A Zero Carbon Economy without Nuclear Power

Denerick

Lets keep the ethical questions to one side here, I'm merely curious about how this could be achieved.

I've read about 'concentrated solar power' before, basically the idea would be that vast numbers of solar panels would be concentrated in a geographical area - ie, the northern Sahara desert - that would in turn be incoporated into another vast Europe-Middle East-North Africa electrical grid. This grid would be re inforced by exponential increases in wind farms, wave facilities and other existing renewable energy sources (Such as hydro, which has realised its full potential)

Furthermore, huge increases in Micro Generation grants would be aimed at making rural areas largely self sufficient - ie, farmers would have small windfarms on their land paid for by state subsidies, people with homes in rural areas would maximise their wind potential, practically all homes would install solar panels on their roofs etc. etc.

Increases in insulation would lessen the strain on domestic heating bills, and cleaner car engines, possibly the electric car or even the much hyped hydrogen engine would deliver a zero carbon transport system.

Is this feasible without Nuclear Power? How vast would this energy network have to be and how much would it cost?

Hasschu

The problem with wind and solar is that the supply fluctuates markedly and uncontrollaby. This can be rectified by using storage of the energy, unfortunately there is no cost effective storage system that can compete with gas, oil, coal, wood or peat at present prices. Nuclear will not be an option for Ireland until the country regains solvency circa 2020. On the coldest night of the year there is no wind and the day is short. A lot of the so called power saving schemes such as ground water heating/cooling systems are not cost effective at present prices, payback 25+ years. As gas/oil/coal prices increase alternative sources of energy will be attractive. It could take 10 to 50 years.

cavedave

Hasschu Nuclear will not be an option for Ireland until the country regains solvency circa 2020

Ireland would need what about a one gigawatt station costing around 2.5 billion euro?

the_syco

There is a time limit for beginner surfers on the Galway coast, as after a certain time, the waves would get too big. Over half of our country is facing the North Atlantic Ocean.

The waves are constant. Even when the sea is calm, there are waves.

Companies in the USA, Australia, Scotland, and more are making them. We can pick a good one, and get energy. There is literally a f**k load of waves on our doorstep.

Snackie

That power would not be enough anyway.

the_syco

Snackie wrote: »

That power would not be enough anyway.

Since the technology is new, I don't doubt it. But if it could power the homes of people far away from any electrical power station, I see that as a plus. That, and the fact that unlike wind, wave power is a lot more constant.

WesternZulu

What about Anaerobic Digestion...there is huge potential in Ireland for both large scale operations and smaller scale on-farm plants.

Biomass also has a lot of potential here.

Einhard

I really can't see how the world, or even Ireland, can hope to power itself without recourse to nuclear energy. Not in the medoum term at least. Of course, Ireland is quite good at flashing the "Nuclear Free" tag, whilst importing power from nuclear generating grids, so perhaps that's how we'll achieve it.

thebman

Well if every house had a wind turbine it would be a start I think. They aren't even ugly, quite nice in fact. Solar panel roofing if possible and geothermal too, I think each house could be self-sufficient and then you could use the wind farms and wave power for businesses and city apartment living where you can't just have a wind turbine.

Capt'n Midnight

Einhard wrote: »

I really can't see how the world, or even Ireland, can hope to power itself without recourse to nuclear energy. Not in the medoum term at least. Of course, Ireland is quite good at flashing the "Nuclear Free" tag, whilst importing power from nuclear generating grids, so perhaps that's how we'll achieve it.

IIRC it would be cheaper in the USA to insulate factories thatn it would be to make new nuclear stations to provide the power to heat them.