The meaning of Net Zero

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Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
Sir
At midday on 20 January, a dull day, we have to operate our CCGT power stations at maximum output because of the lack of renewables input. Combined Cycle Gas Turbine stations use natural gas to power a turbine which turns a generator. A second system uses the heat to produce steam which is used to turn a turbine which powers a generator. We are also having to use OCGT – Open Cycle Gas Turbine – using natural gas, diesel or gas oil to power a turbine which powers a generator. ‘These are expensive to run so are only used when necessary‘ – source gridwatch.co.uk). We are also reliant upon imported electricity from European interconnectors, and non-green biomass to keep the lights on.  We are already in a critical position regarding energy security, i.e. the ready availability of electricity at any hour of any day, and Ed Miliband’s dream of getting rid of cheap gas from the USA or our own gas from the North Sea and fracking, is impossible.
One wonders if our Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero and his Just Stop Oil acolytes understand the nature and costs of intermittent renewable energy.
Our main energy is presently being supplied by relatively clean CCGT with 61%, by expensive OCGT 1% and by our declining nuclear stations 8% = 70%. To this we are grateful that we can at present purchase interconnector electricity from France, Belgium, Norway and Denmark – 11%. At times of stress in their own systems, this will not be available. Massively subsidised biomass supplies 7%, but is about as green and clean as burning coal. Other sources of UK electricity are hydro 3% and ‘other’ 4%. Wind Generators are giving us just 5% and Solar 4%. (We export 2% to Eire and NI, and rounded-up supply figures total more than 100%).
Thus massively subsidised green ‘Renewables’ are giving us 9% on a mild winter day. We could multiply wind and solar ‘farms’ output by a factor of 20 and still be dependent upon gas, nuclear and imports to keep sufficient electricity going 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. And before the policy towards 100% electric cars, vans and buses can be effected, we will have to at least treble the amount of electricity in the National Grid. Wind energy in 2024 was around 7,500 MW, but 30 million electric vehicles will need 150,000 MW, even if they do not use it all at once.
World population is 8.5 billion, and has grown by 7 million in the first 20 days of this month. None of the 10 most highly populated nations (-there are now 234 accepted nations) will cut back upon emissions – China and India are constantly opening new coal-powered electricity plants. Their populations are India 1,451 billion; China 1,417 bn; USA 345 million; Indonesia 283mn; Pakistan 251mn; Nigeria 232mn; Brazil 212mn; Bangladesh 174mn; Russia 145mn and Ethiopia 132mn. China and India alone make up 34% of global population, 2.868 billion, while the UK has a population of 69.5 million. From 2000 to 2025 UK population grew by 7 million from 59.057 million, less than the global population rise in the first 20 days of this year (worldometers.info). Whatever the UK does, in further bankrupting itself to achieve net zero, it will have net zero effect upon any change in climate.
Terry Breverton

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