UK 'Could Face Blackouts By 2016'

BBC NEWS :

David MacKay, who takes up his post at the Department of Energy on 1 October, says that the public keep objecting to energy projects. This, he says, is creating a huge problem, which could turn out the lights.

Read the whole story: BBC NEWS

Comments

[texfly]

09:29 PM on 09/29/2009

Unlike the UK we have the real estate and natural resources: Solar in low population areas of desert SW. Wind in the central plains' wind corridors.

13,000 200 MW plants, 1 square mile apiece in would use about 2% of the arid lands in CA AZ, NM and TX and supply the entire electricity needs of the US to 2050 for residential, commercial, industrial, all heat and AC, and all autos if 100% (PH)EV. It would cover the 16 hr/day baseload of electrcity for the entire US (coast-to-coast, 8AM EST to 8 PM PST)) in real time requiring a 30% back-up for the remaining 8 hours.

! million 1.5 MW wind turbines (at 20% capacity factor) on 1/2 mile centers in the central plains would produce all the power needs cited above to 2050. And that doesn't include any extra turbines built on the the high wind ridges of the Sierras, Rockies, or Appalachains.

Fold in energy efficiency increases and home geothermal for heating in the north and AC in the south. and our energy future is very bright. No coal, little gasoline, no natural gas, and minimal nuclear if you insist (H2 stoarge could obviate that.).

[texfly]

09:08 PM on 09/29/2009

Congratualtions David! Good Luck

Jay