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Electricity grids are key to renewable energy distribution

 

 

There is an abundance of clean, renewable, wind and solar energy that can produce green hydrogen and electricity to charge vehicle batteries, but there is no transport infrastructure to support rapid energy exchanges, refuel hydrogen vehicles and load level.

 

 

 

 

Electricity should be cheaply available to all, as a basic human right. As per Sustainability Development Goal 7. It is thus, the duty of every government to strive to achieve affordable energy for their administrative geographical region. Profits should not come into the frame, where it introduces energy poverty, or financial hardship.

 

Power supply grids should belong to the people, via the state.

 

Every effort should be made with policy and statute, to prevent profiteering and from a monopoly situation. Any monopoly situation created by any government in error should be dissolved as soon as possible with revised statutes.

 

Third party investors from other geographical regions, who are not investors in infrastructure or generation, for the provision of cheap electricity, should not be allowed to invest to skim off profits, that should properly have been invested for the people, for the prevention of energy poverty.

 

Unfortunately, in many European states, including the UK, governments appear to have sold their people into both poverty and financial hardship by privatizing the electricity industry. A service that should properly be state owned and controlled for the benefit of the electorate, except that energy companies providing onshore/offshore wind turbines, or solar farms, should be allowed to tender for such installations; in a genuinely competitive manner.

 

This not being the case, end users are shackled by the rising cost of living, unaffordable homes, and energy that they cannot afford to keep themselves clean, warm, for cooking, or to enjoy other comforts that electricity can offer, even lighting and computers for educational purposes.

 

In the UK this was a 'Thatcherite' shambles of biblical proportions.

 

The same may be said of the more developed nations all over the world. Whereas, developing nations are generally providing electricity at affordable prices. We need a return to honesty and transparency that long ago disappeared in the UK, with corruption in many forms undermining humanitarian progress. Especially in councils, as the grass roots breeding ground for members to join Parliament. Where the likes of Margaret Thatcher, are held to be nothing less than modern slave traders, with Poll Taxes and the sell off of social housing, to add to her human rights crimes.

 

The move by Labour, as the opposition, to combat this Conservative malaise is set out on their website:

 

"As part of Labour’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, Labour has today set out a comprehensive plan to rewire Britain, engaging in the largest upgrade to our national clean energy infrastructure in a generation.

Building a clean energy grid is essential if the UK wants to cut energy bills, deliver energy independence, and grow our economy. Yet under the Tories, the grid has become the single greatest obstacle to the deployment of cheap, clean power generation, and electrifying industry alike – and is keeping households stuck on expensive, insecure, imported gas rather than cheap, clean, homegrown energy.

As businesses seek to move ahead in the industries of the future, the queue for grid connections is growing out of control, with more than  £200bn worth of privately-funded projects now stuck. New grid connection dates are now being offered for 15 years’ time, in the late 2030s.

Labour will remove the barriers to facilitate the largest upgrade to  national transmission infrastructure in a generation, bringing cheaper, cleaner power, energy security, and jobs to every corner of the country.

Every household and business in Britain will feel the benefit of this plan, which will contribute to Labour’s plan to cut £93bn from UK energy bills by 2030."

 

OCTOBER 8, 2023 

Rachel Reeves MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:

 

“Talk to any business and they will tell you that the queue for grid connections is growing out of control, with more than £200bn worth of privately-funded projects now stuck. This will help cut family energy bills, allow businesses to invest and strengthen our energy security from foreign dictators.”

 

Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary, said:

 

“Labour’s energy policy will take back control of our energy system to deliver clean power and energy independence for Britain. “With GB Energy, our publicly owned energy company, we will deliver the grid we need to slash bills for every family and business."

 

 

 

 

 

THE GUARDIAN 30 NOVEMBER 2023 - LABOUR VOWS TO 'REWIRE BRITAIN' AS PYLON PLANS SPARK ROW IN TORY PARTY

Renewable energy companies have to wait up to a decade to connect to the electricity grid. Local farms and businesses are also stymied by the slow connection times, which are the lengthiest in Europe.

But there are fears that a new Conservative party internal row about pylon plans will cause Sunak to go slow on his aim to speed up grid connectivity. [There should be penalties for any company that fails to perform expeditiously in assisting the connection of renewable energy to the existing grid. Like a reverse windfall tax.]

