Pssst!
Solar is now 88% cheaper than thought a decade ago, UK govt says – half its estimated cost of new gas power
Just running a gas plant in Feb 2022 is costing around FOUR times as much as we'd pay for new solar or wind
Thread with charts + FAQ
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carbonbrief.org/analysis-cutti
Conversation
Replying to
Here's the same chart, showing what we are paying in Feb 2022, just to keep running gas power plants that have already been built (~£180/MWh)…
…vs what we'll pay for new renewables in the upcoming auction for govt contracts ("CfDs", ~£50/MWh)
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NEW
Big intervention in energy crisis debate as UK govt announces annual renewable auctions
@KwasiKwarteng says:
"The more clean, cheap and secure power we generate at home, the less exposed we will be to expensive gas prices set by international markets"
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The pace of falling renewable costs has consistently blindsided forecasters, from the UK govt to the IEA, EIA and everyone in between
Just a few examples…
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carbonbrief.org/wind-and-solar
carbonbrief.org/solar-is-now-c
carbonbrief.org/analysis-world
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UPDATE
The latest @IEA solar forecasts & its solar outlooks 2009-2020
vs what has actually happened
carbonbrief.org/exceptional-ne
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But what about the costs of balancing the system when it gets dark and the wind doesn't blow…?
System will need flexible low-carbon sources eg hydrogen, CCS, nuclear
Even w those costs, renewables will form 75-90% of UK's cheapest zero-carbon grid
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theccc.org.uk/wp-content/upl
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But won't renewables take up loads of land…?
Sure, solar and windfarms need careful siting to take account of wider envt, food security and other concerns
Then again, did you hear about golf courses?
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Today seems like a good day to share this amazing graphic of UK land use
(I estimate solar farms cover less than one tenth of one percent of the UK – 0.08%)
carbonbrief.org/qa-will-englan
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But why are renewables driving up bills…?
They're not! On contrary, despite legacy cost of older, more pricey renewables, they're helping take edge of high gas prices
If we hadn't "cut the green crap" over the last decade, we'd now be saving £2.5bn
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carbonbrief.org/analysis-cutti
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Hit me up with more FAQs
Meanwhile, sources:
UK govt cost estimates 2010-2020
gov.uk/government/col
Treasury deflator
gov.uk/government/col
CfD auction 2022
gov.uk/government/pub
CfD 2019
carbonbrief.org/analysis-recor
Current gas costs
theice.com/products/20788
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Bonus FAQ:
But surely reliable a grid needs fossil fuels for [inertia / voltage control / frequency regulation]…?
Yes for now – not forever!
is working twd zero-carbon operation by 2025; engineers are smart 🤓
twitter.com/DrSimEvans/sta
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I've always felt that supposedly intractable high-renewable grid stability issues – inertia, voltage control etc etc – are the sorts of prob engineers v good at fixing…
Well, today, @NationalGridESO announced "breakthrough" of renewables being able to offer stability services
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Replying to
Go to all solar then. Quit the talk and do it. Do it at you house and your manufacturing company. It will not work. It can not work. It is inefficient and extremely expensive because of the backup power sources needed and is a complete boondoggle.
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Renewables work as a system. Wind solar tidal. No need to rely on just one just as we don’t just rely on coal now.
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