"Green" policies are destroying this country

maninasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120567491#Comment_120567491

Not only the daily rate current issue linking to the lowest fossil fuel price, but the floor long term supply prices for offshore wind and solar at Irish auctions recently have been up to 3x UK prices.

https://www.businesspost.ie/news/irish-auction-set-to-be-worlds-most-expensive-for-offshore-wind-energy/#:~:text=Industry%20experts%20believe%20the%20results,Scotland%20and%20considerably%20higher%20...

https://renews.biz/78007/ireland-awards-19gw-of-new-projects-in-ress-2-auction/

Of course that didn't get much media coverage and most people don't pay any attention to this kind of stuff.

It doesn't matter so much now when the renewable energy producers are getting paid much higher rates anyway thru the current ludicrous EU daily bidding system, but it will matter a lot if fossil fuel prices plummet and renewable supply explodes, we will STILL have to pay the renewable energy producers 3x UK guaranteed minimum rates for the next 10 to 15 years.

Therefore we may still see a lot of businesses and consumers trying to produce their own renewable electricity for their own use.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573714#Comment_120573714

....renewable pricing based on gas prices, i.e. gas price goes up, so to do renewables....

...i.e., tis time to decouple pricing!

ginger22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573655#Comment_120573655

Ryanair by far out on top followed by ESB, Irish Cement, Energia, Aughinish Aluminia.

charlie14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120564473#Comment_120564473

I doubt any but the most enamoured give much credence to German energy supply predictions.Especially not after their assessment that Putin`s gas posed no energy risk just 4 months before he invaded Ukraine.

For those that still may be a quick look at the data might be an idea.

2020 when Germany were saying coal free by 2038 24%, of their electricity was generated by coal and 12% by nuclear. End of last year, 33.3% was generated by coal and all nuclear plants shut.

What Germany has now to say on coal and what the data shows, is that the figures are going in two diametrically opposed directions.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573814#Comment_120573814

....makes sense, high energy industries, thanks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573828#Comment_120573828

Its a blip caused by the Russian situation, nothing more

Germany is rolling out swathes of wind and solar and is working on a colossal amount of hydrogen, 20GW by 2030 I think.

On offshore wind alone, they have plans for 30GW by 2030, 40 GW by 2035 and 70 GW by 2045. 

The coal usage (and viability) will fall off a cliff as those come on line

Actually Putins actions have done more to spur on the rollout of renewables than almost any policy of the last 20 years

That really did come back to bite him, silly boy

prunudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573814#Comment_120573814

Nothing overly surprising there. Although I wonder with Ryanair, are they allowing for their emissions across all operations, not just the Irish originated flights.

antoinolachtnai

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120574409#Comment_120574409

it’s all their intra-EU operations.

Counterintuitively, if these five companies stopped emitting tomorrow it would make not one iota of difference to overall emissions. The emissions allowances would be bought and used by some other company in Europe.

The idea of the system is to make sure the limited amount of carbon allowances go to the companies who can use them most efficiently.

charlie14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573814#Comment_120573814

Energia that have been advertising they could provide "100 per cent green energy to your home" and listed on Switcher.ie as "Suppliers of 100% renewable energy"" is one of the top 5 ?

Surprised our resident happy clappy green reporter, expert on all things from energy to agriculture, has never mentioned that.

charlie14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120574228#Comment_120574228

The real silly boy is Germany who based their whole transition policy on Putin`s gas, and still insisted that just 4 months before he invaded Ukraine that it was no threat to Europe energy security.

All those that followed Germany`s policy on Putin`s gas, or believed their security assessment, I doubt are now going to give much heed to another German assessment on no coal use by 2030. Not when what they claim and what the data shows are diametrically opposed.

Especially when the silly boys have now cut off their remaining 12% electricity generation from nuclear.

ps200306

The German nuclear phaseout is a completely insane ideologically driven decision. Another interesting example is Japan. Apparently they already have the highest solar deployment compared to land area of any country. However, they are completely maxed out in terms of ability to integrate any more renewables into their grid. After their own post-Fukushima nuclear shutdown they went hell for leather to bring on new fossil fuel developments. Right now they are opening a 1.3 GW coal burning plant in the middle of Tokyo. They have another 500 MW coal plant in the pipeline and 5.8 GW of new gas plants to be powered by LNG. They have brought ten nuclear power plants back on line but several dozen more are still offline. Before Fukushima they had planned to build two dozen more nukes by 2030, in addition to the 50+ they already had. Inevitably they will need to bring back a lot of the existing nukes. There are no easy options for highly industrialised countries in the post-Fukushima, post-Ukraine world. However, one thing is absolutely certain -- they won't be letting climate concerns get in the way of keeping the lights on and the machines humming.

Another oil company facing a lawsuit over ignoring their own findings in relation to the contribution of their industry causing climate damage. This time its Eni in Italy.

A report commissioned by Eni in 1970 stated

“[C]arbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to a recent report by the UN secretary, given the increased use of [fossil fuels], has increased over the last century by an average of 10% worldwide; around the year 2000 this increase could reach 25%, with ‘catastrophic’ consequences on climate,” the report said.

