Energy Matters Global and Domestic

[NewcastleFalcon]

Every little helps. Article also gives info on other recent battery storage developments.

RES wins planners’ blessing for 100MW Durham battery

Down at Spennymoor
Related

Big battery pipeline “at all time high”, RenewableUK records

Who are RES?
This lot



Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

EU Presents Plan For 200 Euro/MWh (17p/kWh) Price Cap On Non-Gas Generated Electricity

Our lot Scottish Power, subsidiary of Iberdrola, supposedly supply 100% green electricity. Wonder if the UK plan will take this part of the European plan on board.

REgards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

That could be very good news for me too if adopted by the UK. We are with Bulb, who claim a completely green generation policy and carbon neutral gas production:

https://bulb.co.uk/

[bobins]

I'd missed this BBC report from earlier in the week

Emergency text averted possible California power cuts

"An emergency text message helped to prevent possible blackouts in the state of California on Tuesday.
The message asked residents to limit energy use for three hours to cut the risk of power cuts being implemented.
The California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO), said it "saw an immediate and significant drop" in the use of power after the text was sent.
The alert was issued after record temperatures put pressure on the state's electrical grid."

<Much Snippage>

".....Ms Hill believes that the UK is more resilient to situations like this.
"Ten years ago, UK network operators such as the National Grid and smaller disruption network operators had to assess the climate change risk to all of the systems.
"Due to that assessment, plans were made to manage that risk through damage management, communication or through improving the technology," she said.
A National Grid Electricity System Operator spokesperson told the BBC: "There are established mechanisms in place for communicating in an emergency.
"Due to the nature of these emergency communications and procedures we do not comment on the specifics of how these work."

More at the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-62832775

It's an interesting discussion point though - if you received a text alert here, what would you turn off ? I don't think we're regular users of particularly high power items here at Bobins Towers. There's a lot of low-medium power things, but high power items are rarely used. We've been on LED lighting for years, we have a gas cooker and gas CH. I could probably turn off a few things but it'd amount to 100-200 watts, and the reason they're on now is because they need to be on !

[Peter.N.]

I remember voltage reductions in the '50s but not many power cuts. A lot of customers complained that their TV wouldn't work properly in the evenings so I went out one evening to check - 180 volts on the mains in some places, picture rolling, line tearing and a small picture. The frame timbase was locked to the mains frequency on the old 405 line sets and under the load imposed on the supply the frequency started dropping resulting in dark bands travelling down the picture. That was before it dissapeared altogether.

Wouldn't happen now with switched mode power supplies, they would just increase the current draw to get the voltage up again so wouldn't have done a lot of good reducing the voltage to save power.

Peter

[NewcastleFalcon]

Here are the unit rates under the standard variable tariff, for domestic customers following the Prime Minister's Energy Price Guarantee announcement. Our previous fixed contract with Scottish Power came to an at the end of August so its 28p/kWh for Sept, and then 34p/kWh for October onwards. Washing line and hob kettles and switching stuff off will continue.

At a national level it would be nice to see an equally robust approach to reducing energy demand or making more efficient use of the generation capacity available. Yes, I would accept, and expect on occasions a bit of national switching stuff off and active load balancing. It is a reasonable approach where the alternative is just passively being hit with rip-off prices at a level which will bankrupt the economy anyway if they continue and will get passed on to the nation's citizens and businesses, one way or another, regardless of the current "freeze" for domestic consumers.

unit rates under the standard variable tariff, for domestic customers following the Prime Minister's Energy Price Guarantee announcement.

Regards Neil

[myglaren]

In almost a month have used 96 electric kWh's and 2 ft³ of gas, which equals about 0.6 of a kWh.
Maybe I should get a gas fridge and gas lights.

[bobins]

.
Discounts for cutting peak-time electricity use too low, energy firms say

"Energy suppliers have warned a plan to offer discounts on electricity bills for households that cut peak-time use risks failing because they are too low.
National Grid ESO is consulting on a scheme where people can save cash if they avoid high-power activities, such as cooking, when demand is high.
But energy firms Octopus and E.On said proposed payments to incentivise customers to sign up were too low.
It is hoped a scheme could be launched this winter after the consultation.

It is understood the service will only be available to homes that have smart meters installed to sign up to.

The Times first reported that both Octopus Energy and E.On had warned that the proposed payment to customers of 52p for each kilowatt-hour of electricity saved during peak times was too low, and would not encourage people to sign up."

More at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62876194

[bobins]

I posted the above without really thinking too much about it - but 52p for 1 KWh saved I can't think what I'd turn off to save half a KWh, let alone a whole shiny 1 kilowatt-hour to deserve my life-changing 52p rebate Who are these people using up electricity like it's going out of fashion that can save the odd KWh here or there ???

[myglaren]

May have said before that I have been monitoring my usage, mainly to see the effect of the solar panels. I seem to have used more while trying to be frugal(er).

[myglaren]

[NewcastleFalcon]

I was having a read about electrolysers stumbled on this from a solid name, which I normally associate with Darlington and Diesel Engines.

https://www.cummins.com/news/2020/11/16 ... en-economy

Interesting enough article, but yes it does require that old skill of reading. I was wondering for electricity storage purposes why the oxygen generated was just vented to the atmosphere, rather than captured and stored as the hydrogen is, and passed through an efficient fuel cell to "reconstitute" the electricity out of storage.

Don't think that article answered that question but was very good on the different types of electrolyser.
-------------------

That's enough of the reading, next article down on the Cummins page was about generators and the "Quiet Connect Cummins Natural Gas RS 25 Standby Generator." and hip hip hooray there is a youtube video but for reading fans also an article.

https://www.cummins.com/news/2022/09/13 ... generators



Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Time for revival of an old one, is the once very much out of fashion electric blanket making a comeback

Not for what I would regard as unnecessary through the night use, but as a wrap for sedentary activities during the day and evening without reaching to switch the central heating on.

Then again, the hot water bottle stuffed up your jumper after having filled it from your hob-top typhoon or supreme and a simple wrap is cheaper and just as effective.

Electric blanket facts figures and calculations welcomed.

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

You will have to make your own commentary up, not the usual clipped English, and the jolly music...its silent.

It would appear that the ice-bucket challenge is nothing new



Regards Neil

[Peter.N.]

Many years ago I put in a 12 volt supply "Lucas Freelight" to a friends caravan who lived in the wilds of St Mary Cray, it ran the lights and other things OK but an electric blanket was mentioned. No inverters in those days just very inefficient rotary converters or vibrator packs. I got a fair length of the old clear flat plastic flex only it was new then, the chaps wife sewed it into a blanket and it worked a treat, after a bit of Ohms law.

Peter