Would renewables ever provide Dublin's energy

Wind is not actually cheap, and China adding more 'capacity' than the rest of the world is misleading. Both of these are because of that tiny detail turbine shaggers always ignore and hope no one notices - capacity factor. China's average CF is terrible - 14.4% So for every headline grabbing GW they add, it's actually only 144 MW of actual power generated, which is why China is mostly building reliable high capacity factor nuclear and coal.

Renewables proponents always like to quote LCOE - which is a measure originally used for more reliable base load generation before renewables came along. LCOE applied to renewables is nothing short of dishonesty. The BBC are mad for this and are amongst the worst offenders.

When I say LCOE doesn't include capacity factor and is dishonest, I mean it doesn't factor the additional cost implications that arise from large differences in capacity factor between different sources, as is mentioned here:

If you want to choose between a nuclear power plant with a capacity factor of 100% that can service the entire grid demand and an energy system based on offshore wind farms that have a capacity factor of 50% and whose capacity is also 100% of grid demand, LCOE doesn't get even close to telling you the difference in cost between the two options, because it completely ignores and fails to cost the 50% of the time the offshore wind is not meeting demand and what it would cost you to fill that gaping hole. If you just look at LCOE, the windfarm option will look cheap and the nuclear will look expensive.

To match the nuclear option using offshore wind, you have to install 250% of Grid demand in terms of capacity, and you then have to add in the cost of an energy storage system big enough to handle at least a 6 week lul in the wind, in Irelands case. LCOE doesn't take that 250% capacity into account, nor the cost of the storage.

Maybe Ireland should cop onto itself and fix things. Take a look at the new Perth childrens hospital, and weep. After that, maybe try for a can do attitude instead of can't do.

The ESB has an uncosted plan, there's a video. Their estimate identifies a need for storage equivalent to 10,000 Turlough hills. EV batteries might cost a bit too much.

I know that this is a hobby for you, so this question might not be relevant, but what's your payback period on that setup?

My payback period is generally negative or very close to zero. As in I tend to buy parts so cheaply that I could sell them at any time for more than I paid for them. And I have done this repeatedly many times in the past. So that only leaves labour really. While I do almost everything myself or with (electrician) friends, I once paid a roofer €350 and I once paid an electrician €150 for doing jobs on my PV installs.

Yes people are finally seeing the light and putting up PV panels in Ireland. Better late than never. Only problem now is that panels and inverters are more expensive than they were a few years ago and also hard to get. Installation costs and wait times are even worse. Demand is now bigger than supply.

Tis true.

If someone invents rain panels we'll be pure laafing altogether !

That's a much more accurate desription of the challenge. Thanks for taking the time to describe it. A number of organisations are now calculating LCOE for solar/wind + storage with different amounts of storage provided ranging from 30 mins to 8 hours. The intermittent nature and non-inertial generation characterstics of solar and wind are a clear challenge. But I believe that these challenges can be addressed through technology in a manner that is far cheaper and quicker than new nuclear plants - which often take 8-10 years to build. And whatever you say, a new nuclear plant in Ireland will be 3-5x more expensive than Barakkah for the same MW capacity. You may not like it but it's a fact and you have to take it intop account when doing price comparisons and not just wish it away.

Re technology to cope with intermittent power - Unkel hinted at V2H and V2G. There is absolutely no reason why using current technology we cannot design systems that will use a parked EV as a reservoir of energy. When renewables produce excess power you charge your car for free. When it's calm or the sun has set, your car gives back the energy and you get a small payment. The car owner sets the min and max amount of charge of the car so they aren't caught short. If the number of connected EVs is more than required to soak up the excess, you use some randomisation to chose the lucky victims. All perfectly doable. It just requires political will.

No need. The French can build and keep their own nuclear plants. We shall just exchange electrical units with them via interconnectors if and when either of us have over demand or over supply

And on a micro level, here's my trusty old 1996 BMW served its purpose having fully powered my home for over 3 hours this evening. It is now waiting for the sun predicted for tomorrow morning so it will fully charge itself again. Did I mention it will do that for free? From the sun? With zero emissions? I hope that dinosaur aussie @cnocbui doesn't read this as it would no doubt frustrate him no end 😂