Bishop Hill Belgian brownout, German emergency, British plan
Sep 25, 2014 Energy: grid Energy: nuclear I recently chanced upon a report about the plans that Belgium has put in place to deal with its impending electricity crisis, brought about by the shutdown of several of its nuclear reactors. It seems that the country is to be divided into six zones, which will each take their turn to be switched off when the grid is about to be overwhelmed. A more detailed version of the plan, released last week, shows who will be affected, right down to street level.
We knew about the Belgian energy crisis already, but somehow seeing the brownout plans up close brings the whole thing home.
Meanwhile, in Germany it seems that the national grid operator is having to make ever more interventions to keep its charge operational,
Already 3500 emergency grid interventions per year – According to the TAB report of 2011: More than a couple days of blackout would be a national catastrophe – Germany sacrifices its uniquely reliable power supply for the ‘transition to renewable energy’.
And some major energy users have already been forced to shut down to keep things afloat.
The situation in Britain seems to be little better, of course, with calls for emergency generation capacity already having been issued. But don't worry, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey has a cunning plan, as he explained to Liberal Democrat Voice:
One of the five green laws we are proposing in our Pre-Manifesto is a Zero Carbon Britain Bill which would include a legally binding decarbonisation target and measures to end the use of unabated coal.
That will help, I'm sure.
Reader Comments (75)
oakwood
“The evenings of candles and board games were charming then”
But less so now, I fear, given our greater reliance on electricity and data processing. In short, almost nothing works without it, which is livable with in the short term and on a domestic level, but has unpredictable (and potentially unpleasant) ramifications elsewhere.
I don’t mean to sound pessimistic, but it’s hard not to be on this subject.
The communist party in government always take the energy portfolio. Thats one of their conditions of going into power. Its so they can cut off the lifeblood of capitalism.
There are also difficulties in Ireland as my blog has shown :
http://irishenergyblog.blogspot.ie/2014/09/are-blackouts-on-way-in-west-ireland.html
SandyS
We took the precaution of investing in a wood-burning Aga-like range a few years ago, and almost exclusively cook on that during the winter months. It's been worth its weight in gold...
Jamesp (Sep 25, 2014 at 1:00 PM), the logical conclusion has to be that the intention is to remove all carbon and carbon-based items from this island. As even total depopulation and a scorched-earth policy cannot achieve that dream, it is an utterly pointless bill – much like every other bill they are producing, by the shed-load!
Old Goat
Esse or Rayburn?
RR
"scorched-earth"
Which would at least demonstrate how much carbon there is at large!
Yes, I have similar memories of 70's childhood excitement. It was the only time I got my parents to play Monopoly with us.
I think there may be multiple levels of irony in that fact, but don't have the time/inclination to dive there at the moment.
"multiple levels of irony"
All of which would be lost on Mr Ed!
If only lighting were the problem...
SandyS - it's an Esse WN, with matching gas hob/electric double oven unit (for the summer!).
The political class in the UK has convinced itself that the green view is the majority view. That is the only explanation as politicians seek one thing only, power, and you get that by getting the most votes.
The solution is simple, don't vote for any green-obsessed party at the next election.
Have there been any opinion polls to see if the British people want a legally binding decarbonisation target, or even a non-legally binding one?
I'm just waiting for one of these eejits to tell us that we are paying for the 'privilege' of having an electricity supply. They better not do it in my presence.
Amazing that we have used hundred years to build a reliable electric supply, and now it is more or less ruined by those greens. Was it possible to just cut the electricity to those who love all that green and renewables?
Apart from using a wood stove for ALL heating and propane for hot water I have a pair of leisure batteries connected to an old ebay-bought UPS (uninterruptible power supply, generally used for PC power backups) which itself is connected to the Economy 7 supply. Cheap to charge the batteries and sufficient backup mains to run TV, laptop, modem/router and lighting for 18 hours continuously if necessary. Then again I also have a portable genny....
Can't be too pessimistic when it comes to energy supplies.
One has to consider not just the generation capacity but also the grid structure and it's ability to transport the electrons to their usage point. Last I looked in any detail, the 1990's the European grid was a bit of ramshackle collection. Also to be considered are transmission losses. Good luck to all in Europe in the coming winter.
I'm fortunate to live in Alberta, power and gas transmission are absolutely a matter of life or death when temperatures go to minus 40 and stay there for weeks on end, and they are treated as such. Because I live in a relatively remote area I have a natural gas fueled 17Kw generator with appropriate automatic switch gear.
Wait till it dawns on the technical illiterati that without electricity there is no reliable means of propaganda delivery.
Does anyone know if all telephone exchanges have a backup generator? How long can they run for without needing to be refuelled? Are ISP servers dumped in order to maintain the telephone service?
Old Goat,
We are a Esse house too, and I grew up with a Rayburn I much prefer them to the Aga,
Dave_G
I am committed to a low cost option (no power generation) and using 19th century heating, lighting and cooking facilities. The only concession is petrol for the chainsaw.
Old Goat & Sandy S,
Assume the worst. Your dwellings will require blackout curtains, because if they are lit up like beacons in the dark, the cold & hungry will demand to be let in. Then the "have nots" will seize the property of the prudent "haves" & society will become dystopic. Take your pick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_featuring_home_invasions
Russian Coal, German Train, French power station, British hijackers
.. noting the title of this post, I highlight the irony of the Greenpeace Cottam train hijack this week
(as they tried to close down a power station which powers 7.5million homes ..(how many windfarms is that ? probably a least 100 running at average power)
Might I make a suggestion to EDF, and similar companies involved in electricity generation by coal?
STOP production of electricity by coal, declaring that you are following the advice of Greenpi$$ et al, and that you expect that these NGOs will have alternatives on hand to deliver as required, so we can all rest easy.
