MicroGeneration & UK Energy Security
September 26, 2008
Reports yesterday from the UK National grid that the UK faces a potential power shortage as reactor repairs cut spare capacity this winter should provide additional support for the case for more microgeneration in the UK.
It’s unclear whether this report takes account of the fact that the UK can supplement it’s energy usage with power from France, however it highlights the importance of encouraging the uptake of technologies such as microgeneration to reduce dependence on centralised generation and other countries.
Earlier this year, events in Georgia, a country upon which the West is becoming more dependent for its energy, demonstrated the fragility of international relations and Robert Kyriakides made the point on his blog that MicroGeneration could have an important role to play in reducing our dependence on external energy supplies.
The new figures suggest that internal energy supplies cannot be taken for granted either.
According to reports, the figures from the national grid reveal that on those occasions where the grid meets peak demand, a mere 1.5% of extra capacity will be available. Given the complexity of the system, 1.5% seems an extremely slim margin of error.
The last time reports like this surfaced (in May) wholesale electricity costs jumped 13 percent in a day.
A reliable supply of energy is critical to the development and success of a country. Faced with this, it’s more important than ever to try and encourage the adoption of MicroGeneration technologies.
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