Cyprus-Forum.com

[devil]

Please vote here but, before you do, carefully read the accompanying message and think.

[rulla]

Well thats the last thing we would want in cyprus the smallest accident and it wipe the whole of cyprus out .we have enough problems dont you think?

[Sotos]

I don't think this can be accepted by the public. You can see how people demonstrate against antenas that they believe will harm their health. Imagine what would happen if someone proposes to put a nuclear power station near their home!

[devil]

OK, points taken, but did you vote in the poll.

Let me word the question differently: because fossil fuels are running out, which would be the better option:
- have a nuclear power station that is safe and will provide electricity cheaper than the projections for fossil fuels OR
- have daily power cuts?

For a complement of info http://www.cypenv.org/Files/electricity.htm will inform you and this is strictly within the context of Cyprus.

Having read this and the text accompanying the poll linked to the first post, please vote.

[Piratis]

have daily power cuts?

Devil if today we are covered with X amount of usual power stations, why in the future we can not be covered with X+some (and better) usual power stations?

I believe that the solution is to take advantage of other clean and safe forms of energy such as solar. In Cyprus we have so much sunshine it is a pity we let it go wasted.

I believe there is a relatively new technology that is also subsidized by the government, that you can put some solar panels on your house and they are supposed not only to cover all electricity needs of your home but you can also sell the excess electricity back to AHK.

[devil]

have daily power cuts?

Devil if today we are covered with X amount of usual power stations, why in the future we can not be covered with X+some (and better) usual power stations?

I believe that the solution is to take advantage of other clean and safe forms of energy such as solar. In Cyprus we have so much sunshine it is a pity we let it go wasted.

I believe there is a relatively new technology that is also subsidized by the government, that you can put some solar panels on your house and they are supposed not only to cover all electricity needs of your home but you can also sell the excess electricity back to AHK.

Read http://www.cypenv.org/Files/electricity.htm

All the current power stations are using oil (HFO). The world is slowly running out of oil, certainly cheap oil. Most experts agree that the global peak will happen any time between 2005 and 2012, with 2008 being the consensus. After that oil supplies will diminish but demand won't, so the price will shoot up. If this coming winter is hard in N. America, the cost could easily reach $100/bbl (currently ~$65). Some analysts forecast $200/bbl by the end of this decade (this will reflect on motor fuel prices here at £1.50 - 2.00/l, assuming current exchange rates will be maintained). In addition, the EAC is short-sightedly going in for LNG for future power stations, but the price of this will also spiral in the medium term and peak will be reached by about 2020, long before any new power stations can be amortised, Furthermore, both oil and LNG cause greenhouse gases and Cyprus, as a signatory of Kyoto and an EU member, is committed to reducing these, not increasing them.

See http://www.cypenv.org/world/Files/methane.htm why I think the EAC is making a big environmental mistake in opting for LNG to replace HFO.

Solar ielectricity is VERY expensive (which is why there are subsidies, if you can get one - I gave up trying after battling with the authorities for > 2 years). Per kWh, the cost is about 6 times what you pay for electricity. Solar panels have a lifetime of 25-30 years and will never produce electricity that will pay for their cost in that time. However, there are 8,760 hours in a year, but only a tad over 2,000 hours will produce electricity in Cyprus. How are you going to generate the juice to run your TV in the evenings? In any case, solar and wind electricity is only a means of reducing fuel consumption when it can be produced; you still must have the means to generate peak demand by conventional power station for when there is neither wind nor sun. For grid stability, variable sources can never be allowed to exceed about 20% of peak demand, otherwise, you will have the country's whole grid going into a snowball effect, blacking out the whole country and taking many hours to re-establish power (this would be similar to what happened during the NY black-out, although the initial cause was different).

Quite frankly, speaking as an engineer, I foresee no other choice but nuclear, warts and all, in the medium term if we are to meet demand (increasing ~10%/year) at an acceptable price.

Please vote in the poll at http://www.bnellis.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22

[gibrizli_xxx]

i think maybe cyprus may need to consider this as an optie sooner than later, as we have a fast growing population, and high density of population and over-crowding. nuclear energie offers cheap, clean and plentiful electricity.

[Sotos]

Hong Kong, Singapore, Monaco are countries with high density of population. Cyprus is has average population density.

[Fred@Codies]

what about an offshore wind farm?

[Chrisswirl]

No, no and "no". This is the last thing Cyprus needs, although the chances of a meltdown are low, the risk is too large by far, as rulla said.