Off Topic Chat. (MOD NOTE post# 3949 and post#5279)

Cass

According to the seai, wind energy accounts for 85% of renewable energy and contributes 30% to the national grid. If that is the case, and if those numbers are true, then it seems at least for Ireland that wind turbines are working. So why the increase in prices?

tonysopprano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117941783#Comment_117941783

Just remember, for the greens Irish peat and briquettes BAD, imported peat and briquettes GOOD, Irish nuclear BAD, imported nuclear GOOD

Cass

Is that not down to "massaging" the figures. IOW we don't produce it so can claim our carbon footprint is down?

Grizzly 45

It was the Green party that, if I'm remembering correctly, were strongly opposed to nuclear power and put the initial ban on building such a plant. So what is their concerns? It's a clean, zero-emission, power source so other than all the usual naff about the Irish Government messing it up, the Simpsons parodies, what is their actual concern? Or are there other issues, political and financial, from keeping imports rather than building our own?

Thinking from 40 plus years ago when we were talking Gen 2 power plants that were producing a lot more tonnage of nuclear waste than they are now in Gen 3 or Gen4 plants. Storage of that waste was shall we say not very environmentally friendly at that time.IE dumping it in the ocean or burying it in salt mines or the like. So that is probably a concern for the Irish govt...Who or where would we store the waste until it could be shipped out?

Their cause was helped by things like Gen 1 Windscale reactor accident /Sellafield reprocessing plant being handled so shoddily,3mile island and Chernobyl and somewhat Fukushima. Statistically, it is as safe as flying if not safer. We don't ban aircraft from landing in Ireland because there might be a chance of one crashing somewhere. Simply put this is the core of the argument for having a nuke free Ireland.[1] Two accidents caused by govt pressure to make deadlines in now long obsolent reactor designs and rule flaunting[Cherynobyl and Windscale] [2]A faulty mechanical valve and media panic [3mile island] and [4] A tsunami and [5] a shoddily run out of date facility with no proper oversight of any kind, and multiple coverups.[Sellafield].

On the Irish Govt side, this has influenced thinking, as well as where would you put it without massive NIMBYism, and also the security thereof which has to be armed. Every country, inc the UK has armed security,in the UK's case a separate police force[The UK Atomic Energy Police Force]that is tooled up. Maybe this is also part of why the Irish Govts don't want part of it? Too high in security cost/risk?

Grizzly 45

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117941896#Comment_117941896

Been an utter disaster for Denmark.They have quit putting up wind turbines in the Nth sea now for years. They had to buy hydropower off Norway when the wind isn't blowing at double the cost to make up the shortfall, and then sell their windpower back to Norway at half their production costs. Double win for Norway, and making Denmark one of the top three most expensive places for power in the EU. https://dailycaller.com/2016/05/13/windswept-denmark-says-wind-energy-has-become-too-expensive/ https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/uncategorized/denmarks-wind-power-experience-costs-and-consequences/

Grizzly 45

Right. So I'm assuming this is a seasonal issue rather than daily weekly. IOW the Government don't "run down the shops on a Sunday morning" to get more electricity. They commit to importing/buying it from abroad during say Winter when wind/solar may be down.

Nope, it can be a daily issue, even an hourly issue, irrespective of the seasons. There is a misconception that Ireland with its strong winds and storms will produce a large amount of power. Wind turbines cant operate in winds over 35/40 kmh. What you need is a consistent wind speed or wind carpet,like in Denmark rather than force, like Ireland gets. Because of this "energy intermittency"...the grid cant load properly and grauntee a full power load.Ask Thyssen Krupp about this when Green energy failed for their power supplier in 2017 and destroyed a multi-million euro electric crucible with a 6ton load of molten metal

Is this the reason we import nuclear power from France? IOW it's not a green source (in the traditional way we might think of green energy) and is more reliable so we use it "top up" during Winter and then during summer we have abundant green energy we can export and these exports outweigh what we bring in?

The French interconnector isn't built yet. Possibly by 2026? We import our nuke power from the UK via NI or an interconnector from Wales.What the problem is for us is our gasfired stations were INOP as was Moneypoint. Moneypoint is up and running again, but gas prices are skyrocketing and we or the UK have no gas storage facilities of the size required to bulk buy this at low times for Winter usage,and we are in Ireland on the utterly wrong end of the EU supply chain.If Vladimir decides "Nyet Gaz" for the EU because Ukraine hasn't paid their bill or whatever, no gas for us here either. Hence the higher gas and lecckie bills for us all this Winter.

If so then, barring the obvious ban on nuclear plants, would it not make sense to invest what we pay for in imports into a plant of our own and eliminate the need to import at all?