Another from the company in 1978 stated

“It is assumed that with the increasing consumption of fossil fuels, which began with the Industrial Revolution, the CO2 concentration will reach 375-400 [parts per million or ppm] in the year 2000,” stated the report. “This increase is considered by some scientists as a possible long-term problem, especially since it could change the thermal balance of the atmosphere leading to climate changes with serious consequences for the biosphere.”

All the while, greenwashing to beat the band

Further research by DeSmog has shown that Eni’s company magazine Ecos made repeated references to climate change during the late 1980s and 1990s – while running advertising campaigns promoting planet-warming natural gas as a “clean” fuel.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/09/italian-oil-firm-eni-lawsuit-alleging-early-knowledge-climate-crisis

More to come on this but it adds to the growing body of evidence that "that oil companies had a clear understanding of the risks posed by burning their products more than half a century ago, but still chose to downplay the dangers and ramp up production of oil and gas."

We've already seen the courts order Shell to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 (they're appealing) and other cases are underway in other locations against the likes of Exxon, Chevron, Suncor Energy etc

ps200306

In a higher interest rate world we are likely to see a sordid list of malinvestments come to light. Warren Buffett's famous phrase springs to mind, about "only seeing who's been swimming naked once the tide goes out". Irish renewables company Solar 21 has raised hundreds of millions, including from thousands of Irish investors, to build "energy-from-waste" plants in the UK.

https://www.businesspost.ie/news/energy-firm-that-owes-e250m-settled-with-investor-after-threat-to-wind-up-company/

It seems cost estimates were dramatically underestimated, and an additional £140m is needed on top of the £100m already raised to build just the first of its plants. The company claims it can recover a lot of investors money, even though it was teetering on the brink of winding up recently. Personally, I wouldn't hold my breath. We saw a spate of "next generation biofuel" projects get wiped out in the noughties and 2010s -- I thought people had gotten wise to these novel technology boondoggles, but apparently not. It's all too easy to suck people into green projects, as so many have been convinced that we only have to clip the wings of the evil Big Oil in order for vast opportunities and profits to flow from greentech.

Private investors are responsible for their own choices, of course. I'm more worried about the vultures looking to cash in on Green largesse with public money, such as with the outrageous projected prices for the upcoming wind auction.

ps200306

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120575185#Comment_120575185

These lawsuits are batshit crazy. Should the EU be sued over declaring natural gas to be a transition fuel? Who should be sued for not stopping production of all fossil fuels tomorrow (bearing in mind it's impossible)?

Speaking of lawsuits, they go the other way too ...

https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/eoin-jackson-why-ireland-must-withdraw-from-the-energy-charter-treaty

Ireland could have over a billion euro in compensation claims against the government if they don't honour existing fossil fuel licences. I note the Barryroe partners are running out of options other than litigation, since Eamon Ryan's department has now entered its third year of inaction on a petroleum lease undertaking that they applied for. (Not total inaction -- they tried to screw Barryroe last year by issuing a 21-day ultimatum to come up with financing out of the blue. Unfortunately for Ryan, the company called his bluff and came up with the money).

ps200306

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573792#Comment_120573792

Only problem is the EU have been looking at such price decoupling for years, and have postponed it thus far on the basis that renewables wouldn't survive the loss of the public tit. Renewables are incompatible with cheap energy. You only have to look at places like Germany and California where prices soared obscenely after renewable energy mandates. Greens have been gaslighting the world for decades about the supposedly falling cost of green energy.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120575354#Comment_120575354

Should the EU be sued over declaring natural gas to be a transition fuel?

Already happening with a few national govt's leading the way

https://www.politico.eu/article/brussels-faces-lawsuits-investor-pushback-over-green-label-for-gas-and-nuclear/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/18/eu-faces-legal-action-gas-nuclear-green-investments-guide-european-commission

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120575388#Comment_120575388

...hahaha, gway outta that nonsense, the cost of renewable tech has been dropping like a stone for years, its only the fossil fuel industries wanna keep their gravy train going, by keeping their public and financial sector funding going!

...'fuel' for thought....

charlie14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120575785#Comment_120575785

From your own post earlier on decoupling of gas, by not doing so as far as I can see, the main financial beneficinaries of that gravy train are the renewable energy companies. It`s certainly not the consummer.

If these green tech costs are dropping so much then why did strike prices here rise by 1/3 in the 10 months between August 2021 and June 2022, and are now projected to increase by over 50% compared to the June 2022 price ?

That would mean an increase of just over 100% in 22 months. And even that is misleading imo where just half this present proposed electricity will be for domestic consumption and half for hydrogen. Throw in hydrogen and the cost to the consumer will be little short of €350/MWh. 500% greater than the August 2021 price.

If renewables are providing cheap energy then we certainly haven`t seen it.

Btw. I would look on those renewable addition for Europe as being somewhat misleading. 60% of Europe energy classed as renewable is from burning biomass and wood with wind and solar providing just 22%. The same way as I would not look at hybrids as EV`s, I cannot see how burning biomass and wood as nothing more than a book-keeping exercise rather than them being emissions free and carbon neutral.

