how much does renewable energy cost?

[T00ts]

Cobblers,in light of what is happening now not one Tory has been able to demonstrate  on here why privatising the utilities was a great idea.

Ok I'll have a go. I don't expect for a moment that you will agree since Thatcher is a bit like marmite.

Political decisions are always subject to unanticipated consequences and if you remember we weren't doing so well at the time. Utilities as well as other businesses all needed a massive shakeup from outdated practices, overmanning, and restrictive government interference. She thought that giving it some competition in the open markets would force it to modernise, invest and generally improve rather than being cushioned constantly with public money. The NHS is in a similar state now.

What she didn't expect was for those private companies to be taken over by foreign entities and that was ok for a while but now that we are no longer the best of friends with Europe it has backfired. 
I came across this article which I think sums up my thoughts about it but gives much more history/repercussions. I believe that Thatcher was right at the time but subsequent developments and mismanagement also by Governments has left us wanting. I don't think Thatcher can be blamed for what at the time was a vision of potential.

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/comment/article-11022571/ALEX-BRUMMER-Margaret-Thatchers-privatisation-vision-betrayed.html

[cromwell]

We'll make a Thatcherite out of you yet!!

Cobblers,in light of what is happening now not one Tory has been able to demonstrate  on here why privatising the utilities was a great idea.

[Nick]

I have no figures to hand and no time to research any this morning as work beckons.

But with the high cost of fossil fuels right now renewables must be becoming more cost effective, having for a long while been more costly.

But Streetwalker has provided evidence that these costs are coming down even as the costs of fossil fuels keep going up.

Renewables also have huge advantages in terms of energy security as we can produce our own energy with them and not be dependent upon others. We tend to be a very windy island, .

The key to reliable wind power though is surplus combined with storage, ie producing much more than we need when the wind is blowing and storing the excess for when it isn't. But we would need many more wind farms for that so wind alone is unlikely to be sufficient.

It is similar re solar power, where we could harness much more in the summer than in the winter but the winter sees the highest energy demands. Again storage of summer surplusses is key.

As an island surrounded by the sea with numerous tidal estuaries, I think we should be making far more use of tidal power which we are geographically exceptionally well placed to exploit. And unlike wind or sunshine, the tides are wholly predictable.

[highlight]I have come round to the idea that we need also to invest in nuclear power.[/highlight]

We'll make a Thatcherite out of you yet!!

[Streetwalker]

Apparently the price of electricity charged to customers is set by the gas price on the international market, so it doesn't really reflect the actual cost of generation by any particular method.

Some commentators say offshore wind is now the cheapest way to feed the National Grid. They used to say building big offshore wind farms was much more expensive than using existing nuclear power stations, which might have been true a few years ago. But change three words in that sentence to reflect the situation now - so it reads "Building big offshore wind farms is much less expensive than building new nuclear power stations".

But we cant rely on wind alone , a combination of different types of energy production is the best way forward . As renewables become more efficient we can move away from fossils but we are not in a position to dump them yet 

[HDQQ]

Apparently the price of electricity charged to customers is set by the gas price on the international market, so it doesn't really reflect the actual cost of generation by any particular method.

Some commentators say offshore wind is now the cheapest way to feed the National Grid. They used to say building big offshore wind farms was much more expensive than using existing nuclear power stations, which might have been true a few years ago. But change three words in that sentence to reflect the situation now - so it reads "Building big offshore wind farms is much less expensive than building new nuclear power stations".

[srb7677]

I have no figures to hand and no time to research any this morning as work beckons.

But with the high cost of fossil fuels right now renewables must be becoming more cost effective, having for a long while been more costly.

But Streetwalker has provided evidence that these costs are coming down even as the costs of fossil fuels keep going up. 

Renewables also have huge advantages in terms of energy security as we can produce our own energy with them and not be dependent upon others. We tend to be a very windy island, .

The key to reliable wind power though is surplus combined with storage, ie producing much more than we need when the wind is blowing and storing the excess for when it isn't. But we would need many more wind farms for that so wind alone is unlikely to be sufficient.

It is similar re solar power, where we could harness much more in the summer than in the winter but the winter sees the highest energy demands. Again storage of summer surplusses is key.

As an island surrounded by the sea with numerous tidal estuaries, I think we should be making far more use of tidal power which we are geographically exceptionally well placed to exploit. And unlike wind or sunshine, the tides are wholly predictable.

I have come round to the idea that we need also to invest in nuclear power.

[Streetwalker]

https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/how-much-uks-energy-renewable

Apparently 30% of the UK's power is from renewable energy sources and that is set to go up. That said, nothing is for nothing and I imagine that someone has to oil the wind turbines or throw the hippies into the furnaces that fire the eco power stations.But I can't find any figures for the cost of power from renewable sources as from oil or such.

Can anyone help?

5 charts show the rapid fall in costs of renewable energy - Energy Post

Seems renewables are becoming more cost effective with the advancement of green technology and no doubt the rising costs of fossil fuels . 

[Borchester]

https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/how-much-uks-energy-renewable

Apparently 30% of the UK's power is from renewable energy sources and that is set to go up. That said, nothing is for nothing and I imagine that someone has to oil the wind turbines or throw the hippies into the furnaces that fire the eco power stations.But I can't find any figures for the cost of power from renewable sources as from oil or such.

Can anyone help?