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[Nickbat]

In mid-August, Germany opened a new 2200MW coal-fired power station near Cologne, and virtually not a word has been said about it. This dearth of reporting is even more surprising when one considers that Germany has said building new coal plants is necessary because electricity produced by wind and solar has turned out to be unaffordably expensive and unreliable.

In a deteriorating economic situation, Germany’s new environment minister, Peter Altmaier, who is as politically close to Chancellor Angela Merkel as it gets, has underlined time and again the importance of not further harming Europe’s – and Germany’s – economy by increasing the cost of electricity.

He is also worried that his country could become dependent on foreign imports of electricity, the mainstay of its industrial sector. To avoid that risk, Altmaier has given the green light to build twenty-three new coal-fired plants, which are currently under construction.


http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/08/28/germanys-new-renewable-energy-policy/#more-70077

And where's the UK's future electricity going to come from?

Ah, yes. More wind farms.

http://www.slaythearray.com/

Sheesh. We're run by dummies. 

[Dishevelled Den]

In mid-August, Germany opened a new 2200MW coal-fired power station near Cologne, and virtually not a word has been said about it. This dearth of reporting is even more surprising when one considers that Germany has said building new coal plants is necessary because electricity produced by wind and solar has turned out to be unaffordably expensive and unreliable.

In a deteriorating economic situation, Germany’s new environment minister, Peter Altmaier, who is as politically close to Chancellor Angela Merkel as it gets, has underlined time and again the importance of not further harming Europe’s – and Germany’s – economy by increasing the cost of electricity.

He is also worried that his country could become dependent on foreign imports of electricity, the mainstay of its industrial sector. To avoid that risk, Altmaier has given the green light to build twenty-three new coal-fired plants, which are currently under construction.


http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/08/28/germanys-new-renewable-energy-policy/#more-70077

And where's the UK's future electricity going to come from?

Ah, yes. More wind farms.

http://www.slaythearray.com/

Sheesh. We're run by dummies. 

and virtually not a word has been said about it.

The failure of the Main Stream Media (MSM) - and broadcasters - has allowed those in power to exercise it at will at will and without effective challenge (mostly).

That's why, inter alia, this country is in such a mess, particularly in the area of a national energy policy where such policy seems to be decided on the desires of self-interest groups, the coalition partners of a decidedly second-rate government and the foreign owners of our energy generators – furthermore, this policy seems to be being formulated on the hoof and subject to (party) political (and personal) expediency.

At a time in the early years of a century when plans should already have been made and work started to guarantee the (secure) future availability of energy in this country - as it will be of paramount importance given the nature of our economy, growing population and the environmental effects of being an island situated off the coast of a large continent in the northern hemisphere – we see this cluster opps of ill-thought out ideas instead.

What then have we to show for it - other than confusion, chaos and incoherence? precious little. All this unchallenged (for the most part) by those in the MSM, a body which should be concerned with garnering news and effectively (professionally) investigating issues affecting the citizens and national structure of this country rather than displaying the latest trivialities of those who are held to be celebrities, satisfying the market driven lust of commercialism and deporting a plethora of other inconsequential nonsense.

Without an effective MSM it doesn’t matter what hue of government holds the reins of power as there will never be a national voice to question the abuse or maladministration of it.

[Varche]

Sheesh. We're run by dummies.

It is alright, Britain will be saved by the Chinese. Everything will be fine when they are running the power companies. Cheap electricity at last

[tunnie]

No defending Wind power, but the Germans are not always right. They quite often get things wrong 

Can't see coal being answer. 

The Germans also don't have Scotland 

[Sir Tigger KC]

No defending Wind power, but the Germans are not always right. They quite often get things wrong 

Can't see coal being answer. 

The Germans also don't have Scotland

Neither will we soon!! 

[Kevin Wood]

No defending Wind power, but the Germans are not always right. They quite often get things wrong 

Can't see coal being answer. 

The Germans also don't have Scotland 

They're right about 2 things that our shower are yet to grasp:

1) If we don't do something effective, the lights will go out and our industrial base will go down the toilet

2) Building windmills is not effective

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

No defending Wind power, but the Germans are not always right. They quite often get things wrong 

Can't see coal being answer. 

