Related to story below: Biden Energy Transition Team announces plan to build national network of tinfoil solar collectors and windmills based on “The British Model”.
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John Hinderaker, PowerLine:
Energy Policy, Where the Sun Don’t Shine
We spent a week in London just before the election, and only saw the Sun once. It wasn’t windy, either. Wherever we went, the lights were on, but that was only because of natural gas. The Telegraph reports: “Britain’s wind power falls to virtually zero as Miliband prepares to cut reliance on gas.”
Britain’s wind generation is set to plummet to virtually zero this week as Ed Miliband presses ahead with plans to increase the nation’s reliance on renewable energy.
Much of the UK has seen zero hours of sunshine this month, and the first part of this week will see already-light winds hit fresh lows in many areas, according to Met Office forecasters.
So how much electricity is the UK’s many billions of dollars in wind and solar investment actually generating?
Wind speeds are expected to fall again this week, making gas more essential than ever to keep the lights on.
“Many of our weather stations have recorded zero sunshine so far this month,” said a Met Office forecaster. It’s very unusual.”
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Over the last week solar generated just 0.7pc of the nation’s electricity and wind just 10.6pc, according to grid data.
In other words, the UK was almost totally reliant on fossil fuels. Nevertheless, its government is pressing ahead with “decarbonization” plans.
Neso, the UK’s National Energy System Operator, which runs the grid, expects the UK to have its first periods of complete decarbonisation, when no gas is needed, in 2025.
The dark and windless weather comes as Sir Keir Starmer and Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, fly to the UN climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, to pledge massive cuts in UK greenhouse gas emissions.
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Mr Miliband said the UK’s willingness to pledge such massive cuts in greenhouse gas emissions was a sign of “climate leadership.”
