Reducing carbon emissions

[Foxholer]

If we stop burning stuff, that would help.
Of course it's not going to stop overnight, but we have to start somewhere.
Or we could just say it's not my problem and leave it for future generations to sort out.

Australia is a good example of improvement...

''In 2020, 24% of Australia’s total electricity generation was from renewable energy sources, including solar (9%), wind (9%) and hydro (6%). ''

Good to see Aus improving (up from 21% prev year), but I wouldn't consider it a 'good' example in the first place. It still produces most (54%) of its electricity from coal - and exports coal for other countries to produce electricity from too!
Compare that to its itty bitty neighbour across the Tasman, where over 80% of electricity production is from renewables (primarily hydro). The other, nearly 20% but reducing, is from coal.

 

[bobmac]

Should coal be illegal tomorrow, Australia is instantly a 3rd world country, with no healthcare, welfare, infrastructure maintenance only education available must be funded privately.

I didn't deny they burn a lot of coal, the point I was making is they have made a start, just like China.

 

[sweaty sock]

I didn't deny they burn a lot of coal, the point I was making is they have made a start, just like China.

They havent though, they are digging just as much coal. They're just selling a higher percentage than they used to...

 

[SocketRocket]

We just have to find alternatives to coal, oil and gas for producing energy, we also need to find ways to reduce demand for energy. There's nothing like crisis for sharpening minds and pushing people into taking action.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

We just have to find alternatives to coal, oil and gas for producing energy, we also need to find ways to reduce demand for energy. There's nothing like crisis for sharpening minds and pushing people into taking action.

Correct. Anyone in the know re nuclear fusion. Is it likely ever to be feasible and if so, soon or not?

 

[Deleted member 18121]

Correct. Anyone in the know re nuclear fusion. Is it likely ever to be feasible and if so, soon or not?

We (the UK) already produce 21% of our energy from nuclear power. Rolls Royce are currently looking to build several small reactors that would power 6,000,000 homes and there is a large reactor being built (Hinkley Point C ) that would produce a whole lot more.

Solar and wind will never be enough, nuclear is the future of "clean" energy but comes with mining risks and disposal risks.


+Edit... Got my numbers a bit squiffy. Hinckl y is 6m and rolls Royce is 1m

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Correct. Anyone in the know re nuclear fusion. Is it likely ever to be feasible and if so, soon or not?

Certainly plans to build a prototype fusion reactor, Moorside up here (basically land next to Sellafield) is one of 5 sites 'bidding' to be the location.

I believe a decision could be made as early as late next year, construction from 2024 and peak operations around 2040.

 

[cliveb]

Correct. Anyone in the know re nuclear fusion. Is it likely ever to be feasible and if so, soon or not?

I seem to recall that 30 years ago, fusion was "30 years away".
Today, it's "30 years away".
Draw your own conclusions.

FWIW, I think that by the time anyone nails fusion, we'll have solved the problem of storage and transportation that is holding back the large scale deployment of already feasible types of renewables (ie. solar & wind). There's more than enough solar and wind around to power the world, all we need to do is figure out how to buffer it.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Certainly plans to build a prototype fusion reactor, Moorside up here (basically land next to Sellafield) is one of 5 sites 'bidding' to be the location.

I believe a decision could be made as early as late next year, construction from 2024 and peak operations around 2040.

It's quite grim that it will take 16 years to get going. Is it being built by builders who are fitting it in around other jobs?

 

[Deleted member 3432]

It's quite grim that it will take 16 years to get going. Is it being built by builders who are fitting it in around other jobs?

All the stuff that prevents any exposure to radiation and contamination of the general population if it goes wrong is the element that makes the job rather a large one. Won't be just a tin shed job....

Just writing the safety case could take years.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

Certainly plans to build a prototype fusion reactor, Moorside up here (basically land next to Sellafield) is one of 5 sites 'bidding' to be the location.

I believe a decision could be made as early as late next year, construction from 2024 and peak operations around 2040.

That suggests that we have the know how for fusion ( as opposed to fission ).
Other posts here suggest we haven't cracked it yet.
Any professional nuclear chaps here, to put us right??