Could be sorted very quickly by allowing the LNG plant to be built in the Shannon estuary, once you got rid of the purple crop haired ring nosed soap dodgers,NIMBYS and misc crusties objecting to it.🙄

Grizzly 45

Coming from a German fam who votes CDU/CSU as traditionally as some families vote FF no matter what. I endorse this article 100% Good riddance to Eric Honecker's revenge on Germany! https://gript.ie/angela-merkel-should-not-be-missed/

Cass

Thats what I must have read, it was coming from France as in going to be instead of is.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117941112#Comment_117941112

As Tommy said above, it’s about a supply at a given time, not just seasonal but hour by hour. Electricity isn’t like fuel energy that it is produced and stored*, it it produced as it’s used. Which means the grid needs to predict how much will be needed over the course of the day and fire up the power stations accordingly. But sometime a spike happens when we’re not generating enough and we need to borrow from the UK grid. Or they borrow from us.

As I said, the power drops to 40-50% at night. So the power stations turn down power so as not to waste excess. If 1 million EVs were on the road, and charging at night, they just need to turn down less. More power demands in the day (like data centres) will be the driver of more power stations.

Wind is good for free energy, especially when windy at night but you can’t turn it up when calm. Which is why an over reliance on wind is terrible imo, you need a controllable plant to balance it. Something you can turn up as needed.

*technically you can store in batteries. But they are massive, and expensive.

Grizzly 45

Wind is good for free energy, especially when windy at night but you can’t turn it up when calm. This is why an overreliance on wind is terrible IMO, you need a controllable plant to balance it. Something you can turn up as needed.

The only Green fuel that fits the bill on this is Hydropower,and its not as environmentally friendly as made out to be either.[Ardnacrusha and the decline in salmon numbers since its construction is a great example].We can control water not the wind, and the other option is tidal power. Could be done on the Shannon Estuary,but again NIMBYism and crusties get in the way.

Grizzly 45

Meantime in the UK...

The UK home office reckoned on half a million for MARS and lever release rifles...Its over 3million in compensation the bill for those owners.

Some expert that is, who is quoted in this article...🤣🤣

"Firearms expert Philip Boyce said: ‘In my 35 years in forensics, I have never seen a lever release rifle used in crime. I have seen a few MARS rifles but not many. These guns are used for rabbit shooting mainly.

‘There were a lot of lever release rifles handed in. I would be very interested in who had all of these as it seems to me like a producer

‘They could make a lot of money from this scheme. They can produce guns for under £100, easy. 

Dude!!! Either you have been badly misquoted out of context,or you need to go back to firearm experts school!!!☹️

CLUE might be in if you looked at the receivers and the maker's details, and the fact there was only ONE company making them in the UK of a particular pattern? And one company in Scotland making another of a particular pattern?

I think both gun companies owners would be highly insulted too about your suggestion that these were produced for a 100 quid too, when they cost over 2 grand to buy on special order.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10031127/Why-spent-4m-illegal-guns-zombie-knives.html?fbclid=IwAR2LnMH17d3Gw-jzKi9p8CBnDKS0UqiJFlLV8KJxWlXjK

Grizzly 45

Great deals in US firearms of all kinds to be had from these lads. Wholesale orders only.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/10/afghan-gun-dealers-selling-american-weapons-seized-taliban-bideneffect/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailypm&utm_content=daily

Cass

Heh, heh.

Cass

Reading an article in the last couple of days about Peat harvesting and apparently there is a political conflict going on between FF/FG & the greens and the greens are being told to do as they're told.

In short the Greens banned, out of nowhere, peat haresting. Yet since the ban Ireland has imported €3,500,000 worth of peat products. So much was the backlash not only from the public but from other political parties that a report was called for and is due to be released in the coming weeks. This report, it has been said by unamed sources within FG, has said the ban was a mistake and should be reversed, at least for the short term while a full review is done.

The ban has cost 6,600 direct jobs and 11,000 indirect jobs, not to mention the imports but another unamed source said the Greens were terrified to look weak or impotent to environmentalist groups so pushed forward with the ban despite reports before it saying the environmental impact of peat harvesting was nominal.

In short FG has told the Greens to reverse the ban immediately or they [FG] with the support of FF will bring forward a bill to reverse it. Its to be a small restart, of 20 or so bogs, but a reversal none the less.

Grizzly 45

another unamed source said the Greens were terrified to look weak or impotent to environmentalist groups so pushed forward with the ban despite reports before it saying the environmental impact of peat harvesting was nominal.

Are we noticing a trend here with the GP?

Stag hunting ban...GP folds because of internal pressure from loudmouth antis in its ranks.

Shooting related. The green party elects an animal rights campaigner to the post, but so far has been quite a good egg about his post and has actually gone and modernised as much as possible the dept, and has seemingly listened to those affected. Be it deer or crow &pigeon shooting. Whether that continues with the 12 "endangered "species list is another thing.

It seems that if you can make enough noise or threaten them with the political weight of numbers,they will fold.

So why the Hell arent we telling Eamo to go shove his windmills and electric cars where the Sun don't shine?

Cass

Grizzly 45 - So why the Hell arent we telling Eamo to go shove his windmills and electric cars where the Sun don't shine?

Because that is not solely a GP issue, and given the current climate (no pun intended) there is not a chance of any political party backtracking on such large scale enviormental issues.

Rosahane

This is how Texas deals with anti firearm companies.

You have to love it :)

https://youtu.be/XVfBAaN2itk

Cass

More news on u-turns.

