I was curious, so I did some checking.
In 2021, we added 2,645 megawatts of wind turbine capacity. (Statistica)
Best case scenario, an average on-short wind turbine can generate 2.5-3MW of power. ( (WindEurope)
I can't find accurate data for how many turbines we installed, but we can estimate in the last year we installed around 1000 wind turbines in 2021, or 2.73 a day. That was without a massive push by a government to do so. Also, in 2020, 24% of our energy came from wind turbines, and that number has obviously increased since then (ONS).
Also, the Conservatives already committed to building loads more turbines by 2030, and the right-wingers I have spoken to seem to believe that our main infrastructure should never have been privatised, so Starmer's plans aren't totally bonkers.
I do appreciate, though, that we don't have a workforce skilled in these disciplines, and our skill shortages do line up with the kinds of skills required for big engineering (Gov.uk shortage occupations tracker) - but I do also contest why are we wanting to re-invest heavily in short term energy engineering projects like fracking or re-opening coal mines (which too would be government funded), when we can expand our renewables? Surely that would be a better investment?
Maybe the people I speak to are in the minority, but I live in a decidedly blue county, and the few right-leaners who dislike Labour with a passion agree that one of the biggest mistakes we made as a country was to privatise our infrastructure. And nationalising things does tend to stabilise how much things cost, even if they don't work as efficiently.
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The MooseBlaster, Fri 30 Sep 2022, 10:33,
Reply)
Don't get me wrong. I'm absolutely against fracking and the re-opening of coal mines.
I'm also completely in support of publicly owned infrastructure. I also think that absolutely in our best interests to focus on green, renewable energy.
Starmer's ideology is sound. But he's either completely ignorant of the size of the undertaking he's proposing or (more likely) well aware that it's completely unachievable but knows it will be a big vote winner with the Social Media users come GE time.
If he wins the GE (which looks extremely likely at present), then I genuinely wish him all the best. But I don't expect him to follow through on his promises. It'll be interesting to see how Hoppity, Garold and co employ their mental gymnastics to excuse that one. Probably still going to blame the Tories, somehow.
(, Fri 30 Sep 2022, 10:45, Reply)
Look, I'm not a cheerleader for this
not paying too much attention to be honest. It's a long way to a GE and I'm gonna assume that they'll have to do some pretty solid costings because Labour won't get the free ride from the DM & Tel that the tories do. There will be fuckloads of scrutiny so I'm just gonna sit back and see how it plays out.
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garold you're on mute I SAID YOU'RE ON MUTE, Fri 30 Sep 2022, 13:29,
Reply)
somebody said otherwise
there's no disputing such impeccable sources
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cumquat may will not be commenting further on the allegations, Fri 30 Sep 2022, 13:10,
Reply)