BBC bias

[GAD]

1 hour ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

I’m not specifically blaming the SNP but you have to admit, they seem to e in thrall to the Greens and the green lobby.

The UK government are much the same but I do have some hope that they will see sense. At least they haven’t stopped nuclear.

We need to have a broad based energy supply policy embracing coal, gas, oil, .nuclear and renewables.

Once our supply Is secure then you can talk about zero carbon.

Yeah, it doesn't really matter who the SNP are in thrall to because energy policy is reserved so the current situation has nothing to do with them.

[Dawson Park Boy]

15 minutes ago, GAD said:

Yeah, it doesn't really matter who the SNP are in thrall to because energy policy is reserved so the current situation has nothing to do with them.

Not quite.

They ensured there would be no more nuclear by stating that they wouldn’t grant planning permission.

 

[jakedee]

I’m not specifically blaming the SNP but you have to admit, they seem to e in thrall to the Greens and the green lobby.
The UK government are much the same but I do have some hope that they will see sense. At least they haven’t stopped nuclear.
We need to have a broad based energy supply policy embracing coal, gas, oil, .nuclear and renewables.
Once our supply Is secure then you can talk about zero carbon.

Our energy supply could have been secure if the Westminster Govt. had some foresight and were prepared to invest in alternatives to fossil fuel.
When I first started working (for what was, at that time, the only natural gas supplier in the UK) all the conversation then, late 70's early 80's was that natural gas would be replaced by carbon neutral SNG (substitute natural gas) by early next (this) century.
Rather than invest in this, the Govt. decided to sell this company off, and leave it to market forces.
Shortsighted.

[Dawson Park Boy]

2 minutes ago, jakedee said:

Our energy supply could have been secure if the Westminster Govt. had some foresight and were prepared to invest in alternatives to fossil fuel.
When I first started working (for what was, at that time, the only natural gas supplier in the UK) all the conversation then, late 70's early 80's was that natural gas would be replaced by carbon neutral SNG (substitute natural gas) by early next (this) century.
Rather than invest in this, the Govt. decided to sell this company off, and leave it to market forces.
Shortsighted.

Interesting point.

So what’s become of SNG. Has it been embraced elsewhere?

[GAD]

5 minutes ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

Not quite.

They ensured there would be no more nuclear by stating that they wouldn’t grant planning permission.

 

Why does the nuclear power stations need to be in Scotland? Should we build one where you live? What is it you think is so great about nuclear power, and where do you think we should store the radioactive waste?

[Dawson Park Boy]

2 minutes ago, GAD said:

Why does the nuclear power stations need to be in Scotland? Should we build one where you live? What is it you think is so great about nuclear power, and where do you think we should store the radioactive waste?

Doesn’t bother me where they’re situated. At one time had a house quite near Torness.

Ive got a large petrochemical complex situated nearby to where I live.

[jakedee]

Interesting point.
So what’s become of SNG. Has it been embraced elsewhere?

Some companies have taking to producing it but on a small scale.
The investment to produce it on a large enough scale, using a carbon neutral method would be prohibitive for a private company.

https://www.man-es.com/discover/decarbonization-glossary---man-energy-solutions/synthetic-natural-gas

[supermik]

Worth a little look. Touches on gas price rises. Would it be too cynical to think that this is why we are being bombarded with scaremongering shouts of gas supplies running out? Surely our governments would not tell us a load of lies to cover their arses, would they?

 

[jakedee]

Worth a little look. Touches on gas price rises. Would it be too cynical to think that this is why we are being bombarded with scaremongering shouts of gas supplies running out? Surely our governments would not tell us a load of lies to cover their arses, would they?
 

Heat pumps,air or ground source should be fitted in every new build, and should have been for the last 10 years.
They are no use for buildings that are not insulated to current standards.
This should be the priority, ensuring houses are insulated properly before these pumps are fitted.

[supermik]

6 minutes ago, jakedee said:

Heat pumps,air or ground source should be fitted in every new build, and should have been for the last 10 years.
They are no use for buildings that are not insulated to current standards.
This should be the priority, ensuring houses are insulated properly before these pumps are fitted.

The guy did mention that about the likes of Sweden where most of the houses are well insulated. I think a lot if not most new builds are going to be fitted with air/ground source heating so they will be heavily insulated but the vast majority of existing homes will struggle to cope with the new types of heating. 
On a side note, been working in a castle recently and it’s just had ground source heating fitted. The majority of the grounds were dug up and about 6 or 700 metres of piping buried in it. The entire ground floor has had underfloor heating put in which appears to work fine. The first floor has 9 radiators but they only give out a background heat at best. There is no connection from it to the hot water system which runs off the electricity supply. I would be surprised if there was any change from at least 80 grand! It will probably be worth it if it’s still working in about 90 years time..

