{"id":287550,"date":"2023-11-11T12:18:19","date_gmt":"2023-11-11T11:18:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=287550"},"modified":"2023-11-11T12:18:22","modified_gmt":"2023-11-11T11:18:22","slug":"britains-one-of-the-darkest-countries-in-the-world-sir-david-mackay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=287550","title":{"rendered":"Britain\u2019s one of the darkest countries in the world\u2013Sir David\u00a0Mackay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Paul Homewood<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Euan again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Sir, Lorna Slater (Scottish Green Party) has announced that the Scottish Government is to proceed with up to 6GW of solar PV by 2030 (P&J Oct 30th<\/sup>). What will this mean for Scottish power supply? In July 2030, for a few hours either side of midday, solar PV would provide all of our power. What is going to happen to all that wind power that on occasions may be produced at the same time? Of course, for a few hours either side of midnight, solar PV will produce nothing at all. This means that all other sources of power have to be varied continuously to compensate for Earth\u2019s celestial journey. But wind cannot be controlled and on a calm night we may produce nothing at all. What then?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January 2030, 6GW of solar PV will produce barely any electricity during the day and nothing at all for several hours either side of midnight. When the wind doesn\u2019t blow either we would have to depend on backup or imports \u2013 so much for being independent. Some readers may be thinking about storage. I will soon get around to explaining the physical and economic impossibility of grid scale energy storage.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time of his untimely death in April 2016, Sir David MacKay was probably the most widely known and respected energy analyst in the world. Author of the book \u201cSustainable Energy Without the Hot Air\u201d, he spent 5 years as Chief Scientific Advisor on energy to HM Government. Dying from cancer, he gave a final interview 11 days before his death where he tried to set the record straight. It is easy to find the video and a transcript on line. Below I report some key passages from this interview.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cthere\u2019s so much delusion and I think it\u2019s so dangerous for humanity that people allow themselves to have these delusions that they\u2019re willing to not think carefully about the numbers and the realities, and the laws of physics and the realities of engineering.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo the credit of the civil servants who I worked with when I went to government \u2013 I may have indicated that they had some bad policies \u2013 but when it came to whether solar should be in the mix, they had done the numbers for that already and solar just wasn\u2019t on the table at all.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c..and there was very successful lobbying by the solar lobbyists as well \u2013 so now there\u2019s this widespread belief that solar is a wonderful thing, even though it\u2019s highly intermittent and mainly produces energy in July and in December produces 9 times less than it does in July. You know, Britain\u2019s one of the darkest countries in the world.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would be foolhardy for our politicians to ignore this sound advice from one of the World\u2019s most highly respected energy analysts.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Euan Mearns<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aberdeen<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT By Paul Homewood Euan again! Sir, Lorna Slater (Scottish Green Party) has announced that the Scottish Government is to proceed with up to 6GW of solar PV by 2030 (P&J Oct 30th). What will this mean for Scottish power supply? In July 2030, for a few hours […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":287554,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"But wind cannot be controlled and on a calm night we may produce nothing at all. What then?","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691824279,691818065,691824514,691824516,691824515],"class_list":{"0":"post-287550","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-dr-euan-mearns","9":"tag-energy-storage","10":"tag-scottish-green-party","11":"tag-sir-david-mackay","12":"tag-solar-lobbyists","14":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/0SUSTAIN-BANNR-1.png?fit=1600%2C700&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1cNU","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":283468,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=283468","url_meta":{"origin":287550,"position":0},"title":"Euan Mearns\u2019 Letter To The\u00a0P&J","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"15\/10\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Renewable green energy and not climate change is destroying Scotland\u2019s landscape. From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT By Paul Homewood Euan Mearns has had another letter published his local newspaper. It appears that there is real opposition growing in the Highlands against wind farms. I have pasted the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0103862334-GettyImages-73179718.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0103862334-GettyImages-73179718.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0103862334-GettyImages-73179718.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0103862334-GettyImages-73179718.