An energy policy, could it save the Irish Economy

[fiannafailure]

uneconomic technology tends to be uneconomic whatever the size of the company using it

An investment banker in the city of London has remarked that as pumped storage is an integral part of the S of I project there will be no problem with finance, as if the worst comes to the worst and the wind no longer blows over Ireland, the investment is safe because the assets can be used as a cash cow in the same way as similar units are used in Switzerland and Austria, buying cheap energy at night and selling at 2 or 300 hundred per cent profit the next day. And the volumes we are talking about are big. One S of I reservoir of a 100 GW/Hrs is six days consumption for Ireland

But what has this got to do with a discussion on the need for an energy policy.

[fiannafailure]

An Taisce would seem to agree that a national energy policy is desirable

An Taisce Announces New Energy Policy > An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland > An Taisce News Releases

[Watcher1]

But why are our politicians so blind to the economic case that stable energy prices can be such a huge advantage to the country. For business from call centres to manufacturing, energy is second only to labour in cost structures

When you talk about relative labour costs, Ireland is FAR down the list in Europe. Salaries might be relatively high, but the overall cost of employing someone in Ireland ranks us way down on other European countries.

[Watcher1]

Yes, an energy policy is desirebale but will not of itself save the economy as asked in the OP. Also, devising a proper valuable energy policy will take years with the muppets we have in government, implementing it is quite another issue entirely. You could be looking at 2050 before any benefits would be seen.

No, this government is not capable of implementing a proper energy policy that will bnring any kind of benefits in the forseeable future. And I say that knowing the Green men are in power.

[fiannafailure]

When you talk about relative labour costs, Ireland is FAR down the list in Europe. Salaries might be relatively high, but the overall cost of employing someone in Ireland ranks us way down on other European countries.

The problem is that our energy costs are among the highest.
And there is a stark absence of employers who are employing the Irish workforce
Enterprise Ireland believe that green energy will reverse this trend and are now selling that idea to multinationals, however we still do not have the infrastructure to supply

[sparkey321]

You should really read up on the subject before posting nonsense like that.

Ok

Renewables are NOT subsidised.

Lies

Gas fired plants need, and get, a higher price than Wind does.

Lies.

The price of gas is going to go up, and in a few years we are likely to face supply shortages.

Possibly true

The price of Wind will always remain zero.

Wind is free the capital cost of installing wind-turbines however is not. The cost of a wind farm of a given output is orders of magnitudes higher than the cost of a gas or coal plant of the same output.

This cost has to be depreciated and added to the price of the electricity generated.

The figures have been done on multiple other threads.

Perhaps you should learn something about the topic.

[fiannafailure]

Sparkey
In the context of an energy policy, everything is on the table and also in this context we must look for the best practice worldwide, Utility tier financing has decreased the cost of renewables substantially wherever it is used. And whatever form an energy policy takes, I dont believe subsidy of any kind should play a part

[sparkey321]

Sparkey
In the context of an energy policy, everything is on the table and also in this context we must look for the best practice worldwide, Utility tier financing has decreased the cost of renewables substantially wherever it is used. And whatever form an energy policy takes, I dont believe subsidy of any kind should play a part

Oh I am not arguing with you at all.

My post was directed at SPN and i directly contradicting his comments.

[fiannafailure]

Yes, an energy policy is desirebale but will not of itself save the economy as asked in the OP. Also, devising a proper valuable energy policy will take years with the muppets we have in government, implementing it is quite another issue entirely. You could be looking at 2050 before any benefits would be seen.

No, this government is not capable of implementing a proper energy policy that will bnring any kind of benefits in the forseeable future. And I say that knowing the Green men are in power.

Watcher1

Unless we act pretty quickly, Ireland in 2050 will be a third world entity lit by candles and fed by the civil service tending their allotments.

But if we could act quickly we would be a world leader

[fiannafailure]

The following link would tend to support the need for an energy policy that can deliver stable over time prices

The New York Times > Log In