Bishop Hill Diary dates, find us some energy edition
Apr 2, 2015 Diary dates Energy: grid In May, the Glasgow Science Centre is holding a debate which might be summarised as "OMG where is the energy going to come from?".
Join us and a highly-qualified guest panel, chaired by writer and broadcaster Iain Macwhirter, on Tuesday 5th of May to discuss the challenges we all face as the energy sector moves into an uncertain future.
Challenges include:
•Tackling the impact of climate change and responding to carbon-cutting legislation
•Finding new sources of conventional energy including oil and gas
•Developing new renewable energy sources such as offshore wind and marine
•The future of nuclear.The guest panel includes:
Peter McGregor, International Public Policy Institute, University of Strathclyde
Gordon Ballard, Chairman, Schlumberger UK
Ken Cronin, Chief Executive, UK Offshore Oil & Gas
Niall Stuart, Chief Executive, Scottish Renewables
Tickets are free and available here.
Reader Comments (9)
Here is a brilliant summary talk on the state of the UK energy industry given by Angela Knight - Former CEO of EnergyUK
https://soundcloud.com/uwebristol/angela-knight-cbe-bristol-distinguished-address-series-25-march-2015
She starts around 6 mins in.
It would be laughable if this conference worked out that the answer lay beneath their feet.
Scotland could be the economic powerhouse of Europe, which would restore Pride in Scotland, and make it a bit embarrassing for Europhiles everywhere, who had been forced to eject Scotland from the EU.
Obviously if the Scots want to be reduced to weaving tartan basket cases.......
That would bore me to smithereens. I also have strong Groundskeeper Willie tendencies on the subject of CLIMATE CHANGE. Better not.
The system under which the modern electrical energy suppliers are required to work can be understood by an analogy.
Suppose we imagine train companies operating on a railway on the planet Sullet.
First rule of operations is that anytime a local train (owned by one company) is about to pull onto the main line, any high speed train (owned by another company) must stop to let it travel slowly down the line.
Secondly, although in theory the HS trains are scheduled, the local trains are not but can pull onto the main line anytime they decide they have sufficient passengers.
Thirdly, the local trains can stop at any station (regardless of the passengers' tickets) or just on the main line.
Fourthly, tickets for local trains are four times more expensive than those for HS trains.
Substitute 'renewable companies' for local trains, and gas/coal/oil/nuclear companies for HS trains and you have the regime under which the electricity suppliers have to work!
"Finding new sources of conventional energy including oil and gas"
I don't think there's any difficulty in finding them - it's persuading DECC and its hangers-on that they might be necessary.
Philip Foster:
You forgot,
Fifthly the price of tickets on the high speed trains is doubled (or tripled) and the increase given to the operators of the local lines.
Graeme No.3 - excellent, I'll add it!
Philip Foster:
Also if a flood of empty local trains block the line, then the high speed company must pay for all of the empty seats in order to clear it.
Got me a ticket, I want to see the enviroloons face to face.
I hope we can submit questions, I'm preparing one......