Yes there is the issue with both wind and solar that the weather conditions have to be right - and if they are the turbines/panels still might be switched off as the energy isn't needed as it's a blazing hot summer's day and everybody's outside having barbeques and picnics. The next real challenge is to store the surplus energy generated when conditions are right so it can be used when it's the middle of winter, the central heating's on and everyone's curled up in front of the fire watching 'Strictly' with a nice cup of hot tea. The concept of offshore wind farms itself is sound and needs to be extended.
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Rampion Wind Farm
- Thread starter Doc Lynam
- Start date
The Large One
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It means that this is the government subsidy that the electricity supplier is demanding to operate that power production facility - per mWh. The operator (EDF) wants £92.50 to operate Hinkley Point C nuclear power station. Whoever it is that bid for the new wind farm (I believe either in the North Sea or the Thames Estuary) is prepared to operate it for £57.50 per mWh.
This is based on how much they believe their costs are to produce electricity.
Thanks.
It sounds too good to be true. Is the £57.50 for each mWh they produce, regardless of time of day/night etc, so the government pays for it even when everyone's asleep and we don't want the energy? Or is it the price for the energy the national grid demands and gets from the facility?
Machiavelli
Well-known member
I've viewed the sea on numerous occasions.
The Large One
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It shows that the wind technology advancements in efficiency, plus construction improvements have meant the prices operationally have fallen to the point that they're now more competitive with other production forms. As you read from the BBC report, even some industry insiders were surprised as to how low the price suppliers were demanding had gone. A price drop was expected certainly, but not necessarily this soon.
Megawatts is the energy produced. They measure the costs in mWh and we're billed domestically in kWh (1/1000th of mWh). It's more about what the national grid demands or gets.
People are saying that the amount of electricity produced at Rampion can power 336,000 homes. It doesn't quite work like that. It's the equivalent of the average use annually of 336,000 homes. If we all reduced our electricity consumption from the national gird (just by say, reduced use or the installation of solar power in a home), the 'equivalent' figure would go up, of course. That sort of thing.
That sounds ominously vague, I bet you don't even know how many times.
I do and I think they look magnificent !
I'm not sure you've answered my question? Is the price for the energy produced, or the energy that we use?
The Large One
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Produced.
Consumers pay for the electricity consumed, though we don't measure it in mWh. Unless your house is say, a small town.
Thanks. So it's not the best figure to be using when comparing alternatives.
Of course it's great that prices have come down so much, and I hope options like this are the future. But we need to know how much it costs per unit used, not produced.
The Large One
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Not necessarily THE best, but it's fairly indicative given the direct comparison you have of government subsidies - whatever the production method.
The costs per unit used to the consumer is determined by energy supplier you use. As I understand it, they in turn will 'buy' electricity from the producers. If it's understood that they can get electricity produced by cheaper methods, there is no excuse for keeping prices higher. At least, that's the theory - but this is the Energy Company Cabal we're talking about here.
The government subsidy itself is being paid for by an annual levy on consumer bills. Check your bill to see how much it is.
"The subsidies, paid from a levy on consumer bills, will run for 15 years - unlike nuclear subsidies for Hinkley C which run for 35 years. This adds to the cost advantage offshore wind has now established over new nuclear."
The wind farm is a massive blot on the seascape. They're OK in places like the Thames Estuary where ugly is the name of the game, but off the coast at Brighton. Bloody outrageous. With that AND the i360 we're uglifying Brighton at a fast pace.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
Funny, that is what everyone said about the Pavilion when it was built!
The Large One
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No they're not.
Unless of course, you're equally 'bloody outraged' at the gas power station in Southwick, or the radio transmitter in Whitehawk, or the array of aerials on Truleigh Hill and Devil's Dyke? No? Funny that. Stop pretending to be cross; it doesn't wash.
The Large One
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What's a mWh? A milli Watt?
In which case, yes - big difference. But you know the point I was making.
The Large One
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Raphael Meade
Well-known member
I think it looks brilliant.
Return of the Rev
Well-known member
Its off worthing surely?