OLD SPARKY  Private Eye  26/07/13 No.1345

THE report from energy regulator Ofgem that sparked headlines on
potential power cuts contains much new analysis highlighting the
uselessness of wind generation in contributing to security of
electricity supply, aka the problem of windfarm "intermittency". But
the problem is being studiously ignored by the Department of Energy
and Climate Change (DECC).

As coal power stations shut down, windfarms are notionally replacing
them. If, say, only one windfarm were serving the grid, its inherent
unreliability could easily be compensated for. But if there were only
windfarms, and no reliable sources of electricity available at all,
security of supply would be hugely at risk. Thus the more windfarms
there are, the less they contribute to security.

For every one megawatt of reliable capacity (eg a coal-fired power
station) that gets closed, Ofgem calculates Britain would need six to
eight megawatts of windfarm capacity to achieve the original level of
reliability - and the multiple is rising all the time. Windfarms are
not of course being built at eight times the rate coal plants are
closing - hence the ever-increasing likelihood of blackouts.

A new youth-led organisation,  'Generation Zero', has formed in New Zealand to pursue a carbon zero Aotearoa.

In Hamilton on 29^th July they held one of several presentations in a road show traversing the entire country asking the question: What’s the hold up?

This article is my observations of that meeting.

Introduction

There was an excellent turnout of approximately 100-120 of all ages, not just generation zero.

The presentation was introduced by local councillor Daphne Bell from the Sustainability Working Group who lauded the young people for their initiative and passion, and urged all to vote for Sustainable Waikato candidates in the forthcoming local elections. Acknowledged were attending Hamilton Councillor Martin Gallagher, and Waikato Regional Councillor Paula Southgate.

A video montage was shown featuring the President of the World Bank, David Attenborough, President Obama, Gordon Campbell (Premier of British Columbia) movie personalities and Anne Salmond trotting out the usual climate change alarmist meme.

And, we were told, this view is shared by 97% of scientists (without mention to Cook et al, or other dubious origins of the figure) who say we need to keep temperatures to 2^o to avoid ‘catastrophe’.

Keeping below 2⁰ translates to a 20-40% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2020 and an 80-95% cut by 2050. So this is the genesis of the idea of 100% reduction being  the goal, packaged as 100% Possible (campaign slogan) and the rest of the presentation focused on what the current sources of carbon dioxide emissions are and how they might be eliminated in order for New Zealand to be on the “right side of history”.

The current government’s various actions or inactions were listed to illustrate their backsliding on climate change action. Principal amongst these was the disastrous Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) crash in prices to $0.15 per tonne.

Background:

On 10.00AM Monday 22 of July at the High Court in Durham St Christchurch there was scheduled a hearing instigated by approximately 40 property owners of the Christchurch red zone whose property is either repairable or completely undamaged.

Geof's email of intention:

These people are being compelled to leave and as a group, they have found enough cash to test the legality of the red zone order in the courts.