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UK would do best supplementing wind with solar, rather than going wholly solar. UK is famous for many things, consistent reliable sun isn't one of them. Maybe i
by NeedMoreTea 7y ago
UK would do best supplementing wind with solar, rather than going wholly solar. UK is famous for many things, consistent reliable sun isn't one of them. Maybe in 20 years we'll have a more Spanish climate, though I would hope not. Adding solar on every roof that's suitable should be plenty for starters.
There's probably dozens of spots around the UK suitable for Dinorwig 10 GWh pumped storage style solutions. NIMBYs permitting.
If the UK fully built out offshore wind it would probably have enough to power the whole of Europe. Same goes for Ireland.
- roryisok 7y agoActually the estimates are that the Irish coast alone has enough potential wind energy to power all of the planet, during peak seasonal wind, and at least all of Europe during the less windy summer season. Building the infrastructure to transmit that power would be a massive undertaking though. Ireland and France are currently cooperating to build an undersea power cable which is going to cost $1Bn, take 5 years, run 575km and have an annual transmission capacity of 6.1 TWh. Annual global energy usage in 2013 was 19,504 TWh, or 3,197 times that.