Britain's power grid notches up first coal-free week since the Industrial Revolution

Just browsing through the news and this popped-up and despite the naysayers who constantly moan about nuclear generation of which 49.6% of electricity is generated, this seems like a definite step in the right direction.

If you read the article you will see all the figures but the headline figure is 27.6% of supply came from renewables; wind, solar, bioenergy and hydropower. That is quite a remarkable feat from our cold, wet and miserable little island!

Travelling on the train back up north from London a few years ago, I saw for the first time a huge solar farm, the like of which I didn't know existed in the UK and of course, we have turbines everywhere now which is excellent, and despite the constant whining and protestations from left and right ends of the political spectrum alike about their environmental impact and dubious credentials as the saviours of the climate.

Of course, in the vast majority of cases, this is no more than simple nimbyism and if it were down to me, I'd blather turbines all across the home counties and the middle-class Guardian brigade simply to wind them up. Even on a rocky outcrop near Pontefract a few years ago, there were massive local demonstrations when plans were mooted for a wind farm.
"It'll spoil the view" was the cry despite having Drax (the biggest Power Station in the UK), Ferrybridge and Eggborogh Power Stations all within 15 miles billowing crap out and burning coal for the last 50 years.

Anyway, generally good news and of course, many more coal-free days to come I hope.

Oh Dear.

Last thing about Drax I just read. Drax now runs mainly on Biomass, I knew this as I've seen the trains hauling it there which were formerly coal trains.
It seems the Biomass is imported from the US and Canada. 7.5 million tonnes! By rail, road, ship, rail again to be burned...Ridiculous. I need to read up further on this but I'd suggest this will be another reinforcement in my belief in nuclear.....perhaps an article for another day.

Source of shared Link

---