Hardly any mention about tidal electricity generation in recent energy strategy

Compared with wind and solar, tidal has the advantage of being predictable. In Guernsey we are blessed with the third-highest tidal rise and fall in the world.

A large source of energy there but like the others its output is variable.

To make electricity available to meet the daily ebb and flow of human demand requires a means of smoothing out the ebb and flow of the electricity from renewable sources.

Generally that is achieved by using storage batteries. They are expensive and of limited life. Prominent among these are lithium ion batteries while others are in process of development. Options A to F made little mention of this essential component.

Sadly, known reserves of lithium in the Earth’s crust are not great and are being consumed hungrily at an alarming rate in the manufacture of rechargeable devices of all kinds. The increasing scarcity of lithium will lead to its increasing cost.

Just as a matter of interest there is a cheaper way of storing energy. It uses two water reservoirs, one high up the other low down. Surplus electrical energy is used to pump water from the lower to the higher providing a head of water to power a turbine-driven generator when demand for electricity is high. Discharge water from the turbine refills the lower reservoir. It is very efficient.

To encourage the investment of capital into the installation of PV panels on commercial and private properties Guernsey Electricity pays a buy-back rate for any solar generated electricity not consumed at the property and fed back into the grid. The buy-back rate is £0.099/kWh. In May 2012 the normal rate for electricity consumed was £0.16157/kWh. Now in 2023 the normal rate is £0.2201/kWh. An increase of 37.5%. The buy-back rate is as it was in 2012.

Richard Wheadon

L’Enclos Gallienne

Rue du Court Laurent

Torteval

GY8 0LH