Hints being "leaked" that two plants may be refired due to the need for electricity coming up to Christmas. Its also being "hinted" at that it will be for four to five years at a minimum.

Kinda makes you wonder why they shut them down in the first place. Oh right, virtue signalling, appeasing environmental fundamentalist, and the rush to implement plans without forethought to the requirements needed to supplement their absence.

Feisar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118016793#Comment_118016793

I'm all for this environmental stuff however plan it right. They ran out, blew the load and are now left with their limp dicks in their hands. Electric cars are great but only of the electricity used in them is generated in a green manner, otherwise it's just moving the pollution. That's saying nothing about the mining of lithium for the batteries which apparently doesn't do the flora and fauna any good.

Hiking up carbon tax, doing The Lord's work right there. Can someone tell me what a family that buys their home heating oil by the five gallon drum are supposed to do? Run out and go solar? The government should stay the hell away from taxing the basics in life.

Grizzly 45

On a different note. It seems in Norway another convert to the religion of peace decided to spread the word by killing five people with a bow and arrow yesterday.

Wonder will we be now seeing a call for the licensing/ban of" assault compound bows"?As well as pearl-clutching articles in the red tops about the crazy German Jeorg Sprave of the slingshot channel on YT making rapid-fire magazine loaded xbow and rapid-fire slingshots? Watch this space, as anything is possible in this world.

https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2021/1014/1253613-norway/

Cass

I've said before, and I genuninely mean it, I'm all for any green initiative that helps reduce pollution however as you've said @Feisar the implementation by the Greens have been coming so thick and fast with zero thought of how to replace what they are banning was bound to blow up in their face.

• Banning of peat harvesting, then importing almost €4,000,000 worht of foreign peat.
• Shutting down plants, by refusing them a license to burn Biomass fuel, and then having to re-fire them because the bird mincers and solar panels are not up the job.
• Carbon tax upon carbon tax hike which only serves to nulify the increase OAPs and the other most vulnerable have gotten as a "rise" in their social payments not to mention make it more expensive for families that are below the overty line, but not in receipt of social payments to afford to heat their homes.
• Carbon tax hikes that have pushed fuel to prices at the pump not seen since oil was $147 a barrel, yet oil as of this morning sits at $81.27 but the pump prices are over €1.60 a litre.

Where is the money from this carbon taxes going? Its not into green initiatives, but directly into revenue to try and recoup the PUP payments they've been handing out for the last 20 months when they forced the country to a standstill. I say they, as in the Government, have handed out but lets face it the Government have no money to hand out. They simply hand out your hard earned taxes. As one chap said Governments around the world are wealth takers, not wealth makers.

I also heard, not sure if its true, that due to the increase in hybrid and elctric cars and the lost revenue from the same (no emissions so no road tax) that they have increased VRT on these cars by as much a €6,500. I said this would happen about thre years ago. Motor tax and road tax accounts for some €6,000,000,000 (billion) per annum in revenue so when ll those turn to emmission free vehicles the Government will want to recover the lost revenue by other means so it'll mean an increase in price.

Watch this space, the next step will be to yet again change the road taxation system and introduce a "per mile" tax.

Richard308

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118018758#Comment_118018758

The bottom line is we have to build nuclear power plants. About 1% of carbon emissions of oil or gas fired plants. I know no one wants them near their home. But I think even greens have changed their policy towards them. Some of the French ones are amazing.

https://youtu.be/bAw-rdl9YZg

Grizzly 45

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118019238#Comment_118019238

So let's just build the interconnector to France and let them supply us instead? Be cheaper and 1000% safer than letting our shower go and try and build a reactor handling the most elemental forces of nature. The thought of the Irish govt and the private partnership going to try and guild a nuke reactor is as appealing as giving a 2year old a cocked pistol to play with.

Feisar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118019506#Comment_118019506

As someone in the building trade, I agree!

JP22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118019238#Comment_118019238

+1.

If people don’t want them close to where they live, surely there’s some small uninhabited Irish island close enough to us to put one on and far enough offshore to appease the anti brigade.

Just one of those crazy thoughts one gets, must be old age, don’t shoot the messenger…………

Cass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118019238#Comment_118019238

Agreed. Watching on SKY news and they were covering the Gas shortage in the UK and comparing to other EU countries. France has so much power, generated by Nuclear plants, that they export it but also has such a low dependency on gas and renewables, that if they fall short they're still covered. Their Nuclear power provides for 78% of their requirements. Now I assume they generate far more given their exports, but the "others" account for 22% so Nuclear picks up the other 78%.

It also said the reason for the as shortage in the UK is its huge dependency on it with 48% relying on natural Gas. According to Reuters the price has risen by 1700% for LNG by ship. Didn't get a price on piped gas.

Cass

I see the British MP David Amess has died from the stabbing attack today. I'd expect a quick and sharp action by Parliment to this.

Grizzly 45

I'd expect a quick and sharp action by Parliament to this.

No pun intended there ....?

Cass

Freudian slip, but unintentional.

Cass

Fisticuffs.