Storm Arwen: 'Exhausting' fifth night without power for tens of thousands
About 21,000 homes in the north of England are still without electricity following Storm Arwen.
www.bbc.co.uk
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
I'm in no way defending the power companies, but a similar issue pertains with leaves (and occasionally fallen trees) causing havoc with trains.That there were (and are) trees vulnerable to being felled by high winds - and the consequence when they did being the disabling of infrastructure essential to the grid's functioning - is indicative of shoddy (or no) maintenance.
I wasn't laughing MJ. That was my teeth chattering with the cold...
Yes, I was one who lost power - but was lucky it was only for 18 hours but in the coldest night of the winter so far. Others have been without since Friday and won't be reconnected until this coming Friday.
The suggestion from the ENA to ''make alternative arrangements for accommodation, by staying with friends or family'' is risible given how widespread the outages are and how friends or family are just as likely to be without power.
I had a gas hob which helped create some heat but soon enough gas will be withdrawn from homes and the grid burdened like it never has been before and we are expected to believe that sole reliance on electricity for everything is viable.
In a flood protected underground car park i hope!My petrol W204 is fully refuelled and sits in an underground car park, ready to spring into action if the need arises
In a flood protected underground car park i hope!
Incidentally, the Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) feature on my EV means I can power my home from the EV battery, though for me it's pretty theoretical because I live in a flat and the vehicle is parked in the street, so I will need a (very) long extension cord.....
But setting aside the fact that I can't use this myself, even if you do live in a house with a drive, how long can you power the house from a ~70kWh battery anyway?
Also, the manufacturer suggest that owners could charge the car's battery at night when the tariff is low, then use the battery to power the house during the day, when the tariff is high. Personally, I think this is bonkers. Apart for the fact that all this back-and-forth is far too fiddly (and also, when do you actually get to drive the car, if you use it as a large portable battery during the day...?), I don't see how this can be economical: firstly, there are a lot of losses and overhead when charging a battery from the grid then reversing the process and feeding the grid from the battery, to the extent that the discrepancy in cost between night and day tariff's will have to be - well, night and day - to make any actual savings, and then there's the issue of battery degrading due to the frequent charge/discharge cycles, keeping in mind that rechargeable batteries are consumables, and so if taking into the account the reduction in the remaining service life, I really don't see how this is a viable option.
It seems to me the V2L is a solution in search of a problem...
I suspect it's more of a "feel good" marketing tool than anything with practical use (except, perhaps, in very specific circumstances).It seems to me the V2L is a solution in search of a problem...
That's one of my "very specific circumstances", and I know that Ford make a big play of it for their F-150 Lightning truck.I see V2L being most useful for tradespeople, being able to power tools on off-grid locations
That there were (and are) trees vulnerable to being felled by high winds - and the consequence when they did being the disabling of infrastructure essential to the grid's functioning - is indicative of shoddy (or no) maintenance.
When S&SE do actually clear trees in advance, they do it in winter months meaning households are deprived of heating when it is most needed. Question them about it and nothing but excuses ensue all of which point to revenue being directed anywhere but in caring for their (often vulnerable) customers.
Here comes the brave new world of electrification. At least in Huxley's book things actually worked.
I light a fire, maybe 2, every night in Winter. As long as we have logs and/or coal I’ll not freeze or struggle to cook if my plans for a multi fuel stove come off.
I light a fire, maybe 2, every night in Winter. As long as we have logs and/or coal I’ll not freeze or struggle to cook if my plans for a multi fuel stove come off.
Damn right, 3 petrol cars too.You are burning carbon???
Damn right, 3 petrol cars too.
I think V2L will become very useful in the future when there are a lot more EVs that can collectively contribute to the grid if need be when they are connected up.Incidentally, the Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) feature on my EV means I can power my home from the EV battery, though for me it's pretty theoretical because I live in a flat and the vehicle is parked in the street, so I will need a (very) long extension cord.....
But setting aside the fact that I can't use this myself, even if you do live in a house with a drive, how long can you power the house from a ~70kWh battery anyway?
Also, the manufacturer suggest that owners could charge the car's battery at night when the tariff is low, then use the battery to power the house during the day, when the tariff is high. Personally, I think this is bonkers. Apart for the fact that all this back-and-forth is far too fiddly (and also, when do you actually get to drive the car, if you use it as a large portable battery during the day...?), I don't see how this can be economical: firstly, there are a lot of losses and overhead when charging a battery from the grid then reversing the process and feeding the grid from the battery, to the extent that the discrepancy in cost between night and day tariff's will have to be - well, night and day - to make any actual savings, and then there's the issue of battery degrading due to the frequent charge/discharge cycles, keeping in mind that rechargeable batteries are consumables, and so if taking into the account the reduction in the remaining service life, I really don't see how this is a viable option.
It seems to me the V2L is a solution in search of a problem...
We use essential cookies to make this site work, and optional cookies to enhance your experience.