in a hell of a mess by 2100 if we hit 6 C. In fact, for those who comfort themselves with the fact that Man may wipe itself out with climate change but Life will eventually recover, this provides no comfort at all: The pace of change will be too much for most plants and animals to adapt to - Evolution takes a lot longer than a century.

Something else that becomes clear is that we definitely don't want to pass the 2 degree mark. The reason for that is that it would risk runaway warming due to the various tipping points it could trigger. This would inevitably take us to the dreaded 6 degrees anyway. Maybe this is why the world's governments have  agreed to a 2 degree limit?

If you're interested in what climate change will do, how soon we'll feel the effects, and who will be effected, this is the book for you. The science is largely based on climate models (which have generally been tested against historical climate records) and geological evidence, so it's not just speculation.

It's well written but, as I've suggested, it's a difficult read for anyone who cares about their kids' future. I give it 8 out of 10.

Global Weirding

When most people think about global warming, they probably imagine it to be a barely noticeable process where we gradually move to a warmer world somewhere in the distant future.

Surely the most it would mean for us is that we'd have to get a stronger factor suntan cream, and some new summer clothing, or maybe an air-con unit some day?

Things aren't so simple though. You see, climate scientists say all that extra heat in the atmosphere is going to throw the planet's climate off-balance.

They say this will mean unpredictable weather, with a greater number of extreme events, weather records falling with increasing frequency, and wild swings between one extreme and another. Some have called this "Global Weirding" because the weather  just gets plain weird as it tries to find a new equilibrium.

Expect droughts to become more common and go on for longer; more, monsoon-like downpours and flash-flooding; more unseasonal weather; and increasingly nastier hurricanes.

Any of this sound familiar to you? It should do, because things seem to have been getting weird already. Even here in Britain we've had a strange time of it lately: 18 months of below average rainfall (Leading to drought orders and hosepipe bans before this Summer even begins); a heatwave late last September followed by very mild Autumn/Winter temperatures until February, which turned very nasty for 4 weeks (reminiscent of last year's exceptionally cold Winter); followed by one of our sunniest ever March's. A March that finished with a 'heat-wave' (Temperatures hitting 25C), which flipped immediately into widespread snow! What's that all about?

Yes, I know we've always had abnormal weather from time to time but it's getting to the point where the abnormal is becoming normal. If that's the case, then Global Weirding is well and truly with us.


Update: April turned out to be the wettest in over a century with double the average rainfall (At least it's ended the drought for some counties..). It was also cool, with a lower average temperature than March! And, until the last couple of days, May has been equally cold, several degrees below the average. Now we're having a heatwave! 8 months of weirdness, not including the drought. British weather has never been what you'd call reliable but this is ridiculous.

Buying a Solar Panel: Part 8

It's been 3 months since we had our solar panels fitted and we're about to get our first FIT payment. So I thought it might be a good time to fill you in on how we got here.

If you take a look a look at this blog's side-bar, you'll see the 'Topics' heading, and under that you'll find a 'Solar Panels' link. Click that to see parts 1 to 7 of this series. That will take you through the whole process from choosing your installer to getting them installed.

Here's what happens next:

1) In the days leading up to installation, you need to contact your power company to let them know what's going on. They should givesend you a form to be filled out to register and claim your export and FIT payments.

2) You won't be able to send in the form until the installation has happened, but make sure you look through it to see what's expected of you. The installers should be able to help you with many of the questions on it on the day. They should also give you your all important MCS certificate (Proof that you have panels fitted by approved installers).

3) Once you send in your completed form, you may have to wait a few weeks before the energy company confirm you are registered. Don't worry though, they will pay you from the day you started generating.

4) They will send you information on when and how to send in meter readings. For me, I have to send in readings every 3 months and they follow up by sending a payment to my bank within 28 days.

5) If your electric meter is going backwards as a result of your panels, tell your electric providers right away. It is potentially illegal if you don't. It's up to them what they do about it. Generally speaking they will replace your meter.

