Torches not candles: How to prepare for a blackout – Sky News

Posted: October 8, 2022 by oldbrew in Batteries, Energy, media, Uncertainty
Tags: ,

Image credit: thecount.com


The appearance in the media of articles like this is a warning sign in itself. The old days of plentiful coal stockpiles next to power stations are almost over, thanks to futile climate obsessions leading to bad energy policy.
– – –
The National Grid’s warning that three-hour planned blackouts may have to be implemented this winter has left many feeling anxious, says Sky News.

People use more energy to keep warm in winter.

And while Britain has a considerable gas supply in the North Sea, we lack space to store it, which means we have to import around 30% from Europe during periods of increased demand.

But with Europe depending on Russia for much of its gas supply, those European imports could be cut off over the war in Ukraine.

The Grid’s Electricity Systems Operator (ESO) is hoping to avoid blackouts by offering households money to reduce their energy use at peak times – but they still remain a possibility.

Here Sky News looks at how you can prepare and what to do if they happen.

Before the blackout

If blackouts are implemented this winter, people will be warned at least a day in advance, the Grid has said.

They are likely to be at peak times – between 4pm and 9pm or in the morning – and work on a rotation so not all areas of the country have their power cut at the same time.

Continued here.

Comments
  1. […] Torches not candles: How to prepare for a blackout – Sky News | Tallbloke’s Talkshop (wordpr… […]

  2. I believe that the Rough field which was decommissioned many years back then subsequently used as gas storage facility until the age of stupidity set in and was closed, has passed inspection and declared fit to be used as a gas storage facility. I do have some info on it, but will have to dig around for it.

  3. Graeme No.3 says:

    Boom times coming for the horse and buggy industry?
    ‘Green’ and no pollution.
    I see that the German Vice-Chancellor (Green Party) can’t show his face in public (NoTricksZone).

  4. oldbrew says:

    Graeme – horse drawn trams still operate at Douglas seafront on the Isle of Man.

    https://www.visitisleofman.com/experience/douglas-bay-horse-tramway-p1292461

  5. pochas94 says:

    Amazing how easy it is to sell witch’s tales, even today.

  6. oldbrew says:

    If blackouts are implemented this winter, people will be warned at least a day in advance, the Grid has said.

    Planned blackouts? A weird concept. They can avoid a blackout today, but not tomorrow.

  7. oldbrew says:

    The World Desperately Needs To Invest More In Battery Storage
    By Felicity Bradstock – Oct 08, 2022

    But no current battery storage project is quite so impressive as the largest facility in the world, located in California. The Moss Landing battery storage facility has a capacity of 400 MW.

    https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/The-World-Desperately-Needs-To-Invest-More-In-Battery-Storage.html
    – – –
    Don’t be silly. ‘The world’ needs to forget the idea that batteries can run entire grid systems. It’s a complete joke.

    How long is 400 MW of electricity going to last in California? Count the minutes 🙄

  8. Russ Wood says:

    You want to know about scheduled blackouts? Look at South Africa, where the monopoly electricity supplier is running at about an 70% availability factor. We have at least one 2-hour blackout each day, and usually two sessions of daily darkness. The reason? When the ANC took over the country they didn’t seem to believe in ‘maintenance’ – with the result that every few hours, a main generator ‘trips’. This could be a blown fuse, a burst boiler or a blown-up generator – they are all ‘trips’.

  9. oldbrew says:

    Winter in Europe could be tough…

    WRITTEN BY MICHAEL SHELLENBERGER ON OCT 10, 2022.

    The Fanaticism Of The Apocalypse Forcing Europeans To Burn Garbage

    In Europe (Poland) they’re burning garbage to stay warm.
    . . .
    Because of all the garbage burning, the government may soon hand out masks so its residents don’t inhale toxic fumes.
    . . .
    Forests are being hammered. In Estonia and Finland, forests set aside to capture carbon dioxide to reduce climate change are now being so heavily logged that they are net emitters.

    https://climatechangedispatch.com/the-fanaticism-of-the-apocalypse-forcing-europeans-to-burn-garbage/

  10. oldbrew says:

    The Penetration Problem. Part II: Will the Inflation Reduction Act Cause a Blackout?
    Posted on October 11, 2022

    Replacing conventional synchronous generating resources, which have been the foundation of the power system, with asynchronous intermittent resources will degrade the reliability of the grid and contribute to blackout risk.
    . . .
    We are seeing blackouts and system problems all over the world now, unlike in the past. There is a common factor for most – high penetration of intermittent asynchronous wind and solar generation.

    The Penetration Problem. Part II: Will the Inflation Reduction Act Cause a Blackout?


    – – –
    Of course the key word is ‘replacing’. Adding renewables isn’t in itself the problem (re. blackouts), it’s closing down power stations as you do so that leads to trouble.