I`m not sure how much offshore capacity China added last year, but I doubt it was greater than the 106 gigawatts of new coal power capacity they added.

Edit. It was 5 gigawatts. less than 5% of the added coal generation capacity

roosterman71

We better up the carbon tax a bit to cover for this bullshit

roosterman71

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/09/mind-boggling-methane-emissions-from-turkmenistan-revealed

We better up the carbon tax a bit to cover for this bullshit. 2 gas wells horsing out more emissions than the entire UK. We need to step up here and do a bit more to counteract this

roosterman71

Lab meat anyone? Remember when that was being talked about as a golden bullet?

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2372229-lab-grown-meat-could-be-25-times-worse-for-the-climate-than-beef/#Echobox=1683626693-1

roosterman71

Great to see our biggest polluter double their fleet, and it sold as a good thing. Even our the Green Party leader had no negatives to say about it, instead hoping for a move to sustainable aviation fuel at some point in the future

https://www.ft.com/content/0f7482c0-c4a5-48b7-8cd8-c21437686f8c

antoinolachtnai

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120575991#Comment_120575991

China did not in fact add 106 GW of coal generating capacity or anything like it.

PommieBast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120577297#Comment_120577297

Think lab meat was really about ethics alone and not the environment. I'm wondering whether some of these outfits should really be developing lab-grown organs for transplant, but pivoted to food because that was where the money was.

charlie14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120577031#Comment_120577031

Apologies. That should have read an additional 106 gigawatts of coal generation capacity was approved in 2022 for 88 different sites.

Irrelevant really as many of those projects had their permits fast tracked, and with how fast those lads can build when thhe pressure is on......

charlie14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120577292#Comment_120577292

LOL. Mad as a box of frogs the lot of them.

Jinglejangle69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120577507#Comment_120577507

But still have so much power.

This looks like a good move, albeit a slow one to happen, should have been done 2 years ago. Better late than never

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, today announced plans to develop a National Industrial Strategy for Offshore Wind which will set out how Ireland can maximise the economic opportunity arising from the production of Offshore Wind Energy (OWE).

The broad scope of the Strategy will include measures to develop:

• supply chain capacity and opportunities of OWE
• measures to mitigate the risk to achievement of Ireland’s OWE targets arising from supply chain constraints
• measures to develop both indigenous and export demand for energy derived from OWE
• an integrated spatial and economic framework for the development of clusters of economic activity in locations critical to the development of the offshore wind sector

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/4bd0b-minister-coveney-announces-plans-to-develop-a-national-industrial-strategy-for-offshore-wind/

Ireland’s Offshore Energy Programme includes a target to deliver 5GW of OWE by 2030 and a further 2GW of Floating OWE to be in development by 2030. The total target for OWE rises to at least 37GW by 2050. This forms part of the government’s target to provide 80% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030. In order to deliver the enterprise opportunities associated with these targets, a collaborative approach between state and industry is needed, and today’s announcement sets out the government’s plan for achieving this. The National Industrial Strategy for Offshore Wind will be developed in consultation with the relevant government departments, agencies, and industry, with the objective of ensuring that Ireland fully captures the value of both the supply chain to deliver an OWE sector at scale, and the routes to market for this renewable energy.

It is expected that the National Industrial Strategy for Offshore Wind will be published in Q1 2024 and complement the suite of upcoming government policies led by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications through the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce.

Announcing the plan, Minister Coveney said:

"The impact of recent geopolitical events on the European energy market has accelerated our decarbonisation ambitions and added real urgency to transitioning to clean, renewable energy. Ireland has an internationally recognised significant offshore wind resource which we are now beginning to develop. It is essential to ensure that our enterprise sector is ready to contribute to the delivery of offshore wind, while also maximising the economic benefit which will arise from the availability of abundant clean, renewable energy.

"Today’s announcement is an important step towards developing new, regionally dispersed economic opportunities based on Offshore Wind, and I very much look forward to working with colleagues across government and industry over the coming months as we develop an industrial strategy that will deliver real long-term benefits to both the economy and society."

Welcoming the Strategy, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, said:

"I wholeheartedly support this initiative to develop an industrial strategy for offshore wind. Developing an offshore wind sector requires a whole-of-economy mobilisation, and an industrial strategy will provide a clear signal to international markets that across government, and indeed across Ireland; we are serious about this opportunity. Another strong signal will be sent later this week when the results of ORESS 1, our first offshore wind auction, are announced. This will provide a route to market for the first offshore wind projects, a record amount of renewables, at a highly competitive price."

JRant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120577942#Comment_120577942

Phase 1: Underpants

Phase 2: ?

Phase 3: Profits

Sounds about right for the yahoos "leading" this country.

charlie14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120577527#Comment_120577527

Power totally disproportionate to the support they recieved in the last eneral election and support that from opinion polls has since dropped below half.

We do not have a great history in Europe of happy endings when mad people got their hands on power. Nor indeed a happy ending for them either. Hopefully from the opinion polls their power will just be a temporary little blip.

For myself, anyone canvassing for my vote in the run-up to the next GE or local elections will have to clearly state that they will not go into a coalition with these lunatics if they want it cast in their favor, and I would encourage others to do the same.