A growing number of Tories have been raising concerns about pylons, among them the former home secretary Priti Patel, who asked in parliament this week why the National Grid could not be built in the sea.

She demanded ministers “build an offshore grid” and “pull the plug on these awful pylons”. The energy minister, Andrew Bowie, responded that an offshore grid would be more expensive and result in higher bills for customers, but said he understood the frustration of her constituents.

Patel is part of the Offshore Electricity Grid Task Force, a group of 14 MPs who are campaigning against pylons. Its members include Kemi Badenoch and the former environment secretary Thérèse Coffey.

Badenoch called for ministers to explore an offshore grid instead of onshore pylons, and Coffey said: “While I understand, for energy security, the government commitment to provide 40 gigawatts of offshore wind electricity by 2030, I’ve consistently made it clear that it’s essential our precious landscapes and communities are protected by placing the infrastructure in the appropriate location.” She also asked for an offshore grid to be contemplated.

National Grid said building the grid onshore was four times cheaper, and the Norwich to Tilbury pylon project, which will improve connections for many rural areas, would be more than £3bn more expensive if built offshore.

Simon Cran-McGreehin, the head of analysis at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said an offshore grid without onshore pylons made no sense. He said: “The proposed grid investments already include coordinated undersea cables to connect up the UK’s vast offshore wind potential – but at some point those lines have to come onshore to reach customers, otherwise it’s like a ring-road without any routes into town.” [One obvious solution to visual objections, is to convert electricity to hydrogen, and pipe the energy carrier to redistribution storage units, such as the proposed SmartNet solution, by way of example. There are umpteen alternative solutions that nobody is considering in the rush to slow progress, by the Red Flag obfuscation, spin doctor brigade.]

 

Electricity is the most convenient way of transmitting clean, alternative energy, from the point of origin (conversion from natural harvesting) to the end user. If we ignore potential intrusion from pylons. Electricity is linked to magnetism, a force that can be harnessed to attract or repel, and convert a generated or stored potential difference (such as in batteries) from electrons traveling in a metal conductor, to rotational or linear movement. This incredible property gives us electric motors and generators. We take it for granted, but it is a miracle of nature. We are living in the modern age of electricity. Where energy security is as yet, unsecured and unreliable price wise, with widely varying costs dependent on suppliers. Most of which are competing to use a grid network where the profits are going to billionaire investors. Making the rich, richer, and the poor poorer.

 

By all accounts the UK has made remarkable progress in decarbonizing its power mix under Labour, coalition and Conservative governments. As recently as 2008, 76 per cent of UK electricity was generated by fossil fuels, with a sizeable share generated by the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel; coal.

In 2023, fossil fuels provided just 33 per cent of electricity, virtually all from natural gas, according to the Carbon Brief. Renewables provided 43 per cent and nuclear 13 per cent, with the rest from imports or other sources – such as waste incineration. Nuclear power is potentially to most polluting form of electricity generation, from radioactive waste that never goes away. The responsibility of government as the original companies making the waste are wound up.

As of the end of Q3 in 2023, the UK’s installed capacities of renewable energies were 15.4 GW for onshore wind, 14.6 GW for offshore wind, 80 MW for floating offshore, and 15.5 GW for solar. 

In early 2023, Labour’s ‘Switch on British Energy’ pledge featured a ‘Clean Power by 2030’ proposal that would include a total of 35 GW of onshore wind, an ‘ambition’ of 55 GW of offshore wind, at least 5 GW of floating offshore wind, and 50 GW of solar by 2030.

 

That should go some way to meeting the requirements of SDG7, and they are to be commended. In addition, the UK could become an energy net exporter, provided such policies are acted on. That is after UK electricity prices are much reduced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENERGY DISTRIBUTION, GENERATION & STORAGE

 

If properly planned and operated, dispersed storage and generation may provide benefits to distribution systems by reducing capacity requirements, improving reliability, and reducing losses. Dispersed-storage-and-generation technologies include hydroelectric systems, diesel generators, wind-electric systems, solar-electric systems, batteries, storage space and water heaters, storage air conditioners, hydroelectric pumped storage, photovoltaics, and fuel cells.