 

[Lord Tyrion]

All the stuff that prevents any exposure to radiation and contamination of the general population if it goes wrong is the element that makes the job rather a large one. Won't be just a tin shed job....

Just writing the safety case could take years.

Presumably it isn't the first site for this though, happy to be corrected. If it isn't then surely they are copying a plan that has already been built before? If it is the first then ?.

Minor interesting detail. I grew up near to the main design site for the UK nuclear stations. I did temping work there in holidays. Thousands of engineers beavering away creating 1 tonne of waste paper each day ?. Pre email and any alterations, no matter how small, had multiple people copied in. An army of people copied and distributed paper that was binned within seconds. Email has certainly saved a few trees. The site disbanded years ago. Who knows where that knowledge disappeared to.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

That suggests that we have the know how for fusion ( as opposed to fission ).
Other posts here suggest we haven't cracked it yet.
Any professional nuclear chaps here, to put us right??

I work in nuclear but just a lowly grunt working in reducing the stockpile of nasty stuff produced by fission reactors.

The government certainly wants to build a prototype fusion reactor, the question is going to be how efficient it is going to be for it to be worthwhile.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Presumably it isn't the first site for this though, happy to be corrected. If it isn't then surely they are copying a plan that has already been built before? If it is the first then ?.

Minor interesting detail. I grew up near to the main design site for the UK nuclear stations. I did temping work there in holidays. Thousands of engineers beavering away creating 1 tonne of waste paper each day ?. Pre email and any alterations, no matter how small, had multiple people copied in. An army of people copied and distributed paper that was binned within seconds. Email has certainly saved a few trees. The site disbanded years ago. Who knows where that knowledge disappeared to.

Don't know if any others have been built but other countries certainly won't be sharing plans.

These things are built for worst case and then some......

Certainly where I work every single bit of paperwork is stored for 30 years and we generate massive amounts of that daily just in my building and there are dozens of buildings site wide.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Or UK makes a condition of a trade agreement with Australia that any improvement in their economy through increased trade with UK is matched in some respect by a reduction in their global income from coal exports…as likewise do all countries trading with Australia, and who have signed up to eliminate coal from their industry and economy, require similar.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

I work in nuclear but just a lowly grunt working in reducing the stockpile of nasty stuff produced by fission reactors.

The government certainly wants to build a prototype fusion reactor, the question is going to be how efficient it is going to be for it to be worthwhile.

Long way to go before building one. Saw article at MIT -https://news.mit.edu/2021/MIT-CFS-major-advance-toward-fusion-energy-0908.
This reports a breakthrough, but long way to go.
Seems to be the answer, if achievable.

 

[clubchamp98]

Whether or not you agree with their means of drawing attention to the ’cause’, it is clear that the Insulate Britain protestors (I do not consider them clowns, they are activists) are 100% right…their cause is actually our cause and us just hanging around waiting for the government to come up with something on the insulation front is not good enough. We should all be loudly demanding a government strategy and action plan to get us all properly insulated - if they have now published one I missed it. Then, as suggested, we can start worrying about the affordability of heat pumps for everyone. At least now we are all, well most of us, fully aware of why Insulate Britain are as exercised over the matter as they are…

I have little time for an argument that says a government can’t do the right thing and take action because protestors demanding that action were right all along. After all, was that not what the poll tax riots were all about.

Isn’t it up to yourself to insulate your home?
They are losing the will of the people with their methods.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Isn’t it up to yourself to insulate your home?
They are losing the will of the people with their methods.

They aren't losing it, they've well & truly lost the will of the people; not letting ambulances through sealed that.

 

[Fade and Die]

I read that the clock is at a minute to midnight and coastal cities like Liverpool will be flooded into oblivion which is why I've just bought a great big diesel car and turned the heating up full blast.?

 

[williamalex1]

We just have to find alternatives to coal, oil and gas for producing energy, we also need to find ways to reduce demand for energy. There's nothing like crisis for sharpening minds and pushing people into taking action.

Surely in this day and age of modern technology there must be a better way of filtering carbon emissions from cars, lorries ,heating systems, chimneys etc.
And somehow make use of the carbon waste .