valenciagill
Vital Football Hero
Not that you're counting lol
Extinction Rebellion
- Thread starter LancsGordoRoad
- Start date
Not that you're counting lol
shotshy
Vital Champions League
I’ve got a mate who finished from Kent CID on the 27th August.
I’m betting that he goes back as a civvie.
Best of luck to you.
Retirement will be the best job you’ve ever had.
markinkent
Vital Football Hero
[QUOTE="shotshy, post: 3004333, member: 13626"
They may well insist on heat pumps for all new builds but they will never convince the public to rip out perfectly efficient gas boilers unless the government are picking up the tab, and even then, it’s doubtful.
The same with electric cars.
The manufacturers will stop making liquid fuel motors but most will just run their diesel and petrol cars into the ground unless they are very very heavily subsidised.[/QUOTE]
I looked into an air source heat pump when doing a major house renovation two years back. I was installing water under floor heating in four rooms and wanted to use the air source pump to run it. I just couldn't make it cost effective. Its not the installation as you get decent subsidies but the ongoing running costs. Mains Gas is so much cheaper than electricity. I think retrospectively heat pumps will only work in the following situations
(1) You have no access to main Gas - they are much cheaper than Oil / LPG etc.
(2) You have solar electric to cut their running costs
(3) Gas goes up significantly.
(3) is likely as we import more of it but I stuck with the Gas boiler to run my UFH.
Electric cars are similar. I have a diesel and my next car will be Hybrid but the government will need to offer a massive subsidy to trade the diesel in for they hybrid. Just too expensive right now.
They may well insist on heat pumps for all new builds but they will never convince the public to rip out perfectly efficient gas boilers unless the government are picking up the tab, and even then, it’s doubtful.
The same with electric cars.
The manufacturers will stop making liquid fuel motors but most will just run their diesel and petrol cars into the ground unless they are very very heavily subsidised.[/QUOTE]
I looked into an air source heat pump when doing a major house renovation two years back. I was installing water under floor heating in four rooms and wanted to use the air source pump to run it. I just couldn't make it cost effective. Its not the installation as you get decent subsidies but the ongoing running costs. Mains Gas is so much cheaper than electricity. I think retrospectively heat pumps will only work in the following situations
(1) You have no access to main Gas - they are much cheaper than Oil / LPG etc.
(2) You have solar electric to cut their running costs
(3) Gas goes up significantly.
(3) is likely as we import more of it but I stuck with the Gas boiler to run my UFH.
Electric cars are similar. I have a diesel and my next car will be Hybrid but the government will need to offer a massive subsidy to trade the diesel in for they hybrid. Just too expensive right now.
markinkent
Vital Football Hero
I’ve seen the Terminator.
I know how it all ends
I've seen Boston dynamics -- they are making the terminators !
jokerman
Vital Football Hero
Hybrids with 50 miles electric might suit a lot of people. Still transitional -complex systems hauling a redundant power plant either way. Electrics are simple. Charged mine up over night at home 30 miles an hour up to 300 miles for a 130 mile trip. Charging as I type at the in-laws cabin 3 miles an hour. We’ll have enough juice to get home spending beans. Still wouldn’t want an electric only, but the day is coming.
markinkent
Vital Football Hero
My problem with electric is you need confidence of a charging spot enroute for longer journeys. All the service stations have them and I rarely see anyone use them. At the moment every confidence of being able to use them. What happens when take up is higher and you pull in only to find them all taken?
If supply keeps up with demand then that addresses the concern.
Hotels would them as well to allow overnight guests to top up.
I think I need to see that investment in the charging stations to give me confidence to go all electric.
I agree the day is coming. I just hope the grid has the capacity
If supply keeps up with demand then that addresses the concern.
Hotels would them as well to allow overnight guests to top up.
I think I need to see that investment in the charging stations to give me confidence to go all electric.
I agree the day is coming. I just hope the grid has the capacity
Rob_b100
Vital 1st Team Regular
One of the main problems I see is the home charging capability. In most towns and cities there are rows and rows of terraced houses. How are people supposed to charge their car overnight if they are not even able to park outside their house? I work with people that often have to park in the next street to where they live in Whitstable. I had another work colleague that wouldn’t move his car from Friday afternoon til Monday morning as he knew his space would get nicked!
I think a removable battery is the only way to remedy this. Batteries could be charged overnight in the home then simply reconnected in the morning. Motorway Services could offer an exchange service so you drop your spent one in and swap for a fully charged one if waiting to charge is inconvenient. This would need all manufacturers to agree on a standard battery size/shape/power though, so probably a nonstarter.........
