"Green" policies are destroying this country

cnocbui

"The higher gas and coal prices, combined with rising European carbon prices, have resulted in higher electricity prices. In Germany, electricity prices leaped last week to their highest level on record, up more than six times from a year ago. In Spain, where gas-fired power generation plays a larger role in setting electricity prices, the increase was even higher. In recent weeks, lower-than-expected wind generation has provided additional upward pressure." https://www.iea.org/commentaries/what-is-behind-soaring-energy-prices-and-what-happens-next

And the reason fossil fuel prices have risen is the over-reliance on renewables, particularly wind, which have failed spectacularly this year. No need to stockpile gas or coal when the wind is going to be howling all winter long.

Currently wind is not supplying 86% of our needs, a day or so ago it wasn't supplying 99.1% of our needs, and shortly before that it wasn't supplying 96.1% of our needs.

The failure of renewables and the nonsense of carbon taxes have created a perfect storm. The carbon taxes should be recinded immediately, as there is no point trying to force people to use an alternative that doesn't exist, but governments would rather people suffered than lose face. Petrol is still more heavily taxed than diesel because to fix that nonsense would be to draw attention to the original mistake.

RandomViewer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517262#Comment_118517262

Neither unhappy or broke but many are, will be very happy when we have a general election election in May and the people let the Greens know their not wanted, maybe some sort of deal could be worked out with Afghanistan for Greens who feel unwanted here.

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517658#Comment_118517658

You all seem incredibly frustrated by the very existence of the Greens though which is just odd if they're not affecting your life in any way. I wonder who you people will blame for everything after the next election.

riddles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517658#Comment_118517658

Most reasonable people would like to see action on climate change but action focused on outcomes.

What we see currently is money down the toilet on initiatives which are largely questionable.

Does anyone know how much the power consumed by data centres is subsidised, is this subsidised from other bills domestic etc . How Is it possible to get a dail question tabled?

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517313#Comment_118517313

Notably the higher prices for electricity generation via gas are being deliberately escalated through "green" policies on gas supply and exploration in a classic case of the tail waging the dog.

The Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA), aims to curtail new licensing for the aforementioned fossil fuels and aspires to phase out production.

Under that agreement the Irish goverment has signed up to ban new applications licences for gas extractions in Irish waters. Seperatly the greens here looking to put a stop to any existing exploration and extraction licences for gas in Irish waters. This situation is being replicated across Europe

As more countries scrabble for gas supplies to help provide essential electricity supplies, it means energy providers are laughing all the way to the bank. Those taking the brunt of these rises in energy prices? Your average punter who has little say in the matter.

RandomViewer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517313#Comment_118517313

The fact that 70 data centres are using nearly the same amount of power as all rural domestic users, good odds the data centres bills are being subsidised or paid in full by the IDA and all likely to ha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517795#Comment_118517795

Just wondering if that is in your imagination or something you actually have evidence for? Would love to see something showing the IDA pay for any of the electricity for data centers

I'm guessing it is totally made up but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt to prove otherwise

cnocbui

"The Irish Academy of Engineering’s (IAE) recent report on “TheFuture of Electricity Transmission in Ireland” validates this thoughtby noting “One could indeed argue that there is little point inconstructing large amounts of renewable generation in Ireland andthen exporting its output at exceptionally low prices. Official CSOand SEAI import/export data for 2019 indicates that the price ofIrish electricity exports, which take place predominantly whenwind generation is high, is less than 50% of the price paid to windgenerators for that output under the REFIT regime.” http://iae.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/The-Future-of-Electricity-Transmission-in-Ireland.pdf

This country is run by thickos.

While anti nuke greenies complain about how expensive they think nuclear energy would be, €9 Billion will need to be invested in grid upgrades and other costs required to meet the power needs of data centres by 2027. https://www.pbp.ie/people-before-profit-bill-to-ban-further-data-centres/

Thelonious Monk

If nuclear is the answer why isn't it being built? Surely a few Greens in the Dail can be overruled?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518251#Comment_118518251

Short answer, current legislation rules it out and there is no appetite among representatives and voters for a change to that.

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518278#Comment_118518278

The yokels on here and on the Journal think it's all down to the fact that a Green party exists though. They yield so much power in their world.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518503#Comment_118518503

The Greens are toast here come the next election and I say that as someone who canvassed 30 years ago for said party. It was a mistake before to go into government as the mudguard of larger parties and was this time again - the lure of power does funny things. A rude awakening is in store.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517313#Comment_118517313

A number of wind farms in our area - the blades are hardly rotating this past week and this is mid winter. Would never have been built except for subsidies.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518251#Comment_118518251

To quote myself: "This country is run by thickos."

