Not good reading for supporters of renewables.....

[kellys_eye]

Just read a report on the cost versus efficiencies of renewable energy production across Europe (based on the 15 most active states in the installation/use of it). All the figures quoted are drawn from the EUs own records.

Costs were shown in US dollars.

1. Renewable count for just 2.9% of all energy produced in the EU.

2. Overall the EU has spent $500bn installing renewables.

3. The average efficiency for the three major renewable energies are as follows:

Onshore wind - 23%
Offshore wind - unknown (production figures not recorded)
Solar - 11%

The above figures compare the systems RATED (i.e. nameplate) capacity against what they actually produce over 1 year.

When compared to the cost of a standard gas-operated electricity generating stations the average cost of renewables is shown to be SIXTEEN times more expensive than conventionally produced electricity.

The renewable energy figures shown above do not take into account the 'useability' of the energy they produce i.e. over-generation when the demand is low, or under production when the demand is high (this is otherwise known as dispatchability).

The UK's own calculations for costs (as eventually admitted to by the department of Energy and Climate Change by virtue of a Freedom of Information Act) show that by 2020 the cost of electricity will rise by over 60% to cover these renewable obligations.

The cost of fossil fuels is dropping rapidly therefore the potential for even cheaper conventionally produced electricity is there - but we don't have the capability to use them..... therefore the 60% figure quoted by DECC could actually be a lot higher.

Still going to vote Lib Dem, Green, Labour or Conservative next year? All of whom either created this mess, support this mess or benefit from this mess.

The full article can be found here:

http://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2014/12/ ... -the-data/