[Salt n Vinegar]

I would love to see Scotland and the rest of the UK be serious about domestic renewables, but I have my doubts.  There's loads of new build housing near us and plenty of rooftop solar panels.  We looked at SPnls a few years ago but it looked like the payback period would be far too long. Has anyone reading this had them installed recently?  Has the panel efficiency improved and or have the prices come down due to technology or increases in production? With energy prices increasing, SPnls might now have a shorter payback period, but I think that much more than, say, 5 years would put most people off doing it. 

We live in a 1990s house, and have had cavity wall insulation put in, but I'm dubious about air source heating. I understand from a cousin (who has had it installed under some kind of 'demonstration' scheme) that it is really disruptive to install, isn't particularly responsive to residents desire to increase heat levels quickly, involves householders in sacrificing fairly large storage space and requires larger than standard radiators. 

Maybe have to look at cutting some of our champagne and caviar purchases.

[Dawson Park Boy]

My gas boiler will need replaced in a few years and I’m concerned about what to do.

We’re  in a late 80’s bungalow, we’ll insulated, and don’t know how a heat pump will perform?

Ill need a lot of convincing before going down that route.

[jakedee]

My gas boiler will need replaced in a few years and I’m concerned about what to do.
We’re  in a late 80’s bungalow, we’ll insulated, and don’t know how a heat pump will perform?
Ill need a lot of convincing before going down that route.

A survey will work out the heat loss of your house and establish whether a heat pump is suitable.
The existing radiators have to be almost doubled in size (although if your existing radiators were fitted in the 80's,new more efficient ones will decrease that) if underfloor heating is not an option.
The RHI payback scheme helps offset the cost, and I believe the Scotgov still give interest free loans for this.

[jakedee]

The guy did mention that about the likes of Sweden where most of the houses are well insulated. I think a lot if not most new builds are going to be fitted with air/ground source heating so they will be heavily insulated but the vast majority of existing homes will struggle to cope with the new types of heating. 
On a side note, been working in a castle recently and it’s just had ground source heating fitted. The majority of the grounds were dug up and about 6 or 700 metres of piping buried in it. The entire ground floor has had underfloor heating put in which appears to work fine. The first floor has 9 radiators but they only give out a background heat at best. There is no connection from it to the hot water system which runs off the electricity supply. I would be surprised if there was any change from at least 80 grand! It will probably be worth it if it’s still working in about 90 years time..

There are 2 options for ground source, if you have plenty land, the cheapest option is to lay a network of pipe a couple of meters under ground. The more costly option is to bore down almost 30 metres and lay it vertically. Depending on the size of the property depends on how many of these boreholes you need. One is often not enough for any more than a 2 bed house.
On the subject of solar panels, a friend of mine has just had them installed (without storage batteries) and has calculated that over and above what he uses in electricity ( he has gas heating) on a sunny day in summer, he produces about £3-£4 excess electricity per day. On a dull day it drops to about £1-£2. Not been used during the winter.
A lot of modern solar panels work with daylight as well as sunlight, although as stayed above,not as efficiently.
His total installation cost was just over £3k.

[Dawson Park Boy]

1 hour ago, jakedee said:

A survey will work out the heat loss of your house and establish whether a heat pump is suitable.
The existing radiators have to be almost doubled in size (although if your existing radiators were fitted in the 80's,new more efficient ones will decrease that) if underfloor heating is not an option.
The RHI payback scheme helps offset the cost, and I believe the Scotgov still give interest free loans for this.

Thanks for the information.

[GAD]

4 hours ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

My gas boiler will need replaced in a few years and I’m concerned about what to do.

Get a nuclear one.

[Glen Sannox]

We don’t have to worry up here. We are as safe as houses now that the Nats are in bed with some Vegan cyclists. Now that Oil and Gas is taboo, just blame the English or heaven forbid, English Toareees, if the lights go out.

[speckled tangerine]

19 minutes ago, Glen Sannox said:

We don’t have to worry up here. We are as safe as houses now that the Nats are in bed with some Vegan cyclists. Now that Oil and Gas is taboo, just blame the English or heaven forbid, English Toareees, if the lights go out.

Yup. Toareees are to blame.

Thanks for popping in again mate.

[Antlion]

18 minutes ago, Glen Sannox said:

We don’t have to worry up here. We are as safe as houses now that the Nats are in bed with some Vegan cyclists. Now that Oil and Gas is taboo, just blame the English or heaven forbid, English Toareees, if the lights go out.

I thought that when the lights went out, you and your fellow travellers were planning to blame the frogs, the Ities, the Channel-crossing economic migrants, and anyone who happens to have a skin tone darker than “Barley White” on the Dulux palette.

[Glen Sannox]

1 minute ago, Antlion said:

I thought that when the lights went out, you and your fellow travellers were planning to blame the frogs, the Ities, the Channel-crossing economic migrants, and anyone who happens to have a skin tone darker than “Barley White” on the Dulux palette.

The blame will lie entirely at the door of all these Nat drones who have bored us for 40 years with all their “aye but whit about oor oil” diatribes. Now they can’t even bring themselves to mention the O word.