Reduce speed limits to support Ukraine?

[SteveTheElder]

Reading the news app this morning and there’s an article in the Independent which says Sir Richard Branson has suggested cutting motorway speed limits to 60mph to save fuel - hence reducing demand for oil and in turn reduces need for Russian imports.

 

What do we think?

 

It would certainly reduce fuel consumption. By coincidence, yesterday I had a 60 mile trip, 50 of which was motorway, mostly at a smart motorway set limit of 60mph, some 50mph. At the end, the car (1.5 TSI 150, Octy 4) showed an average consumption of 71.3mpg. Considerably better than the mid-high 50s I’d get at 70ish mph.
 

Probably better for the environment too.

[Breezy_Pete]

Good idea that I don't think has any chance of happening officially.

Anyone can do it by choice though, obviously.

[Ootohere]

Sir Richard will no doubt no longer be flying guests to his island and will have cancelled any more flights into space.

 

He has maybe changed his way in the last few years. 

He will be using his private jet to fly aid to Poland hopefully. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 22 April, 2022 by roottoot

[edbostan]

I normally drive  between 50 and 60 on dual carriageways locally and the consumption gets in to the mid 50s and even higher on a run. I am old enough to remember the oil crisis in the 70s when we all drove at 50mph to save money and fuel. Today I am passed by faster drivers who hammer along without any care about the cost and I wonder how they spend the five minutes they save after reaching their destination.

Edited 22 April, 2022 by edbostan

[mac11irl]

our green paety minister for transport suggested we "slow down" "avoid 1 journey a week" among other things to cope with thw fuel crisis. 

fine suggestions in theory but as he is also a stumbling dope of a man (referred to russia as "the USSR, eh i mean Soviet Un... eheheh russia" in an interview) noone take him seriously.

 

as the dept responsible for providing public funding for public transport projects he is signing off on way more  money for me to spend in work though so i think hes great....

[Ootohere]

If people buy less fuel in the UK there will be less onto the Treasury in to the way of tax, duty and VAT to be used for sending weapons and aid to the Ukraine.    If Non Dom's and those that have their money in Offshore Tax havens contribute more to the UK treasury that will be amazing.      Cancelling the Royal Tours and the Celebrations for the Queen this year will save the consumption of  lots off oil and gas and food and drink.   

[Breezy_Pete]

18 minutes ago, roottoot said:

If Non Dom's and those that have their money in Offshore Tax havens contribute more to the UK treasury that will be amazing.      Cancelling the Royal Tours and the Celebrations for the Queen this year will save the consumption of  lots off oil and gas and food and drink.   

 

 

All together now...

 

"You may sayyy I'm a dreamer,

But I'm no the only one"...

 

😁

[Ttaskmaster]

Far as I can see, the biggest consumption of fuel is when vehicles are doing stop-start journeys, going up and down the speed ranges all the time around urban environments.

[SteveTheElder]

4 hours ago, Ttaskmaster said:

Far as I can see, the biggest consumption of fuel is when vehicles are doing stop-start journeys, going up and down the speed ranges all the time around urban environments.

 

A very good point.

 

Now, if only we had a viable and affordable public transport system 🙄 - but that’s best left for another thread!

 

As someone mentioned in another thread, a small EV for local/urban use and a half descent ICE for the longer trips. I could live with that - £££ permitting.

 

[lol-lol]

Of course EVs should still be allowed to drive at 77 mph or whatever is the old limit plus tolerance

[Breezy_Pete]

Because EVs only ever use renewably sourced electricity?? 

[Ootohere]

Pretty much so.

Somebody has to be using up what is being produced offpeak. 

 

The Nuclear in England is not coming from Russia and Scotland generates more than Scotland needs so it goes to the National Grid.

The UK's Gas would maybe be enough if it was not being exported to Ireland and Scotland has more gas & electric than it needs when Peterhead is fired up and put electric into the grid as well as gas. 

https://energylivenews.com/2022/01/31/how-did-the-uk-manage-to-double-gas-exports-amid-energy-crisis

 

Then Scotland has more electric much of the time from renewables and often has much more than needed and the National Grid do not want it for the south. 

http://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-56530424

 

Around 1/4 of Scotland electricity needs.

http://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35581272

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 22 April, 2022 by roottoot

[lol-lol]

Got my Octopus Electric Juice card arrive in the post today and it covers the following charging networks at our below and certainly Octopus and I would have thought any company that Octopus would partner with it would have to be electricity from renewable power so whether at home or on the road I will be using renewable power so the only sources I have to be concerned about is charging at my works or if I charge up at a clients chargers.

 

[Breezy_Pete]

I'm unable to help either of you with your delusions, but wish you both well.

[Ootohere]

@Pete_Ex-Wino  No help is required. 

We know how much Petrol & Diesel & LPG is in the UK and where it comes from and how it is produced and just how much electricity is used producing it.

 

The generation of electricity is not that difficult and there is plenty to be going around but the demand is not the same all hours of the days and those generating are paid not to generate it much of the day and those that import it are paid to still while there is cheaper available at that time.

 

The cost being paid by customers is lots to do with cleaning up from what was generated many many decades back and for Green Projects far into the future. 

 

The percentage of Electricity which comes from renewables does vary around the British Isles but there is lots of electricity not produced from Oil, Gas, Coal Or Wood Pellets or anything else that requires the heating of water to produce steam. 

 

There is so much kidology going on with renewables.

 

 

 

[Breezy_Pete]

Simple fact is, half or more of UK leccy is made by burning fossil fuels, For everyone like you or lol who claims that you're only using from the 'nice' half, someone must be using 100% 'naughty'.

