ENERGY MATTERS

[Stanley]

At a time when there has never been a greater need for focussed management in energy supply guess what British Gas are doing....
They're sending customers emails trying to get them to take part in a snake-oil 'rewards' scheme that promises you 25% off food. You have to wonder what is going on in the minds of management to allow gew gaws like this in a time of crisis. (Or have they perhaps not noticed?)

[Tizer]

What do you have to do? Use more gas? Create more CO2?

[Tripps]

I read today that Chinese increase in emissions over the next few years will be greater than any reductions we manage to achieve, whilst we damage our economy beyond repair, and propose 'pie in the sky' solutions and predictions.

India has 'promised' to go carbon neutral- whatever that means - by - wait for it - 2070 . You can take that to the bank.

It's all b******s.

Get fracking - stay warm. . . .

[Tizer]

China, India and Russia will eventually have to face the fact that their populations have become frightened of the future and if no measures are taken to fight climate change they'll be back into revolution mode. The temperature rise in Russia for example is already twice that of the world average. China and India are facing not only global warming but also rapidly rising pollution, especially in the cities, and that will be a disaster not only for population health but it'll bring a drop in productivity and a failing economy.

[Tripps]

I can't think of any of the worlds problems which would not be improved by a reduction in population. Just seen on SKY, a drought ridden part of Madagascar where people were literally starving. The guy they focussed on had two wives, and sixteen children - all hungry.
I always wonder where the reporter goes after doing these dreadful assignments. Back to the Holiday Inn I guess.

[Stanley]

Described by the World Food Programme as 'the first climate change induced famine' David.
Peter, I don't know how you engage in the BG scheme because I delete all mention of it. Their marketing department is very active, I am still being advised to get a smart meter installed.... One wonders if they are confusing activity with action.....
I've just checked and both meters are reporting in. Last month's dual fuel usage is £59.

[Tripps]

My gas charge was apportioned in October - half at the existing rate and half at the new rate. The second half was roughly double the first half. Ouch !

[Big Kev]

I'm hoping for a reasonable fixed rate before June next year.

[Stanley]

I've checked and I am on the present rate until April 2022. Mugs for luck, it was a good move. My commiserations to anyone who has a less fortunate experience....

[Big Kev]

I am fortunate that mine is fixed until June.

[Tripps]

I just changed most of my kitchen downlights from 35w to 5 w. LED bulbs. I left the two which are on a dimmer - though the likelihood of more candle light dinner parties is very low.

I may need sunglasses to go in there now. I'm amazed.

[Big Kev]

I just changed most of my kitchen downlights from 35w to 5 w. LED bulbs. I left the two which are on a dimmer - though the likelihood of more candle light dinner parties is very low.

I may need sunglasses to go in there now. I'm amazed.

It doesn't take long to get used to them. I noticed they do them in various 'shades' now, the first set of led spotlamp bulbs I fitted were bright white. A bit of a shock from warm halogen

[Stanley]

That was my reaction when I paid £600 to have the lights in the kitchen and the workshop changed, it was a different world. All LED tubes. God knows how much less juice they use. I have two old fashioned bulbs, one in the cellar and one in the angle poise lamp on Johnny's lathe in the front room and one in the cellar. Then there is the 150watt sunburst in the security light but all those bulbs are on for very short periods of time and aren't costing a fortune.

[Big Kev]

I have a 4ft LED strip light in the cellar, cost me £23.99.

[Tizer]

I just changed most of my kitchen downlights from 35w to 5 w. LED bulbs. I left the two which are on a dimmer - though the likelihood of more candle light dinner parties is very low. I may need sunglasses to go in there now. I'm amazed.

Welcome to the 21st Century, Tripps! I'm glad you've seen the light and the need for reducing carbon emissions.

[chinatyke]

The best LED bulbs I've found are the three colour ones 4000Kyellow/5000Kwarm white/6000Kwhite. Switch on and they are 6000k, switch off and then on within 10seconds and they are yellow. Switch off/on again and they are warm white. Of course they are dirt cheap here and I can experiment, never paid more than £1.50. Stanley's strip LEDs cost about £4 a complete unit. It isn't worth mending them, they are disposable items. I'm LED throughout the apartment, at least 87 bulbs/strips/wall units including 3 x 150W LED floodllghts in the garden for when we do evening gardening. They are impressive but are usually on for a short time. Of course electricity is very cheap also.

[Tripps]

I'm glad you've seen the light and the need for reducing carbon emissions.

Just self interest and the need to reduce my bills - or rather to stop them increasing! I'm not big on carbon reduction.
I see a box of 12 bulbs cost me £19,95 on ebay. That's not much more than China's price. Very satisfying.

I see HM Q has flown to Sandringham in a helicopter. I know she's old and has been unwell, but after her speech to the COP, why not in an electric limousine? Escorted by a fleet of electric police cars and motor bikes. I wonder if she's got someone coming to give her a quote for a large ground source heat pump at the retreat? She's probably one of the few who can afford it. I bet Boris and Clarrie have got one in the pipeline for Downing Street.

PS Just remembered this. Perhaps she should take the lead from her son, whose car runs on wine and cheese. Drive Caerphilly

[Stanley]

Kitchen 2 5ft double elements and workshop has 4. the sparks told me they aren't serviceable but not to worry as he had never seen one fail. I'll let you know.
Morning Graham, never mind bragging about the fact you can live off a tanner a week, how are you?
David, quite and Boris flew back from Glasgow to London in a private jet. Reports say he had a dinner date with someone important who is a mate of Owen Paterson's. Surely not.......

[chinatyke]

Thanks, Stanley. I'm not so good but struggling along.

[MickBrett]

I think I've just about replaced all our light bulbs with LED now and none of them have died yet.

Why did I say that...

[Stanley]

Understood Graham. Old age isn't for cissies!

[Big Kev]

Small scale nuclear to get green light this week
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59201945

There was speculation that this could benefit RR in Barlick.

[Tizer]

I'm puzzled now by what is meant by `small scale nuclear reactors'. When they were first mooted some years ago they were described as being small enough to be mobile and moved from one site to another on a wagon. I was wary of the idea because I couldn't see how they could be kept secure from terrorists etc. This article says they are capable of generating nearly 500 megawatts of power - three times as much as much as most existing nuclear submarine reactors but more than six times less than the 3.2 gigawatts that the large plant under construction at Hinkley Point will deliver. Hinkley is expected to produce enough power to supply 6 million homes.. I don't know how big a submarine reactor is but I wouldn't have thought they could be put on the back of a wagon and moved from place to place as needed. Perhaps what they mean now is medium rather than small nuclear reactors!

[Big Kev]

They were being discussed on the radio this lunchtime. One of the topics of discussion was to replace the 'coal fired' or 'gas fired' bit of a power station with the SMR. The man from RR was saying they can be built in modular form, shipped to site on wagons and then bolted together. If they're going to use them in redundant stations the other required infrastructure will already be there. Sounds like a good plan to me.
Wind, solar and water power are all a good idea but can't be guaranteed, we need something to provide a base line of power in the grid.

[Stanley]

Small reactors based on the design used in submarines has always sounded attractive to me. They have a good safety record and the fact they are totally emission free should balance any increase in the cost of production. Using them on the same site as the obsolete generators is a no-brainer if only because they are connected to the grid already. Above all they are UK technology and not subsidised by the Chinese.