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":291058,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=291058","url_meta":{"origin":287550,"position":1},"title":"Deluded Over Wind and Solar Security\u2013Euan Mearns","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"13\/12\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Sir, I imagine many P&J readers will be wearing woolly hats and jumpers, huddled around a candle trying to keep warm. It is very cold, calm and dark outside. Ideal conditions for excess winter deaths.","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate crisis\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate crisis","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-crisis"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0energy-solar-panels-wind-farm-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0energy-solar-panels-wind-farm-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0energy-solar-panels-wind-farm-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0energy-solar-panels-wind-farm-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0energy-solar-panels-wind-farm-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":293263,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=293263","url_meta":{"origin":287550,"position":2},"title":"Is Scotland\u2019s climate really in the midst of\u00a0breakdown?","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"31\/12\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The JHI research was funded by the Scottish Government. What chance was there that JHI would conclude that there was nothing to worry about? Instead, we get a new dose of groundless scaremongering.","rel":"","context":"In \"climate breakdown\"","block_context":{"text":"climate breakdown","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-breakdown"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image-726.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image-726.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image-726.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image-726.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image-726.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":371209,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=371209","url_meta":{"origin":287550,"position":3},"title":"Miliband Panics Over Grangemouth\u00a0Closure","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"21\/03\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Energy Secretary plots \u00a3225m transformation of Grangemouth into bioethanol plant.","rel":"","context":"In \"bioethanol plant\"","block_context":{"text":"bioethanol plant","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=bioethanol-plant"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0grangemouth-refinery.jpg?fit=1200%2C806&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0grangemouth-refinery.jpg?fit=1200%2C806&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0grangemouth-refinery.jpg?fit=1200%2C806&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0grangemouth-refinery.jpg?fit=1200%2C806&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0grangemouth-refinery.jpg?fit=1200%2C806&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":260182,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=260182","url_meta":{"origin":287550,"position":4},"title":"Labour plans to block new North Sea oil fields could cost Scotland\u00a0\u00a36bn","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/06\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Labour\u2019s plan to block all new North Sea oil and gas fields would cost the Scottish economy the equivalent of around \u00a31,100 per person every year, it has been alleged as a trade union backlash intensified.","rel":"","context":"In \"North Sea\"","block_context":{"text":"North Sea","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=north-sea"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/02014-02-24T120000Z_2128562942_LM1EA2O0Z6701_RTRMADP_3_BRITAIN-OIL-REVIEW-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/02014-02-24T120000Z_2128562942_LM1EA2O0Z6701_RTRMADP_3_BRITAIN-OIL-REVIEW-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/02014-02-24T120000Z_2128562942_LM1EA2O0Z6701_RTRMADP_3_BRITAIN-OIL-REVIEW-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/02014-02-24T120000Z_2128562942_LM1EA2O0Z6701_RTRMADP_3_BRITAIN-OIL-REVIEW-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/02014-02-24T120000Z_2128562942_LM1EA2O0Z6701_RTRMADP_3_BRITAIN-OIL-REVIEW-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":291187,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=291187","url_meta":{"origin":287550,"position":5},"title":"Try Using Wind To Make\u00a0Turbines","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"13\/12\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Sir, John Kirk (letters 5 Dec) and Alistair Ballantyne (letters 6 Dec) muse about future use of lubricating oil in wind turbines. 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The materials comprise concrete (foundations), steel (tower and nacelle), speciality metals\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"dumper trucks\"","block_context":{"text":"dumper trucks","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=dumper-trucks"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0Screenshot-2023-12-13-190228.png?fit=907%2C898&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0Screenshot-2023-12-13-190228.png?fit=907%2C898&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0Screenshot-2023-12-13-190228.png?fit=907%2C898&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0Screenshot-2023-12-13-190228.png?fit=907%2C898&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=287550"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":287556,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287550\/revisions\/287556"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/287554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=287550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=287550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=287550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}