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Still unclear on nuclear
A consultation document on nuclear power was released earlier this week alongside the energy white paper. The debate on nuclear energy heated up after the prime minister backed its development, saying that the country wouldn't be able to meet energy demands with renewable sources alone.
However, nuclear power is estimated to increase the cost of energy by about three times the current amount.
According to trade secretary Alistair Darling a decision on whether to build nuclear power plants must be addressed by the end of the year as depleting fossil fuels means that within 20 years the UK will have to rely completely on other sources of energy.
The government is asking that the private sector, the public sector, non-governmental bodies and the general public all have their say (whether they will stick to this agenda remains to be seen). Click here to make your opinion known.
SOLAR not Nuclear
There really is no need for nuclear power in the UK or Europe because there is a simple mature technology available that can deliver huge amounts of clean energy without any of the headaches of nuclear power.
I refer to 'concentrating solar power' (CSP), the technique of concentrating sunlight using mirrors to create heat, and then using the heat to raise steam and drive turbines and generators, just like a conventional power station. It is possible to store solar heat in melted salts so that electricity generation may continue through the night or on cloudy days. This technology has been generating electricity successfully in California since 1985 and currently provides power for about 100,000 Californian homes. CSP plants are now being planned or built in many parts of the world.
CSP works best in hot deserts and, of course, there are not many of these in Europe! But it is feasible and economic to transmit solar electricity over very long distances using highly-efficient 'HVDC' transmission lines. With transmission losses at about 3% per 1000 km, solar electricity may, for example, be transmitted from North Africa to London with only about 10% loss of power. A large-scale HVDC transmission grid has also been proposed by the wind energy company Airtricity as a means of optimising the use of wind power throughout Europe.
In the 'TRANS-CSP' report commissioned by the German government, it is estimated that CSP electricity, imported from North Africa and the Middle East, could become one of the cheapest sources of electricity in Europe, including the cost of transmission. That report shows in great detail how Europe can meet all its needs for electricity, make deep cuts in CO2 emissions, and phase out nuclear power at the same time.
Further information about CSP may be found at www.trec-uk.org.uk and www.trecers.net . Copies of the TRANS-CSP report may be downloaded from www.trec-uk.org.uk/reports.htm . The many problems associated with nuclear power are summarised at www.mng.org.uk/green_house/no_nukes.htm .
Posted by :Robert Palgrave | May 28, 2007 8:15 AM
It's funny you should bring that up, as it mirrors (excuse the pun) almost exactly a conversation I was having with Rachael Singh, the author of the original blog.
Having come across this story on the BBC website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6616651.stm) we were wondering whether Africa could become the future home of energy production.
With such a precious raw material in such abundant supply - namely the sun - it would make sense for African nations to tap into this and supply Northern Europe with much needed energy.
The conclusion we reached, however, was that electricity would degrade far too much over long distances to make this worthwhile...
Do you know whether this is being discussed with any degree of seriousness at government level in the UK?
Posted by :David Rae | May 29, 2007 11:54 AM