General Chat

Companies building wind installations intending to sell power into the national grid work on a far larger scale then small island only projects in the Hebrides. The economics of wind power work best scaled up. The target market for the power is of course England not Ullapool or Stornoway.

On the basis of strict economics most of the Scottish Islands and Highlands are not sustainable. It is up to the Scottish Government in Edinburgh to ensure that these communities are supported. So far Edinburgh support for power and ferries, flying, schools is less then what might be expected.

The days of the ICE (internal combustion engine) are numbered - R&D into such engines other than for improving fuel consumption/emissions has ceased. Ford is closing a large engine plant in Wales. IMHO the change is going to be very disruptive indeed. So was the switch from horses to cars and trucks 1900-1920.

Electric cars are v easy to drive. No gears. Excellent acceleration. They use lightweight materials for much of the construction which do not rust. The motors last a very long time , two or three times as long as ICE engines. Far less maintenance. No emissions ( other than indirectly by power stations ).

As with other aspects of modern technology the changes will be very challenging for remote locations such as the Hebrides with maintenance and power charging right out front. As a person who ran an electric car for a year charging from the 13AMP mains takes far too long, you need a special terminal to be installed which is quite expensive.

One thing is for sure all governments will find ways to protect their tax revenue.

In order to sell our"wind power" to the national grid, we need an intersea sub-connector. We have been trying to get this sorted to the island for years.It hasn't happened mainly because of the cost!
So until then all the elelctricity we generate with "free wind" cannot be sold to the national grid.
Instead some people purchased their own wind turbine for personal use...but at a cost of £50.000. yes that's right, they were promised a return on their electricity usage. Some re mortgaged their homes thinking they were getting a great deal.
Then the rate of return was greatly reduced so people would not be getting as much back as they thought!

We may be the windiest place in Britain up here but our electricity prices are more expensive than on the mainland, as is the gas supply and keresene oil for central heating.

We cant even get smart meters fitted here for another 2 years as there are no trained engineers here qualified to fit them!

For all the public meetings discussing the sub-sea connector with many people attending the meetings and raising their opinions, it hasn't made a bit of difference,it all boils down to money and investment.

I am a member of the Unison yet If I go on strike in favour of fair pay and picket outside my school, I will lose a days pay and risk losing my job!
So I definitely do not get to take days off to go on a demonstration.
If I did, I think I would have many parents complaining that I have disrupted their daily education for my own needs.

Just a point. A school I work in was researching energy and the different ways to operate cars, (ie, diesel, petrol, electric)appliances in the home etc...It was discovered that in some parts of the uk, the unit price for charging a car worked out more expensive than filling up the car with petrol. I appreciate the electric car is better for the environment but in an age where people have less disposable income, they are going to use the cheapest method to suit their pocket?

Florence in the hebrides

We allow time off (with pay) for attending public demos which may damage our business. Indeed where staff have not got anything vital on they are encouraged to do so. There are thousands of firms, large and small, which have the same policy.

Thus we support organised demos re ClimateChange, remain in the EU.
We do not support law breaking though eg dangerous antics in planes or at airports, illegal use of drones,

As it stands natural energy (solar, wind, thermal ) with backup gas is much cheaper than nuclear. It will only get cheaper. Longer term projects include power interconnect to Iceland (thermal) and Spain, N Africa (solar ). Scotland is one of the windiest places in the world.

The modern slectric cars are fun to drive and much easier to make with a third of the parts of a ICE vehicle and zero emissions.

Thus the technology is already there and is improving all the time.

https://www.landsvirkjun.com/ResearchDevelopment/Research/SubmarineCabletoEurope/

The downside is that most governments are in bed with bigOil, Peabody and so on and don't want to do anything much that affects the bottom line of profit/tax now. Many deny climate change or the health impact of bad air. They engineer tax and technical breaks that preserve the status quo.

Labour and the TU are little better than other parties.

Hence direct action and demos on the streets.

There are many very ordinary people who are also activists, who use up their own holiday time to protest, not just about the threat to their children/grandchildren's lives but to other people's lives also...how many people marched about the Iraq war, thousands upon thousands from all walks of live ...were they pilloried as the unwashed/unworking?...no they weren't .

