Interconnection, wrote Tom Lehrer, is the stuff of life.
I am writing this on board the London bound express as we thunder through "MW Valley" - that part of South Yorkshire that is dominated by coal-fired power stations built when King Coal provided the UK with most of its power. To my left the main 400kv transmission line marches south, carrying the electricity to keep the lights on in London.
Transmission has long been the ugly sister in the electric family. Renewables are sexy - even gas-fired plant can be dressed up and made to wear lipstick. But, overhead pylons are ugly things, no matter which way you look at them. For too long over-regulated and unloved, the day is coming when the UK's transmission network is given a long-awaited makeover. Ofgem has had its remit subtly tweaked by the government and told to look again at its modelling for new transmission. The drive to build large amounts of offshore wind to meet the 2020 Directive means that we need to look closely at long distance DC interconnection across the North Sea to the continent.
The need for interconnection in support of renewable power generation is not a European phenomenon - could there be a NATO for grid experts? Suddenly, transmission access is sexy again.
Welcome back, Mr Seat. You took your time, mind.
Posted by: dearieme | December 15, 2008 at 11:16 PM
...and it is good to hear from you as well. Timing is everything, as they say.
Posted by: Mr Seat | December 16, 2008 at 02:15 PM