National Infrastructure Commission - report issued

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

The UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s rail franchise model is "bust" and should be reviewed, former Network Rail chief Sir John Armitt has said.

Rail operators take "very significant revenue risk" which has "got them into trouble", he told the BBC.

This is because the government "will always go for the most optimistic forecast of revenue".

His comments came as the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), which Sir John chairs, issued a report into the UK's infrastructure requirements.

The NIC's report, which gives independent advice to government, looked at a wide range of infrastructure needs, including road, energy supply and broadband.

It said the UK should not agree to back more than one new nuclear plant after Hinkley Point C is built, because renewable energy represents the best value for consumers.

Report (160 pages) downloadable via https://www.nic.org.uk/publications/national-infrastructure-assessment-2018/

[Red Squirrel]

...renewable energy represents the best value for consumers.

Strike price, Hinkley 'C': £92.50/MWh
Strike price, offshore wind: £57.50/MWh

Nuff said.

[ChrisB]

And on days like the last couple of weeks with no wind to speak of?

[ChrisB]

Which chapter covers rail? Plenty I can see on roads (with its own chapter no less, but rail?

[Bob_Blakey]

And on days like the last couple of weeks with no wind to speak of?

An oversimplification of the situation? In this neck of the woods - Exeter - the land/sea temperature differential is producing some quite powerful onshore winds in an area where the MetOffice forecast tells us to expect essentially a flat calm.

You just have to make sure the turbines are in the right place!

[Red Squirrel]

And on days like the last couple of weeks with no wind to speak of?

Strike price, solar PV: £50.00/MWh

[broadgage]

Wind power contributed about 3% to 4% of national demand today, limited but still useful. Solar is of more use at this time of year.
Both wind and solar have the merits of being produced within our own country rather than being reliant on imports that are vulnerable to interruption.
A significant increase in both wind and solar energy would help UK^▸ (United Kingdom) energy security. We will still need some imports, but less is better.

[eightf48544]

Tidal would probably be even better. The tides do seem to be regular and if they are round the coast there would be  continuous
supply  to cover slack water at high and low tide.