UK Government Finally Defeated Over Feed-In Tariff Cut

Finally! It's official: The UK govt. was acting unlawfully by cutting the feed-in tariff by half in early December 2011. The government can make no further appeals. It's run out of options.

All this means that any solar panel system installed before March 3rd 2012 gets the full FIT of 43.3 pence per kW for the next 25 years. Any installed after that get the 21 pence rate.

You can find a full news report here.

It was pretty clear from the first court ruling that the govt. didn't have a legal leg to stand on over this. But they just went on appealing anyway.

Macho, testosterone-fuelled politics; spite; or a deliberate ploy to stop people installing solar on their roofs for months, thus saving the govt. a bucket-load of money on higher rate FITs anyway? You decide.

10 Reasons To Give Up Fossil Fuels Now

1) Climate Change
Fact: The planet is warming up. The nine warmest years on record have been in the last 10 years.

The scientific community say it's down to us - Globally, Mankind emits over 33 billion tonnes of CO2 per year. Nature can recycle about half of that, but the rest of this greenhouse gas goes into the atmosphere, year-after-year, causing the rising temperatures.

At present, this is causing effects like 80% of the world's glaciers in retreat, some rapidly, and a rapid loss of ice in the Arctic. The future could bring expanding deserts, more droughts, more flooding, sea-level rises, more powerful hurricanes, mass extinctions, food shortages (due to the droughts and floods), wars, and increased health risks. What's not to hate?

2) Peak Oil
Defined as the point in time when global oil production reaches it's maximum, after which it goes into gradual decline.

It doesn't sound very interesting but it could seriously effect all of us. Basically, once peak oil is reached, oil prices become more volatile, leaping up any time an oil producing country has a crisis such as a war, internal unrest, or production problems. That obviously effects petrol prices but, added transport costs also push up prices of goods across the board. It's eventual effects could even make the current global crisis look like a stroll in the park. More about peak oil.

Two scientists have analysed oil production figures over the years and come to the conclusion peak oil is with us already (See here), because production figures seem to have hit a ceiling whilst oil prices have leaped up in response to the Iraq and Libyan wars. If they're right then these prices hikes can only get worse.

3) Energy Security
Every country should be entitled to cheap and plentiful energy to keep it's economy moving. Trouble is, when the source of their energy is in the hands of unstable countries, or ones inclined towards manipulating/withholding the supply, and the source is increasingly expensive, your country no longer has control over it's destiny.

At the moment, most of the world's oil and gas comes from the Middle East, Russia (The top producer of both fuels by far), South America, and Africa. Worrying, isn't it?

Renewables like solar, wind, biofuels, nuclear, and hydro have the potential to become cheap, plentiful, and, most importantly, controlled by the countries that need them.

4) Pollution
Burning coal leads to smog, acid rain (from sulphur dioxide), and airbourne toxins like mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium. The various pollutants can cause bronchitis, asthma, heart disease, and even premature death.

5) Modernisation
Oil, gas, and coal are basically dirty relics from the Nineteenth century. We are surrounded by chimneys and exhaust pipes belching pollutants into the air we breath. It's about time we turned our back on  them and converted to the clean, endlessly renewing fuels of the 21st century.

6) Jobs
If governments are looking for a way to rejuvenate the economy and create huge numbers of jobs, then supporting green technology is the way to go. Jobs from designing the equipment, building it, fitting it, and maintaining it. Jobs retro-fitting buildings to make them more energy efficient. Jobs inspecting homes to reduce their carbon footprint. Billions in export revenues from selling the technology and expertise abroad. On and on it goes.

7) Price Stabilisation
Peak oil or not, you've got to admit we're all being battered by rising oil and natural gas prices at the moment, and there seems no end in sight. Switching to renewables would stabilise energy prices. There will be some initial costs to establish the technology, but then the costs will start coming down as the tech is improved and becomes more efficient. Eventually we'll have cheap, clean, and plentiful energy for good.