The planet if it becomes un-liveable is of more import than a war...whether that was legal or moral or not. There is no planet B as they say ( easy to forget that when your lungs are not clogged with exhaust fumes and you are looking at clear sunsets not smog, when the sea is just a beautiful sight and not taking away your home).

You don't change the really important injustices by wringing your hands , writing a letter to your incompetent MP, nor even by doing good things in your own tiny corner of the world. Revolutions happen when those in power ( and here it's financial gain that is the driver) won't make changes that are vital. This does appear, according to much brighter people than me ( scientists) , to BE vital.

I'll be dead and it may not matter to me, but 'our' children will still be around, grandchildren, gt grandchildren... you/everyone hopes and tries to ensure their children have a decent life, why wouldn't we do the same for the following generations? Whatever it takes to do that? That, for some people, includes getting involved in protests that are seen and can't be ignored.

If what it comes down to is a bit of disruption for people now, or no quality of life for people later. Which do you want and what are you going to do about it? because that really has to be decided on now, not in 30 years time.

Again I don't say some of the things done are the best way, but they might be a whole lot better than doing sod all, and as Maggie says, we are talking about it, which we probably would not be otherwise because it's such a huge problem and just easier not to think about it.
:-(

Well, they've achieved something - you're talking about it! :-D

It always amazes me that these protesters have time to protest. They obviously don't have jobs because if they did, what employer would allow them to take time off when ever they feel like it.
So if they have no jobs, then what do they survive on? Benefits maybe?

They run the risk of getting arrested and then having a criminal record. What normal. decent human being would want that?

How jolly dare they interfere with the day to day business of ordinary folk, causing chaos. That will not save the planet!

They would be better doing some sort of voluntary work clearing rivers and streams helping wildlife or helping farmers picking the harvest!

Florence in the hebrides

Possibly pop into McD for a snack and drink.

Never see them having a sit down protest in these places.

And don't forget that by causing traffic jams they increasing the pollution by lord knows how many times :-|

Am I missing something here?

All these activists who want to save the planet, which I'm
all for, travel by car, transport, planes etc.
We all do our bit but they seem to be making it worse by
the way they are going about it imo.

Ah I had not seen that he was a passenger with a ticket on the news report I saw.

They should go to the Rainforests and stop the mass destruction there as that most certainly causes major problems. :-|

Here here Joy :-D :-D :-D

What bothers me is..while many of the Metro Force is in use policing the activist...plus the large crowds etc..... is it not an ideal opportunity for those undesirables should they wish to move around our Capital City undetected and get up to their dastardly deeds

:-( :-(

JoyLouise. I agree with you wholeheartily. Do these protesters not have jobs? Do they realise that all the traffic that they are holding up is polluting the air. They are all on their mobile phones and in tents that are not biogradable. Are they all wearing biogradable clothes. :-S

As I see it, If I said to 'the people' well this is a life threatening situation, say a disease that we know there is a cure for. you'd not expect me to be saying "I'll have done something about it in 30 years time". You'd want me to address it now, while there is still time to save you?

I don't nec' think this is the right way to go about it, but something has to be done,IF our species is to survive ( personally, in a general sense, I'm really not that bothered if it does...there are other species I'd rather save first!) :-D

It must be wonderful to have nothing to do all day and plenty of time to do it in.

I think it's about time they shifted their focus to those countries who refuse to sign up to 'the pledge' and those whose manufacturing methods don't even give a nod to clean air and the environment.

Given the wreckage of our environment during the last 50 years at the hands of the farmers large scale fishing and big oil / plastics

Given the scant progress made on doing something about it

Given that the younger geneation - who will have to clear up the mess and pay for it - are mightily pi ssed off

today's direct actions cannot be surprising.

All the same any movement needs allies, fellow travellers and sympathisers. They won't serve their cause at all well with frolics on air liners.

Welsh valleys - outstanding.

Interesting comment, Dermot, because a friend and I have just phoned and booked a few days away on a coach trip and part of the spiel that the young lady was required to read out to me included the comment that if they went bust, we would be repatriated ..... from Wales!

It is good that firms are taking everything into consideration though.

Nothing to do with the Thomas Cook debacle, I suppose.

Protesters were encouraged to buy flight tickets after security stopped anyone entering the airport without a ticket.