Supergrid Information

  Economics Glossary
Renewables
Why have an HVDC Grid? News Priorities

Diary

Against Supergrid Barriers Who opposes HVDC?

 

 

What Routes should the Grid Take?

 

There is a massive temptation to wait until the information we have is perfect, however the cost of delay outweighs the dangers of having links that are possibly imperfectly sited.

 

The importance is to ensure that power can be moved long distance so that

 

The three key variables are

Demand

We identify three sources of Dermand

Population map (thanks to CIESIN)

Supply

Supply is conventionally near demand. This is likely to change in the future. renewables have to be taken where they are found. By way of example the wind is nearly always blowing somewhere in Europe - so to ensure continuity electricity needs to me able to be moved long distances.

Rights of way

Rights of way are critical to establishing a supergrid as soon as possible. Delays over location of power lines are known to last for years.

Ideas worth consideration to avoid this are

It is worth recalling that HVDC power lines are far smaller than AC counterparts carrying similar loads.