Electricity Shortages Warning

At 13.25 on 13 January, the UK was reliant for 4% of its energy generation upon coal, a back-up resource often needed firing up because of the intermittent nature of wind and solar power. To keep the lights on, we are having to expensively import power via interconnectors from France 6%; Norway 4%; Netherlands 2; Denmark 2%; and Belgium 1% – an incredible 15% of our electricity (gridwatch.co.uk figures). So much for the billions being wasted upon so-called ‘renewables’. The nation is in a massive power deficit, despite absurdly generating 5% of our energy requirements from chopping down North American forests, aka using biomass. Immediate investment in more combined-cycle gas and steam turbine power stations like that in Pembroke, is essential for the nation’s future supplies, along with exploring and exploiting North Sea gas fields such as Glengorm. By 2028, four of our five remaining nuclear power stations are scheduled to close, and today they are supplying 8% of our energy. There is no way that the UK can replace these nuclear sources until the later 2030s/early 2040s, so CCGT gas stations, supplying 45% of electricity  at present, need to be built as quickly as possible. It cannot be stated often enough, that renewable energy needs 100% back-up from conventional sources, that can operate at high efficiencies, 24/7. Adding more and more subsidised wind and solar sites only impoverishes the consumer and helps destroy the environment. Unless the UK can supply its own power stations 24/7, there will be sustained energy blackouts and a huge increase in cold-related deaths.

Terry Breverton CMC FIC FRSA FCIM FRHistS