 

As a result of the application of deregulation in the electric power sector, a new identity appeared in the electric power system map known as “Distributed Generation” (DG). Instead of using 100 MW to GW sized units located far from the loads, disbursed generation sites might be kW to MW scale - located closer to natural resources and local loads.

 

Distribution networks were initially designed as passive systems, which provided one-directional links between the transmission network and electricity end users. The introduction of DG is resulting in many distribution networks becoming energy harvesting systems, with much more variability and bidirectional power flows where there are high penetrations of DG.

 

Those who hold the power and wealth should consider re-investing in alternatives as they head towards the sustainable economics of zero growth.

 

ELECTRICITY PRICES

 

Unfortunately, where SDG 7 of the United Nations' sustainability development goals, is to provide "clean affordable energy for all," electricity prices vary considerably from region to region based on local policies, profit ratios for shareholders, lack of investment in renewables, reliance on fossil fuels. And of course natural resources. The most important of all being hydro electricity for the fortunate few.

 

There is not a lot of point transitioning to renewables if we do not tackle the drastic price variations, due to policies and infrastructure deficiencies. We will have the same problems, just new taskmasters. We need new policies. So please write to your Councilors, Members of Parliament and other Heads of State. Petition, and if necessary, march for fair energy prices with policies to match. Be careful though in Russia, China, Iran, etc. Where there are no free elections, and dissent is rewarded with the Gulag, poisoning, or instant beheadings. Nations who abuse Human Rights, should not be able to compete in energy markets with those who uphold Human Rights. This includes imports and exports. These are the opinions of the writer, not necessarily those of the Foundation.

 

AFRICAN ELECTRICITY PRICES

AUSTRALASIAN ELECTRICITY PRICES

CANADIAN ELECTRICITY PRICES

CHINESE ELECTRICITY PRICES
EUROPEAN ELECTRICITY PRICES

MIDDLE EASTERN ELECTRICITY PRICES

NORTH AMERICAN ELECTRICITY PRICES (USA)

RUSSIAN ELECTRICITY PRICES

SOUTH AMERICAN ELECTRICITY PRICES
SOUTH ASIAN ELECTRICITY PRICES

UKRAINIAN ELECTRICITY PRICES

ELECTRICITY PRICES UNITED KINGDOM

 

As you may imagine, if you are running a business that uses lots of energy. Location is an important factor in remaining competitive. Industry could be based near the Sahara desert, where massive solar installations make sense. And yet, there is little by way of industrial activity. Africa, is thus a blossoming energy market. Recognised in both the EGYPES and ADIPEC energy shows. With many other events concentrating on renewables like green hydrogen and electrolyzers.

LOWEST ELECTRICITY PRICES ON PLANET EARTH

 

Let’s create a performance league table for electricity prices, ranking countries from the cheapest to the most expensive based on the information available on the web. Remember that these rankings are subject to change over time, but as of the data available, here’s a top ten list:

Sudan: USD 0.006 per kWh (household price)
Kyrgyzstan: USD 0.049 per kWh (household price)
Bulgaria: USD 0.078 per kWh (average household price)
Hungary: USD 0.078 per kWh (average household price)
Malta: USD 0.078 per kWh (average household price)
Kazakhstan: USD 0.079 per kWh (household price)
Uzbekistan: USD 0.080 per kWh (household price)
Tajikistan: USD 0.081 per kWh (household price)
Turkmenistan: USD 0.082 per kWh (household price)
Moldova: USD 0.083 per kWh (household price)

Please note that these rankings are based on the data searched earlier and may not reflect the current situation. Factors such as subsidies, energy mix, and economic conditions contribute to these prices. We’ll explore the means of electricity generation in more depth later.

 

Efforts to achieve SDG 7 involve enhancing energy efficiency, promoting renewable energy sources, and fostering international cooperation. Both countries can continue working toward sustainable energy systems while ensuring affordability for their citizens.

 

We cannot help but make a reference to Financial Slavery at this point. Because, high food and energy prices lead to food poverty and energy poverty. Kicking in other UN SDGs: 1, 2, 3 and 10, 11, 12.

 

 

 

Herstmonceux Museum in Lime Park, East Sussex, England

 

HERSTMONCEUX MUSEUM - Opening its doors to the public in 2024, the oldest surviving generating utility in the world with local grid stabilisation (battery load levelling) C. 1900. Exhibits include three full size electric vehicles and several solar powered model boats.