The Germans also don't have Scotland

That's a blessing.

(No offence to our wonderful Jock OOFers).

[Marks DTM Calib]

Wind and solar power is far from capable of meeting any base load requirements due to its inability to be relied on. Energy storage of the scale required is not an option with today's technology's. Gas is very volatile on price which only gives nuclear and coal as realistic options.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Ow yes, did you know they are about to install another dc link in the tunnel to increase are ability to import energy from Europe......discuss!

[Kevin Wood]

Ow yes, did you know they are about to install another dc link in the tunnel to increase are ability to import energy from Europe......discuss!

Yeah, I heard about that the other day. If it's too much of a hot potato to build our own nukes, use France's.

.. and let them have us over a barrel, just like the Russians do.

[SIR Philbutt]

Correct me if I am wrong but this is how I see it

In recent times there have been, high profile, events that have "forced" the government to action

The expenses fiasco which affected change in policy and process and made corruptly received money be returned, loss of position and in some cases prosecution and imprisonment.

Phone tapping, especially of Millie Dowler which has led to the Levenson enquiry, court cases, Newspaper shutdowns, polictical dis-association, resignation, many celebs coming forward. Although the possible outcome of all this will be to constrain the press.

The banks, bankers, Toxic Mortgages, LIBOR etc which will lead to some (probably minimal) regulation.

In these cases main stream media brought these things to the wider public attention BUT was strengthened by public outrage and/or opinion. 

So..... as long as public opinion is seen and heard to be against, as well as in support, of policy politicians can be compelled to action, albeit through the media.

If Levenson comes to the expected conclusion it will be one more nail in the coffin of Government for the people.

Please Discuss

[Kevin Wood]

There's some truth to that. Politicians only get off their @rse for a headline. Investigative journalists tend to go after celebrities, MPs with their fingers in the till and other nonentities rather than doing quality research into serious issues of national importance, therefore nothing gets done. Until the lights start going out, whereby it'll be too late.

[Rods2]

I hope the coal fired power stations have effective fume filtering to stop acid rain killing forests and crops further to the east and also to stop the spread of nuclear particles where coal fired powered power stations spew out more of these into the atmosphere than would ever be allowed to be legally released from a nuclear power station. 

You have more chance of getting a coherent aviation policy on London airports out of the current shower of s*!$ than an energy policy.

First question CamMoron, Clegg, John Scummer and Dim Yeo would ask if you asked them to deliver an energy policy would be what's in it for us and our families. 

Problem with relying on French Nuclear power, so is France, Belgium, Holland and Western Germany when their windmills aren't working. 

DC link going through the Chunnel. DC is much more efficient for long distance power transmission and it also means when you convert it back to AC you can synchronize the 50Hz sine wave to your AC grid. Un-linked grids will be out of phase with each other.

[Kevin Wood]

First question CamMoron, Clegg, John Scummer and Dim Yeo would ask if you asked them to deliver an energy policy would be what's in it for us and our families. 

Indeed. I wonder where the kick back is from a 3rd runway at Heathrow? There must be one, just haven't worked it out yet...

This "man or mouse" bs.. Sounds like someone with their shout tantalisingly close to some trough or other.

[cem_devecioglu]

I hope the coal fired power stations have effective fume filtering to stop acid rain killing forests and crops further to the east and also to stop the spread of nuclear particles where coal fired powered power stations spew out more of these into the atmosphere than would ever be allowed to be legally released from a nuclear power station. 

You have more chance of getting a coherent aviation policy on London airports out of the current shower of s*!$ than an energy policy.

First question CamMoron, Clegg, John Scummer and Dim Yeo would ask if you asked them to deliver an energy policy would be what's in it for us and our families. 

Problem with relying on French Nuclear power, so is France, Belgium, Holland and Western Germany when their windmills aren't working. 

DC link going through the Chunnel. DC is much more efficient for long distance power transmission and it also means when you convert it back to AC you can synchronize the 50Hz sine wave to your AC grid. Un-linked grids will be out of phase with each other.

yep.. once I visited a city which has a coal power station.. Even with filters there was enormous increase in lung cancer 
 
and when days are windy , surrounding cities and villages were also effected..