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The Daily PollTHE EU IS planning to label energy from nuclear power and natural gas as “green” sources for investors if member states give their approval.
However, the proposal has been criticised by some member states, who called it a mistake.
At least five Irish MEPs are planning to oppose the proposal, with some saying the label risks “delaying climate action at the rate that is required”, while others called the proposal “greenwashing” that will allow the continued widespread use of fossil fuels and nuclear.
So today, we’re asking: Do you buy your energy from “green” sources?
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How do you define Green Sources…. all the different power plants produce electricity differently….eg oil ..gas …turf …wind..then it enters the grid…so how do you know
@In the paper: Your energy supplier will tell you, I’m with energia and they are 100% renewable by all accounts.
@Alan Biddulph: for electricity they are, not for gas, no supplier can do renewable gas
@Alan Biddulph: Really….so they have power plants all over Ireland just for the Energia customers
@In the paper: Is that a question, statement or a whinge?
@Alan Biddulph: 100% renewable? marketing BS, I hope you have a generator, you will need it next week when the wind takes a break.
@John Kennedy: that’s not true. If a supplier can prove they generate more electricity than they sell direct then they are certified green.
Wind energy doesn’t stop in all place simultaneously and there’s a correlation between high energy consumption and bad weather.
@James Garfield: High pressure conditions usually bring the most energy demanding weather types: Cold in winter and Heat in summer. Think about it.
@Alan Biddulph: You are the one making the statement…which I think you are having a problem with
@Alan Biddulph: I have electricity supplied by Bord gas at the moment..my next door neighbour has your crowd..yet the supply cables run between our houses and split in each house..so am I getting green electricity
@In the paper: Energia pay the wind farm operators for so many kwh of electricity. Then the consumer pays Energia.
@Alan Biddulph: So no electricity from power plants then, exclusively from wind turbines must be very awkward for you at times when the wind is not blowing.
@Alan Biddulph: I actually understand his point. We have various ways of generating electricity from wing to oil to hydro and so on. But it all feeds into one grid, and all consumers take it from that one grid. You may be paying energia for a renewable source, but the electricity being used in your house be be generated in a coal fired station. I know that’s an over simplyfied way of looking at it but would like to know how it is actually worked out.
@Alan Biddulph: I’m afraid it’s all BS Alan, how this works is that for every MWh produced by a green source, wind, hydro etc, a green certificate is created with it, this is a certificate with a unique number so it can’t be traded more than once. So, your electricity company is buying the the energy from the grid and selling it to you, but they are also buying green certificates to match and cancelling the certs once the electricity is sold. Now, where are they getting all the certs from? A lot are coming from places like Norway as they produce way more renewable energy and associated green certs than they can use, so the green energy you are being sold was generated in Norway by Jurgan and used in Sweden by Sven but you got the green cert for it.
@John Kennedy: all electrons in the grid are from all sources but the 100% renewable companies are providing clean electricity from their plants, enough to compensate for their customer’s demands. So that’s how they claim it.
@john smith iv: that’s not true John
I buy from whoever is most affordable.
@Ed: SSE Airtricity are one of the most expensive, put their prices up recently, cause the price of wind went up along side the price of gas. Chancers.
@Ed: exactly this. Would love to be able to be choosey but I can’t afford to care where it comes from. Get the best deal, that’s it.
@LaoisWeather: air is a gas as well didn’t you know ha every thing is gouge now in this country .
Surely, the ONLY valid answer on that poll is “I’d like to but I can’t”
No one on this island can pick where they purchase their electricity supply from. We can only select which company bills us. Even if you are with one of the wind powered companies, your supply is the same as next door who pays someone who manages peat and coal burning power stations.
@Reuben Gray: my answer exactly
@Reuben Gray: Its not hard to understand – the key thing is which electricity generator your money goes to.
if you pay a green supplier – they will generate that amount of electricity for you – and you take that amount of energy from the shared pot.
If you pay for oil generated electricity – then the amount you use will be pushed into the system and you pay for it.
Yes both mix in the wires – but that doesn’t matter – electricity is the same once generated – but who you give your cash to is what matters.
@Anthony Clark: that’s not how it works Anthony
@Ronan: Well how does it work? If 23% of people pay for renewable electricity, their suppliers buy from wholesale sources and there’s at least 23% renewable sources in the grid, then that’s exactly how it works. Here’s an indication of the split of different sources in the Irish electricity network: http://smartgriddashboard.eirgrid.com/#all
I use green diesel in the tractor to draw the turf. Does that count ?
No but I have a few solar panels, hoping to put a few more in this year. By the way the only way to ensure you are using “green” electricity is to generate it yourself. Electrons don’t magically make their way to your meter from a wind turbine instead of a coal plant just because you gave your MPRN to some self-proclaimed green supplier.
Green is such a good colour for describing nuclear energy, remind me of the Simpson or even that BBC TV show chernoblyl.
@Sean Bradley: just to clear up any confusion, energy produced form nuclear does not emit any Co2.
@David Spiteri: oh I know and only take 1000 to 10000 years to be dispose of compared to Co2 which never leaves the atmosphere. I know that nuclear energy is the safer and more environmental friendly option.
@Sean Bradley: Errr I don’t want to split hairs but uranium 235 has a half life of 700 million years.
@C: The longer the half life the lower the radioactive output.
@C: more like don’t want to split atoms!!!
Total nonsense virtue signalling. China have 42 coal burning power stations either in build or at planning stage all of which would dwarf Moneypoint. Sure go ahead & wash your tins before you put them in the green bin if it makes you feel good but don’t believe any of your actions will make a blind bit of difference.
@Ronan Castled: Yes but don’t forget they are also producing more renewable sources of energy than the rest of the world combined. A global transition won’t happen overnight and it doesn’t mean that everything newly produced is going to be green from the get go, just that year after year there will be less of these coal power stations etc.
Today’s poll? I can’t believe this beat out what’s your favourite colour, at least that made sense!
I’m looking forward to a Nuclear Only Green Tarrif.
Think about 1% of all electricity used in Ireland is now Nuclear generated.
My main energy providers are the ESB and Bord Gais. These are publicly owned utilities, and they ought to be Ireland’s only providers of domestic energy.
@Dick Barrett: ought to be?? You would rather a monopoly LOL? Bord gais is privately owned.
I buy where it’s cheapest. Bad enough that you have to make a new contract every year just to save a few € vs standard rates even with same supplier
What a silly survey. It’s not possible to buy ones power 100% renewable here in Ireland.
I buy mine 100% renewable (for 50% of the time). The other 50% like for the rest of us comes from fossil fuels or imported nuclear from the UK or can even be flown in to Dublin airport from Latvia in a complete scam called Carbon trading.
Will our useless politicians stop mollocking about having us robbed by the subsidy harvesters. The more we have of this wonder, the higher the cost of our electricity gets, now being the highest in the EU.
Just when is the Nuclear penny going to drop? Quite soon I think. Carnsore campers are starting to wet their nickers.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-21/new-reactor-spotlights-china-s-push-to-lead-way-in-nuclear-power
No I buy it from Energia
Airtricity here, but if their prices go up any more I’d switch.
Energia buy sufficient Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin to cover all kw’s manufactured in their network. On paper they’re 100% renewable as they buy other companies renewable energy credits in effect, but in truth your energy is likely from gas etc. too.
have your say