Drax PowerStation

[BigSi]

Has anybody else read the letter from Jonathan Shaw – MP for Chatham & Aylesford, in this months ‘4X4 Magazine’.

I must admit, he does make some very valid points…….NOT!!!!!

Was reading the paper yesterday, and the Drax PowerStation (sounds like something from a Bond film), in Britain, pump’s out a car’s weight in carbon dioxide every second!

Just seems a little futile in how charging Joe Smith (who recycles his rubbish, and is energy efficient in the home), extra tax just to drive his 4x4, will help the CO2 levels. Where does the extra money go, is it going to help the likes of Drax PowerStation to reduce its CO2?  :(mad):  :(scared):  :(bigshock):  :(blackeye):

[Terranosaurus]

Haven't read the article but just to point out some bits that i'm sure will have been missed, they always are.

Drax is one of the largest coal fire power stations in Europe and is also one of the most efficient, it produces a good percentage of the UKs electricity and is one of only a handful of uk power stations fitted with scrubbers to remove SO2 from the exhaust to reduce acid rain (everyones forgotten about that one now though).

It's not Drax that is at fault it's us the consumers that are causing the problem, be it cars or electrical devices.

[BigSi]

Didn't know that, good point thou.

[S188]

I'd be wary of some statistics places like drax can create.  Ive visited there once but can't now rememeber how many seperate genorators it has, might have been six.  Coal is fed to drax by train which brings on the wonderful statistic that all 6 fernaces can chomp through an entire train load of coal in under 45 minutes! (thats a lot of coal!)

Of course it doesn't though, a train load would last more than double that time, (ok thats still alot but its a hell of a lot less! (<1/2 the polution)) why? It never runs flat out.  At least 1 gen set at any one given time is closed for service and is not comissionable, add short term maintinance work to that and it will most likely only have 4 of the 6 usable at any one time and the curent demand will probubly demand less than that 66% the site is caperble of giving at any one time to be used, but that doesn't sound so good for shocking statistics (brought to you boubtless by the people who invented the untruth that a vehicle with both axles powered will singlehandedly destroy the earth, even when parked).

Simple thing, large machines (drax) are more eficent than smaller ones so its actully quite good, only visable when its output is devided by the number of users.  Its not renewable energy granted but then that simply can't meet current demands at present so its one of the best options we have.  To get rid of such places there are 3 options not avalable, these are simple...

1) Superpowerful green energy, being worked on but not there yet. (your toaster uses totaly green energy so who cares how much it uses)
2) More efficent devices that use the power, also being worked on but the improvements over existing machinery are often small and countered by incresing popularity of a given technology.  (your new toster uses less engergy to use than the old one over its life cycle)
3) Give up warm bread (thought not! no one will make such a sacrefice as giving up a technology so its down to option 1 or 2, though taxing can encorage this option)

[bigfatsi]

Funny how 'they' like to tell us how wonderful some of these electric cars are and how they're saving us all, but never mention that the power for those who 'plug in' comes from places like Drax. It's like their dirty little secret. Bit like the Sudbury Nickel mine and the Prius. Nevermind, I love dirty little secrets  

Simon.

[Evilgoat]

Auz have their own version of Drax in Victoria Spring called Hazelwood, same story as Drax. one of the largest power plants in the world and routinely bashed for the wrong reasons. Although it used to be a pretty orrible site.

[BigSi]

Never believe all you read in the paper!!!   :oops:  :oops:

[Eeyore]

Don't be hard on yourself, it happens!  

Yes, Drax produces a humungous amount of CO2 (the governments new Public Enemy No1) but think how many homes and businesses it provides for. It only produces the electicity thats demanded of it, too.   Divide the amount of people it serves (who demand the power) by its CO2 output, and suddenly it all makes sense.  

In some repsects the arguement is valid, it's all down to the spin you wish to put on it! Ain't journalism fun?  

Cheers
 8)
Eeyore

[diggerdog36]

And, the power we dont use is sold to the french and 'pumped' accross the channel!!!

Bet you didnt know that!!!

[muddysteve]

And, the power we dont use is sold to the french and 'pumped' accross the channel!!!

Bet you didnt know that!!!

once upon a time we did  :roll:

now you'll find its a oneway street to the UK, we just cant produce enough as inexpensivley (nuclear) as the french.