 

 

 

PROFITEERING & MORALS

 

You may be asking why people should profit from energy and is that legal? Mostly, energy companies have shareholders who derive an income based on share dividends. Sometimes those energy companies would rather they grab a nice profit for themselves, rather than invest in renewables and infrastructure (storage), to make electricity cheaper for their customers. If this is happening in your region, it is because politicians are allowing it to continue. Whereas, policy changes, as statutory requirements - making it law, could force suppliers to invest first, with dividends later. Provided that a good level of investment has been made. Otherwise, suppliers, and of course the infrastructure network (in the UK Power Networks) should lose their franchise.

 

THE CASE FOR NATIONALIZATION 

 

The alternative is nationalization, where there are no dividends or shareholders to leach off a captive market. Then, the matter of procurement fraud may rise to the surface as something to keep an eye open for. As in tender bids and transparent tendering. A State operated Grid, Power Storage, and State operated Power Stations, Solar and Wind Farms, would seem to be the only way that SDG7 might be complied with.

 

The deployment of renewable energy technologies increases the diversity of electricity sources and contributes to the flexibility of an international infrastructure system and its resistance to central shocks, especially where off-grid installations are widely deployed, but can be grid connected.

 

It is likely to be that at some point in the future we will no longer need power stations that run on coal, oil or nuclear fuels. We will have dragged ourselves out of the fossil fuel cesspit and taken power generation from the fortunate few who profit from geological deposits, to the masses who only need a space to mount the harvesting medium for energy independence.

 

For those countries whose reliance on imported gas is a significant energy security issue, renewable technologies can provide a level playing field.

As the fossil resources that have been so crucial to human advancement start declining in numbers, countries will be glad that they changed over to renewable energy. We hope that the World Energy Council come to the same conclusion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LONG TERM SECURITY

In the short term we are reliant on fossil fuels for as long as it takes us to move into a sustainable age with a truly circular economy for harmonious living. Long-term measures to increase energy security center on reducing dependence on any one source of imported energy, increasing the number of suppliers of renewable energy resources, and reducing overall demand through energy conservation measures.

 

We might also enter into international agreements to undermine fossil fuel energy trading monopolies and assure that everyone has the right to cheap and clean renewable energy, as per United Nations SDG 7.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

 

If we want a practical EV infrastructure solution by 2050 starting within the next 10-15 years to meet the 2030 transition, to 2035 zero emission targets of most countries party to the Paris Accord, we need  to make the most of electricity and our distribution networks for load levelling of renewable solar and wind generated electricity. But in the UK, other European countries, and in the USA, they are going backwards by doing nothing to save planet earth.

 

 

ELECTRICITY POWER COMPANIES A - Z

 

Duke Energy Corporation, DUK, N. Carolina, USA

Dominion Energy Inc., Richmond, Virginia

EDF Électricité de France SA

ENEL

Engie

E.ON

Exelon Corporation EXC, Chicago, USA

GE General Electric

Iberdrola

KEPCO Korean Electric Power Corporation

National Electric Grid & Central Electricity Authority (India)

National Energy Board (Canada)

National Grid plc (formerly Central Electricity Generating Board UK)

Next Era Energy Inc. Florida, USA
Scottish & Southern Energy

Southern Company, Atlanta, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, USA

State Grid Corporation of China

TEPCO Tokyo Electric Power Company

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/30/labour-vows-to-rewire-britain-as-pylon-plans-spark-row-in-tory-party

https:// labour.org.uk/updates/press-releases/labour-sets-out-plan-to-rewire- britain-and-build-the-clean-energy-grid-the-country-needs/

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/02/labours-ditched-ps28-billion-climate-pledge-sends-wrong-message-uk-cop-energy-commitments

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/02/labours-ditched-ps28-billion-climate-pledge-sends-wrong-message-uk-cop-energy-commitments

https:// labour.org.uk/updates/press-releases/labour-sets-out-plan-to-rewire- britain-and-build-the-clean-energy-grid-the-country-needs/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/30/labour-vows-to-rewire-britain-as-pylon-plans-spark-row-in-tory-party

 

 

JUST HOW MUCH ARE YOU PAYING FOR ELECTRICITY PER KILOWATT HOUR IN YOUR COUNTRY, COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTRIES?

 

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