I think a removable battery is the only way to remedy this. Batteries could be charged overnight in the home then simply reconnected in the morning. Motorway Services could offer an exchange service so you drop your spent one in and swap for a fully charged one if waiting to charge is inconvenient. This would need all manufacturers to agree on a standard battery size/shape/power though, so probably a nonstarter.........
valenciagill
Vital Football Hero
The weight of a battery would require a forklift , so I think that rules out 'taking your battery indoors each night'
I agree with you about terraced houses , those living in a tower block won't fare any better.
My daughter is looking to buy her first home , and I have convinced her on the need for a driveway at the very least. In the future this provision could dramatically affect house prices.
Rob_b100
Vital 1st Team Regular
This is currently the case. But future technology advances usually means smaller and more powerful. Granted, that could be anything between 5 and 50 years away though.
My first computer mid 80s was a commodore vic20. Within 10 years they developed and sold the Amiga that was 100 times more powerful. Another 10 years and everybody had a mobile phone, the next 10 and everyone has a smartphone in their pocket * that is 1000 times the power of the Amiga.
*unless you want a gills ticket..........
ThreeSixes
Vital Football Hero
But this is regarding powering a motor vehicle. You really think that will be done by a battery you can take indoors with you?
markinkent
Vital Football Hero
Needs a step change in battery technology but its possible with investment and I believe the car manufacturers are investing in it. Otherwise the whole charge at home concept is not practical for all those without a drive/parking space
LSB2
Vital Football Hero
I have a double driveway, with a four bedroom house, if she wants to move to Strood
Rob_b100
Vital 1st Team Regular
Not by next year no.
But in the future yes, I think batteries will become lighter and/or more powerful.
*edit for the record, I don’t envisage them becoming AA size.
5 years ago wireless charging was just an idea.
I am currently sitting on my bed typing this on my 10 year old iPad. Wirelessly connected to the internet. I can listen to the radio or watch tv on it. I can order a meal and my weekly shop on it. I can video call somebody on the other side of the planet on it.
Technology can move so fast in such a short space of time.
Jerryattrick
Vital Football Hero
Strange that we are not doing more for moving to hydrogen.
Most Hybrid cars currently are fairly useless as they still need plugging in or only use electric to enhance the performance of the engine.
A version now coming out is where a small petrol engine starts the car and charges the battery. Once enough charge is in the battery then the car is electric only with self generation from braking etc. This seems the best interim arrangement unless a full electric infrastructure is put in place.
Would be interesting to know the projected electricity generation required to go all electric and how that power is to be generated.
Most Hybrid cars currently are fairly useless as they still need plugging in or only use electric to enhance the performance of the engine.
A version now coming out is where a small petrol engine starts the car and charges the battery. Once enough charge is in the battery then the car is electric only with self generation from braking etc. This seems the best interim arrangement unless a full electric infrastructure is put in place.
Would be interesting to know the projected electricity generation required to go all electric and how that power is to be generated.
ThreeSixes
Vital Football Hero
But no one has been on the moon since the 70's, and cancer hasn't been cured. Aren't we supposed to be traveling in hovercars and living under the sea by now?
Jerryattrick
Vital Football Hero
Yes if resources are put into it.
valenciagill
Vital Football Hero
Tesla is probably the leader in battery technology.
They produce a home electric solution* using lithium ion , enough to store the energy requirements of an average family house. It weighs 125kg , and that's using lightweight materials !
I have a friend who lives off grid , and his batteries are lead acid , probably weighing 2 tons.
Producing electric is not the problem , storing it till you need it , is.
* Tesla Powerwall, I think it's called (if anyone's interested)
LockdownLife
Vital Squad Member
My parents recently got solar installed. The payback is significantly increased with batteries. Theirs will roughly get them through 24hours of no sun and don't take up much space - maybe 1x0.5x0.3m.
It means in winter when solar doesn't cover them they can also fill up the batteries overnight at 4p per kwh and use them to get through to it being cheap again.
Perhaps peculiarly they buy at night at 4p and sell at 4.5p so even if its sunny you may as well fill the batteries up. You don't actually make the profit cause of the inverter losses but I assume Octopus may realise a flaw in his tariff
It means in winter when solar doesn't cover them they can also fill up the batteries overnight at 4p per kwh and use them to get through to it being cheap again.
Perhaps peculiarly they buy at night at 4p and sell at 4.5p so even if its sunny you may as well fill the batteries up. You don't actually make the profit cause of the inverter losses but I assume Octopus may realise a flaw in his tariff
ThreeSixes
Vital Football Hero
I've been driving for 30+ years (not non stop!). Car Batteries (or any other batteries for that matter) haven't changed size in that time