And here's the proof:

Ireland's energy policy: Praying for wind.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518628#Comment_118518628

Such is the nature of elections for all parties, you win some, you lose some. That will never change. You only have to look at FF for evidence of both, the fickle nature, and the long term memory's, of the electorate.

However losing elections does not mean the green party disbands and disappears a la PD's etc. Its goal is to affect positive change in relation to impact on the environment. That goal remains whether there are 2 TD's in opposition or 22 TD's in govt.

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518717#Comment_118518717

Are you a Green Party member may I ask?

RandomViewer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518780#Comment_118518780

It's defence of the IDA earlier would suggest different, defending the Greens is its current guise but I suspect its interference for the other bedfellows, there's a streak of Tory in a lot of the posts.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518780#Comment_118518780

Nope. Not a member of any party

Same as most, I like different policies from different parties on a wide variety of topics, but I vote based on local actions and rarely for an incumbent.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518819#Comment_118518819

Wasn't defence of the IDA, was me calling you out on making crap up, as you regularly do.

RandomViewer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518999#Comment_118518999

Where did I make"crap" up, IDA subsidised data centres, are you saying they don't?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519547#Comment_118519547

Read your own post for clarification on what you said and then read mine again, should clear things up for you

charlie14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517032#Comment_118517032

I could think about that for a week and it would make no difference. For Ireland with all our eggs in the wind energy basket, that pricing policy would make no difference if we were producing electricity from renewables for free.

Wind and solar are not a dependable uninterrupted source, so we are always going to need a nonrenewable added to the mix. Be that natural gas, oil or coal, the price to the consumer is going to be based on whichever one in the mix is the most expensive. It`s even in the interest of the energy companies under this pricing policy to keep it that way. That is obvious from Germany. Higher percentages of renewables, only 9.3% natural gas compared to Ireland`s 52%, yet both prices are virtually the same.

There is no upside for consumers with this policy as far as the clean cheap energy we were promised is concerned. We will be paying for the most expensive nonrenewable no matter what percentages renewables are at. And that does not even include the extra costs of carbon taxes, surcharges, levies etc being used to coerce them into using even more electricity that is priced based on the most expensive component in the mix.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519863#Comment_118519863

we are always going to need a nonrenewable added to the mix.

For the short to medium term, yes, as energy grids across the EU are in the process of transition.

Long term, i.e. by 2050, there will be almost complete renewable energy in the grid.

Parts of the transition are going to be painful, definitely, expensive, absolutely, but the transition will carry on regardless.

You might not like it, but that's the way it is.

joseywhales

Someone better tell the French that they were fools to rely on nuclear power. 78% of their energy from this abundant source that they don't need to import from countries with 100k troops on a European border.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519931#Comment_118519931

they maybe the last ones laughing, when this adult toy throwing game ends!

jackboy

Any new wind turbine developments should be banned unless they are built in conjunction with energy storage abilities.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520075#Comment_118520075

sounds like thats happening to a degree, a new hydrogen conversion facility is being built in conjunction with off shore turbines off the south west coast, it makes no sense to stop everything, only to try start building everything at the same time

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520082#Comment_118520082

That’s good but they are being thrown up all over the country with zero thought on how they will supply us with dependable energy in the future. The current wind turbine strategy is actually also damaging to the environment so it’s a lose lose situation.

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519895#Comment_118519895

And as we've seen this winter, wind generation is simply not reliable. Europe is currently experiencing an energy crisis with a massive demand for other sources of electricity generation because to put it simply, the wind hasn't been blowing

And I agree the next couple of decades certainly will be painful, as European industry effectively goes down the tube as countries such as China continue to burn cheap coal and clean up the profits from the global economy.

Whatever the solution is, it's not wind power.

Fred Cryton

Well it seems true to form our esteemed Minister Eamon Ryan has written to ABP apposing the building of a LNG terminal and 700 MW power plant in Kerry. And he opposes it even if the company can prove it's not fracked gas. Farcical. We are going to have power generation problems on a big scale, his party will point to data centres while at the same time he is opposing this! Incredible how a party polling at less than 5% can be allowed have such a devastating impact on the country.