Imagine everyone in the UK simultaneously flipping a coin and calling 'heads'. Will they all be right?

[Ootohere]

So Half or more.    Pick a figure any figure.   

100% of Road Fuels requires Electricity to produce it and much of that now comes from renewables. But the product all comes from under the ground and then gets transported to be made into road fuels, then after it becomes the product. 

 

 Use your figures, use your head and open your eyes. 

  http://gridwatch.co.uk

 

England does have lots of people and homes and businesses and requirement for electricity and the need to buy it in from other countries. 

 

England will get it's new Nuclear Plants eventually and more offshore wind because obviously looking at Wind Turbines onland is only for those in the top 1/3 of the UK and plebs

southerners should not have them imposed on them. . 

 

 

 

Edited 23 April, 2022 by roottoot

[lol-lol]

10 hours ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

I'm unable to help either of you with your delusions, but wish you both well.

 

I would utterly taken aback if any of the EV charge companies listed about use anything but certified 100% renewable energy as do Octopus for their home or business electricity supply and that includes:-

• Ionity, which is part owned by the marques of cars you have ie VW and Skoda, I recall, is certified 100% renewable energy.
• Even Shell, that super big mega profit making from its oil goods, they also certify that the electricity on their Re-charge network is 100% certified renewable according to its website and would expect the same is true for all Octopus electric juice partners.  

With IONIC I get 5% discount off the price of the energy and it is then put on to my subsequent household energy bill.  That is a better percentage than the Allstar fuel card I have which buys the fuel at a few pence less than the retail price shown at the pumps but the bigger saving to me is that I only pay 20% of the cost of fuel as a Benefit in Kind so fuel is only about 35p a litre to me bought.   I tried to get a company fuel/electricity card but could not wangle it but still use the EV when I can due to wanting to pollute less and at my Heathrow office the charge is completely free to me which is the best sourcing of "fuel" to do those road miles and then still claim the 45p tax relief of course as I get no mileage claim provision just the fuel card and car allowance.  

 

My colleagues are "fuming", pun intended, as the 45p a mile HM Treasury allowance is now nowhere near covering their motoring  costs in the Cost of Living crisis.  Nice to be both green and very cost efficient currently !     

[Breezy_Pete]

You guys can greenwash til you're blue in the face but there's a finite proportion of electricity that's renewable and a far higher proportion of the population claiming they use it and only it.

And now I'm out. 

[lol-lol]

1 hour ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

You guys can greenwash til you're blue in the face but there's a finite proportion of electricity that's renewable and a far higher proportion of the population claiming they use it and only it.

And now I'm out. 

 

100% certified by Ofgem is just that.

 

Drive an EV and use renewable lecky at home to stop sending over one billion Euros a day that buying fuel and natural gas is currently doing.  

Slowing down in ones fossil fuel car only slows the cash to Russia and slowing down has been more than wiped out by the recent rise in crude oil and natural gas price rise.  Think I heard the number of nearly 10 billion Euros extra Russia is getting with the value rises in April alone !!

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russia-expects-earn-96-bln-more-april-due-high-oil-prices-2022-04-05/ 

 

[Ootohere]

@Pete_Ex-Wino  If a Nuclear Power Station in Scotland produces 1/4 of Scotlands needs and the Renewables can produce over 90% of Scotlands needs and then there is still some produced from Gas there is a lot of generated electricity and more than needed to exporting and sometimes importing.

 

The difference with the UK is there are 4 Nations and one of them like Scotland has under 8% of the total population.  England is not the UK just a very populated part of it that needs resources from other parts.

Greenwashing is certainly an issue, but so is those that choose to not open their minds and look at facts or factoids.

 

England will get it's Green Hydrogen because the son of the owner of JCB will get all the support needed from the Conservative Government.

Scotland will just have to get on with getting it quicker because electricity is easily produced when the infrastructure is there rather than being talked about and planning refused & maybe in a decade might be up and running.

 

Jo Bamford.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 23 April, 2022 by roottoot

[PetrolDave]

4 hours ago, lol-lol said:

I would utterly taken aback if any of the EV charge companies listed about use anything but certified 100% renewable energy

The only way any consumer can use 100% certified renewable energy is if they are connected to a (non existent) parallel version of the National Grid.

 

I have no doubt they PAY for 100% renewable energy to be placed ONTO the National Grid, but that is not the same as USING 100% renewable energy.

 

The electrons don't know who paid for them to be placed onto the grid, they just take the path of least resistance meaning whatever you pay for is unrelated to what you use and is determined by the combination of network path resistance and generating sites closest to you able to meet the demand.

 

Anyone who says they USE 100% renewable energy because they PAY for 100% renewable energy simply does not understand how the flow of electricity works, and if the make public declarations that they use 100% renewable energy then they are guilty of false advertising.

[J.R.]

I have no doubt that they pay for a certificate that says the energy they sell is 100% green and renewable.

 

Nice work if you can get it, you trade electrons (green or not so green) and don't actually have to produce anything except marketing  BS and certifications lapped up by a seemingly endless supply of willing naive virtue signalling customers.

[Ootohere]

@PetrolDaveVery true.  They can just know how those they pay generate and source the electricity they produce and put onto the National Grid and then in some places around the UK does not have any use going to the grid because the transmission is far too expensive or there is no interconnectors. 

 

[Gerrycan]

15 hours ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

I'm unable to help either of you with your delusions, but wish you both well.

 

You are on fire today Pete