Spirit of Ireland - A bright spark in today's economic gloom?

dowlingm · 13-11-2013 9:04pm

It seems a significant contributor to this and other energy related threads may have passed on:
http://www.politics.ie/forum/feedback/218304-pat-gill-rip.html

Dan Jaman · 14-11-2013 1:37am

Very sorry to read that.
A most informative poster, a decent stick, and someone who really believed in what he was doing and not in it for the short term or filthy lucre.
RIP, Pat.

Jim Martin · 14-11-2013 12:32pm

dowlingm wrote: »

It seems a significant contributor to this and other energy related threads may have passed on:
http://www.politics.ie/forum/feedback/218304-pat-gill-rip.html

For some reason, although logged in, I'm not allowed to read this! Mods - Have I upset somebody?

Capt'n Midnight · 15-11-2013 10:35am

Solar power is killing off pumped storage in Germany because because there is no longer as much demand at peak , and because of the way incentives are given. Operating hours are a tenth what they were back in 2009 so you can imagine how the economics have changed.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/high-costs-and-errors-of-german-transition-to-renewable-energy-a-920288-2.html

an ironic result of the green energy expansion is that many of the reliable pumped storage stations could be forced out of the market. There are roughly 20 of these power plants in Germany, with Vattenfall being the most important operator. The plants were very profitable for utilities for decades, but now the business has become highly unreliable. Dresden is a case in point.

When it's sunny and people are most likely to head to the lake, solar power is abundant and electricity prices drop. This means the pumped storage station earns less money, so the power plant is shut off. In 2009, for example, the turbines in Niederwartha were in operation for 2,784 hours. Last year, Vattenfall ran the facility for only 277 hours. "Price peaks that last only a few hours aren't enough to utilize the plant to full capacity," says Gunnar Groebler, head of Vattenfall's German hydro division.
...
All this gives credence to the claim that Germany's energy reform is its own worst enemy. Despite the erratic expansion of wind and solar projects, the backup power capacity those projects require is lacking. One study found that Germany's expansion of renewable energy will require additional storage capacity for 20 to 30 billion kilowatt-hours by 2050. So far the storage capacity has grown by little more than 70 million kilowatt-hours. And hardly anyone is interested in maintaining the existing storage facilities.

marksmarks · 21-11-2013 7:36pm

Natural hydro energy ltd or spirit of Ireland whichever one wants to call them spent three years in Donegal working on the proposal in one of the valleys close to the sea. At first most people welcomed there project and the benefits it would bring to the area and according to the promotors the whole of Ireland.
However as time went on and the story kept changing and as the approach was very unprofessional ,people became wary of the promotors. Glossy brochures were produced , millions were promised yearly to parish councils and affected landowners were to be well rewarded. Most of the landowner discussions were held with there community relations director called Mark who was supposedly a engineer and a member of mensa such was his intelligence. In reality he was a bluffer who runs a little shop in inner city Dublin. Solicators were appointed to liase with landowners and landowners were advised from the beginning to get independent financial advice as Nhe lth would not cover this.From the beginning of this year all contact with spirit of Ireland ceased, calls were not answered, emails the same, it seems the boys at the top were bluffers as well and had there own financial woes as the founder was hit by a 13million judgement by ulster bank.
The moral of the story here is not to believe what you hear from these green energy spindoctors as this particular outfit has left a lot of very bitter and out of pocket individuals up in Donegal. Thank you for taking the time to read this and beware of anybody associated with the said companys.

Dan Jaman · 22-11-2013 12:41am

Ah, a one-post Wonder.
Must be the Spirit of the Age.

marksmarks · 22-11-2013 12:59am

Two post wonder and every word so true.

bawn79 · 18-01-2016 1:18pm

Has anyone seen the proposed pumped storage in the Silvermines in Tipperary. Is this pretty much the same proposal as the Spirit of Ireland except in a brownfield area?

http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/silvermines-electricity-power-plant-to-generate-360mw-in-tipperary-375716.html

Dan Jaman · 18-01-2016 1:39pm

bawn79 wrote: »

Has anyone seen the proposed pumped storage in the Silvermines in Tipperary. Is this pretty much the same proposal as the Spirit of Ireland except in a brownfield area?

http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/silvermines-electricity-power-plant-to-generate-360mw-in-tipperary-375716.html

Pumped storage itself is nothing new, and this is just a small one of those. Quite a good one, imo, as it's using scabby ground that nobody had any use or idea what to do with. I suppose a previous generation would have filled it in with old cookers, fridges and waste.

Reuben1210 · 19-01-2016 2:17am

bawn79 wrote: »

Has anyone seen the proposed pumped storage in the Silvermines in Tipperary. Is this pretty much the same proposal as the Spirit of Ireland except in a brownfield area?

http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/silvermines-electricity-power-plant-to-generate-360mw-in-tipperary-375716.html

Whatever happened the planned one in Mayo? Did all these plans get scuppered? Or are they linked in some way to this new Renua party?, as I see some of the same faces and names from the spirit of Ireland initiative...

Spirit of Ireland - A bright spark in today's economic gloom?

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