(Invest in popcorn futures, too – it’ll be a blast!)
Some practical
ways to prepare for
blackouts
in the home
this winter
With the likely prospect of power cuts lasting several hours or even days this winter there are things to watch out for and ways to be ready for them.
If you are heated by gas or oil remember a power cut prevents your boiler from working. They need electricity to run ignition, electronics, pumps and valves. The same is true of most gas cookers. So you will need off-grid power.
If you are totally electric then, sadly, there are limited options. It would be sensible to have a camping gas stove (£20-£30), a bottled gas room heater (£130, eg Rhino H02233 Catalytic Heater) and plenty of LED lamps and torches with spare batteries.
A. If you have a garden and/or a garage,
a petrol generator is the best choice. It can supply a constant 1000w for as long as you have the petrol.
1000w generators (‘inverter’ type which give smooth ‘sine wave’ AC enabling delicate equipment like computers to run safely) are around £250 - £300, such as:
Clarke-ig1000 (made in China)
You can, of course, buy as big a generator as you have room for, but the cost increases proportionally! So I’m using a basic 1000w setup as my example.
You could organise a shared setup with neighbours.
A generator will need basic shelter from the elements, such as an open garage or a simple ‘doghouse’ which allows a free Ÿow of air to ensure the unit doesn’t overheat and the exhaust is fully open to the air.
Important note. DO NOT run the generator in a closed garage or other enclosed space as the accumulation of exhaust fumes is deadly!
Although automatic switchgear systems are available to trip out mains and trip in generators, they are relatively expensive and also require more expensive generators (with electric starters).
B. If not,
then batteries and inverter are the better choice. A 1000w 12v inverter (£110) + large 12v 120Ah Lead Acid battery (£110) + auto mains charger (£30). These can be kept inside.
This setup has limitations on how long it can run for. It depends on the capacity of the charged battery. For example a 120Ah 12v battery will deliver 1000w for about one hour, 500w for about two hours etc. If you have extra batteries (which are around £110 each) then the setup can last proportionally longer before recharging.
Both systems will run the boiler, fridge, some lighting, FS TV and computer (NOT a laser printer though).
If you have all electric cooking, then purchasing a gas camping stove and a kettle would be strongly advised. They cost around £20-£30 for a double ring.
How to use either system when mains power goes off
1. Make sure all but your boiler circuit is turned off - lights, heaters, cookers, kettles, fridges, washing machines (dish and clothes) etc... (You don’t want to present your back up power supply with too much load when turned on).
2. Turn off your mains supply at the Fuse box (your property is now fully isolated from the mains grid).
3. With the generator or inverter OFF, connect it via a lead made up of two 13amp plugs and a length of 3 core 13 amp Ÿex that reaches from the generator to any 13A socket in the garage, garden or home.
4. Then start up the generator or switch on the inverter and all of your house circuits will be available - lights, mains sockets etc.
As you are limited to 1000w of power be very careful what you turn on.
Here are some power ratings which may be helpful:
Average gas/oil boiler - 250w - pump, valves and ignition etc.
Low energy light bulbs: variable ~ 20w. Even if you don’t like them it is as well to use them during power cuts. LEDs are better than CFs.
Fridge 200-300w, Freezers ditto.
TV ~100w + boxes, about 20w each.
Computer plus extras 200w variable, inkjets are OK but NOT Laser printers.
Home powered telephone units ie wireless type 3-4w.
Mobile phone chargers 10-20w max
THESE ARE FOR GUIDANCE ONLY
check your devices for power use.
If rating is not given in watt then multiply voltage times ampage.
V × I = W
Under no circumstances can you use:
Electric shower, electric cooker, electric kettle, dishwasher, washing machine, hoover, tumble drier, electric heater, iron, hair drier, microwave. Overloading will automatically cause the generator or inverter to cut out.
The National Grid should be able to tell you how long a power cut is likely to last - unless it is caused by storm damage. You can arrange to be rung back by National Grid to tell/text you when power has been restored - look up in Telephone Directory - or you can check with neighbours!
When you know power has been restored:
1. Turn off and totally disconnect your generator or inverter (unplug at both ends).
2. Turn on the mains at the Fuse box.
If you feel uncertain about how to do this, talk it over unofžcially with a friendly electrician or friend with electrical knowledge. Though the suggested arrangements are quite safe when used correctly, they might not get ofžcial H&S approval - but then not dying of hypothermia could perhaps be more important!
Although car batteries will work for a while, the correct lead acid battery is one purpose made and the camper/caravan batteries are very close to the ideal and some are the same. These batteries are designed to provide their rated output for longer, whereas a car battery is designed to give high starter output for a shorter period. An e-mail to Exide will get the information. Batteries can be charged by the mains when on and used during blackouts without a generator. Its a much cheaper option with an inverter. But if the blackout is protracted, a generator will be needed. Also if money permits a small diesel generator is cheaper to run on rebated No 2 diesel fuel, runs smoother and quieter and cooler. Water cooled versions are quieter and cooler running and if the oil is changed they last a long time. Stay away from 2 stroke petrol engines using any fuel, they are hard to start and give less efficiency, always buy a 4 stroke.
Philip Foster & Val Martin:
There is a thread running in the "Discussion" session on how to prepare for blackouts. I thought your posts would be a helpful contribution so I have copied them across.
" "the plan, released last week, shows who will be affected"
Does DECC even have one? "
Sep 25, 2014 at 9:49 AM | jamesp
Never mind, the LibDims have a plan. Just have to wait while they get a clue though.
The panic had reached the power stations - the lights of New York had gone out.
- Read Atlas Shrugged