Recent news that China has secretly included a cut-off system in their exported Solar Panels is worrying to say the least.
They apparently have the ability to close down most of the world's major solar farms at the click of a switch. How on earth did we allow this to happen?
The success of the Chinese economy is based on The West's greater earnings and spending-power. We send our money over to China, whilst our own industries go to the wall. People are now even buying CHINESE CARS for heaven's sake!
This new possible problem with solar panels (which could bring us and other Western countries to our knees) is all of our own making. Why are we not producing our own panels? Potential UK manufacturers are being priced out of manufacturing, whilst China keeps production prices down and swamps international markets. Who are the fools?
I am always very conscious of where things are made, and sadly we cannot escape 'everything' that comes from China. Perhaps ALL British made products should exhibit a small Union Flag telling us as much.
The world is blindly walking towards 'renewable energy', and Net-Zero, as if it's the Saviour of the Planet, but may I suggest that we continue to exploit 'fossil fuels' as well. If the Chinese block all our solar power, at least we'd still have oil, hydro, natural gas, and maybe even some coal (although finding anyone to dig it out would be a problem).
I recently looked on Wiki to discover who makes those huge windmills we now see everywhere. Well, it'll come as no surprise that the majority of them are made in China. If they control both our solar and our wind production of electricity; we really could end-up in the 'ess aitch eye tea'.
Who would have imagined that 'Eco solar and wind power' could hide such sinister secrets?
There are many problems to be faced. The one that springs to mind is where are we going to get the power from to manufacture things.
ReplyDeleteAt the UK's heyday of manufacturing it came from Coal; but we all know what happened there!
DeleteCoal...wonderful cheap stuff and it's where the Chinese get the bulk of their power from.
DeleteDon't forget to take the canary when going down the coal mine.
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Of course. I don't think we'll ever recover from that destructive strike.
DeleteCanaries? You'll have to find a miner first, to take them down!
DeleteSome of the Siemens wind turbines are made in Hull. When I lived there they brought one across the Humber Bridge and laid it across Victoria Square. Absolutely huge. They did it in the night when there was no one around.I have a photo of me standing next to it.
ReplyDeleteYes, a few are made in the UK, but not many.
DeletePerhaps ALL British made products should exhibit a small Union Flag telling us as much.
ReplyDeleteThey used to say Made in Britain / Made in England.... but tend not to now for some strange reason.....
As you will know, everything here in France that is made in France is labelled clearly as such....
And rightly so. When in France I want to buy French, and when in England I want to buy English. I prefer to support my own economy in both countries.
DeleteThe whole future of renewable energy seems to be frought with danger and uncertainty. Whose idea was it anyway?
ReplyDeleteI am still awaiting installation of solar panels (due to be installed last January!). No idea where they are made, but not difficult to guess, though I'd prefer to buy European. I think I'll just keep collecting candles and bits of wood - just in case!
Here in our UK urban home, we are obliged to use Gas and Electricity. In France we use wood as much as possible, for cooking, heating, BBQ, etc. we do have bottled gas and electricity as well, but to try to limit its use.
DeleteI have a pellet stove, which gives out a tremendous amount of heat, though gas central heating is my main heat and water heating source. There is also an "estufa" - a portable heater with a 90 kilo gas bottle - when empty it can be replaced at petrol stations. Apart from that it's all electric, which includes heat/cool air conditioning units. Most will be no use if the power goes down again, as it did recently!
DeleteIn Yorkshire, our wind turbines are made in Hull under the "Siemens" banner. "Siemens" is a German company. The Chinese make excellent takeaways. You can't beat a nice chicken chowmein with egg fried rice and mixed vegetables.
ReplyDeleteI hope your Chow Mein is UK made, and not imported from China.
DeleteYes, I know that some turbines are made here, but by far the majority come from China.
The naivety of successive UK governments in relation to China is unbelievable. China is an autocratic, communist country, with only a single aim - world domination - by whatever means it has available. We have seen this through decades of intellectual property theft, and ruthless exploitation of unfair trade practices. Trump at least had the sense to try to tackle China, unlike the fawning of UK over many years. And let's not ignore the monstrosity of a new Chinese embassy proposed for the heart of London, no doubt Khan will be handsomely rewarded for waving this spy centre through planning.
ReplyDeleteYou are 100% correct, and this ridiculous new embassy business is CRAZY! What ARE they thinking!!!
DeleteOh but it's cheap...let's just ignore the scary stuff...
ReplyDeleteIt's only cheap until they have you hooked; if it was ever cheap in the first place.
DeleteGreece is full of solar panel farms, wind turbines and a few wind mills too. The Cyclades are full of them. Lots of wind and sun. Probably all Chinese. They're already running our big porrts
ReplyDeleteThey have colonised Africa, and they're now doing the same to the rest of the world. Their 'master plan' is working very well.
DeleteCro, talking of "master plan": My father once warned me about "the yellow danger". (This was before political correctness was an issue). I was very young at the time and looked at him in wonderment. The yellow danger? Yellow being my favourite colour.
DeleteOne thing that, now, makes me wonder is the correlation of landmass of a country (obviously, Russia and China spring to mind - and, yes, within Europe Germany and France) and the economic power they wield.
In principle there is nothing wrong with buying Chinese; after all, people in the West want cheap. Heaven forbid. Not in my backyard. I swear by German technology. To me Made in Germany instills confidence. I'll pay for the privilege. Which is why it's rather ridiculous that all my life I have driven French cars. Citroen. Their chassis will rust. But what the hell ...
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We used to call it the 'Yellow Peril'.
DeleteI've owned French cars since I moved to France; other than one Rover whilst I was temporarily back in the UK.
China dominates in manufacturing. Back in the early 80's, US manufacturing started moving abroad (China, India, Vietnam,...) and now there is an effort to bring it back.
ReplyDeleteThe tariff turmoil brings another complication. Plus, by moving manufacturing overseas, the US more-or-less lost generations of people with manufacturing skills. Currently, the Trades are in short supply.
Apple, which is one of the world's biggest Co's, now has over 90% of its products made in China.
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