8) Environmental damage
Exxon Valdez, Torrey Canyon, and  Deepwater Horizon, these, and many other oil spills will go down in infamy. In the Appalacian Mountains of the U.S., they're removing tops off mountains to to get at coal deposits. In Alberta, Canada they're ruining an area of prestine forest the size of Florida to get at the 'tar' sands.

In short, our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels is ruining the environment

9) Cheaper To Do It Sooner Rather Than Later
The aim of climate deniers is to delay dealing with climate change as long as possible. But the longer we put off sorting the problem out, the more it'll cost you and I to do so. The solution is well within our means at the moment and would cost far less than business-as-usual.

10) Oil Runs Western Foreign Policy
It's said that the biggest reason the West invaded Iraq was to secure the massive oil reserves there. When you look at it like that you begin to question why we supported the uprising in Libya and not the one in Syria. Could it be because Libya has lot more oil?

Our addiction to oil forces us to do this. Do we really want to go on like this?

Nuclear: Which Way For Environmentalists?

A few days ago, 4 former Friends of the Earth directors wrote a letter to PM David Cameron warning him that he was putting UK energy policy in the hands of the French by getting them to build and run our future nuclear power stations. More here.

Of course, behind the apparent nationalism, was that age-old hatred environmentalists have for all things nuclear. Sometimes I get the impression that they'd rather have the world sink into climate chaos than permit nuclear energy to have a role in stopping it.

I heard a fine example of this on our local radio station this morning: There is a nuclear power station on the south coast called Dungeness B. It is set to stop generating in 2015, with the loss of hundreds of jobs. Needless to say the locals want the government to consider Dungeness as part of it's program of building new nuclear stations. The government have said "no" on environmental grounds but the locals, including politicians are keeping up the pressure.

The local station interviewed someone from Friends of the Earth about this and I had to laugh at her comments. She was convinced we had no need for nuclear at all (sound familiar?), it could all be done with wind turbines and solar. What?! Oh yes, let's replace reliable, round-the-clock 'base-load' power with ones that stop at night (solar) or when the wind drops.

Much as I like the idea of clean energy, the technology has not reached the point where it can supply more than 20 to 25% of the UK's energy needs without causing serious problems. If we don't use nuclear then that commits us to using fossils fuels (Gas and coal mainly) because any other renewable energy capable of providing base-load (like biomass) is unlikely to provide the amount of energy required.

In other words, running the UK on nothing but solar and wind is wishful thinking.

This is why some environmentalists are beginning to advocate nuclear, much to the horror of their fellow greens. Nuclear may not be ideal but it may be the only option we have to replace all those coal and gas power stations on a quick enough timescale.

(UPDATE: Here's a later post that discusses a form of nuclear power that overcomes nearly all the problems of traditional forms).

Poland Vetos Further EU Carbon Cuts...For Now

Last year I explained how I thought the EU had lost it's backbone by not taking the opportunity to make deeper cuts in carbon emissions by 2020.

Well, it looks like they were listening ;) because last week they were attempting to change their target for cuts from 20% to 25% by 2020!

This was great news. Not only would it cut emissions faster but it would make later reductions more cost efficient to achieve (As this 'Road Map' shows).

On March 9th, EU ministers from all countries met to vote on the new targets but Poland decided to veto it. The Poles depend on coal for around 90% of their electricity production so you can understand something of their reasons, but their environment minister, Marcin Korolec, tried to hide behind this: "There is no point whatsoever in gambling with the European economy's future, introducing policies that might put our industries in jeopardy versus our competitors". Yeah, right. That's your only reason.

This link gives more background, unfortunately I've lost the one on the post-vote talk. In it, the EU say they are disappointed by the veto (Poland was the only one to vote against it in the end) but this won't be the end of this. It sounded a lot like they would go ahead without the Poles.

If they do, then I applaude them. The time for old thinking is over. We've got to stop thinking about national interests, and economic advantage and start working together to stop the runaway climate train. If we don't, then we leave future generations with a train-wreck of a planet and economic chaos.