Labour promises -

[observer]

There are now open cast mines in some areas; we've just discovered over a decade's supply of oil and shale gas; we've not exploited solar panels (on nearly every roof in Germany); we're behind the curve on recycling waste and vegetation into methane; and utilising wave, tidal and hydro schemes.

[Lt Kije]

Open cast is only available in areas where the coal is near the surface, it's to early for shale gas, and the government are already back tracking on its cost, doesn't look like it will do the same here as in America.

[Bazj]

It would go up a lot more if you re open our coal mines Baz

 

and you know this as a fact? Would it go up by more than the 45% rise in the past five years? Would it go up by 90% over the next 10 years?

 

The truth is we just don't know. Until someone does a feasibility study to establish how much it would cost to reopen mines as opposed to continually being at the mercy of the fuel companies we won't.

 

Who know, the cost of gas and electric could rise by 150% over the next five years. As I said before; we are at their mercy

 

 

[Lt Kije]

But Baz, if it was that cheap, we would already be doing it, are energy companies would be exploiting it, the UK population would not swallow the increase. Think about it. Plus we already have coal mining companies in the UK, and last time I looked they were shutting mines.

[Bazj]

but what I am saying is for the future. If gas and elec prices have risen by 45% over the past 4 or 5 years who knows how much they could rise in the next 10 years..... we should at least look at the feasibility of costing the reopening of the mines and building coal fired power stations to use it. We shouldn't leave our selves open to the whims of the markets and to foreign owned energy companies.

 

If in the next 10 or 15 years; gas and electricity prices rise by 200%..... digging our coal out of the ground could well be the cheaper option!

[Bazj]

But Baz, if it was that cheap, we would already be doing it,

 

and I never said it was cheap..... I said it could be cheaper in the long term

[Lt Kije]

It depends what you mean in the long term, when the World starts to run out of coal then yes it will become economic, but that will be not in your life time.

[Bazj]

I never thought I would be paying so much for gas and electricity Kije..... and that is in the last 15 years.....

 

Coal..... It's the future!

 

The only problem are the soap dodging swampy crowd who want us back in the dark ages

[Lt Kije]

Nuclear is the future Baz

[Bazj]

Nuclear is the future Baz

 

Hmmmm tell the Japanese and the Russians that..... and didn't the Yanks nearly have a meltdown at Five Mile Island sometime in the past?? I think I'd rather have a bit of smog than a nuclear wasteland thank you very much!

[Lt Kije]

Hmmmm tell the Japanese and the Russians that..... and didn't the Yanks nearly have a meltdown at Five Mile Island sometime in the past?? I think I'd rather have a bit of smog than a nuclear wasteland thank you very much!

   

[asperity]

Nuclear power generation is by far the safest, just look up the statistics. Even wind and solar are far more dangerous.

[Bazj]

Nuclear power generation is by far the safest, just look up the statistics. Even wind and solar are far more dangerous.

 

that's as maybe.... but I just couldn't bring myself to agree with Kije!!  

[observer]

Well a Lakeland Council wants to take the nuclear waste for storage; maybe that will keep the frackers away!

[asperity]

And that must rank as one of the strangest posts ever

[observer]

It would be strange to allow fracking in the vicinity of underground nuclear waste storage don't you think?!

[asperity]

It would be strange to allow underground nuclear waste storage in the vicinity of a fracking site don't you think?!

[observer]

Depends which comes first!

[Lt Kije]

Nuclear is the only way forward in the long term

[asperity]

My point would be that a nuclear waste storage site would have to be very carefully chosen with a view to present AND FUTURE geological disturbance being taken into account. The shale gas deposits seem to have been identified geologically so it would seem unlikely that the same areas would be deemed suitable for underground nuclear waste disposal. Just saying.

[observer]

One of the Lakeland Borough Councils has volunteered to accept underground nuke waste storage; think it's close to Sellerfield and of course, there's the promise of jobs. Although the waste will no doubt be stored in protective containers; no doubt there's scope for accidents over a thousand years.

[Lt Kije]

I agree Asp, and as to shale it is far to early to say if it is going to be the god send some think it will, large amounts were found in Poland, but it soon became evident the cost of extracting it was uneconomical, further tests needs to be done in the UK, which I think they are attempting to do now. But shake yet might be a camp squib. It is interesting how the government are now back tracking on the costs, it will never Lead to the cheap energy boom they have in the States sadly.

[Davy51]

I am scepticle  that even if fracking was successful in the UK that  savings would be passed on to consumers .the suppliers & government would find a way of keeping prices high .

[Bazj]

and the latest moral of the tale is; don't build nuclear plants where there are lots of jellyfish!!

[Bazj]

http://news.sky.com/story/1148872/jellyfish-cluster-shuts-down-nuclear-reactor