Not so smart meter

[Keith Tindell]

There is a shortage of labour world wide, according to what i am reading on the internet, you have a shortage of labour in Australia, with nearly 500,000 jobs unfilled. Most of these jobs world wide is in the lower paid jobs, where for years workers have been exploited. I agree with Louis, we could use tidal power, we have some of the strongest tides in Uk and they are constant. A tidal generator in my area between the Island and Hurst castle would work. The main draw back i would think is the constant cleaning of filters from floating seaweed and rubbish.

[happy daze john in oz]

Trials off the coast of Scotland have I am informed showed good results

[Colin McClelland]

Thats a hydro/electric barge anchored in the Pentland firth , With a constant 6 Knot current flowing through the turbine you
have constant electricity , unlike the wind turbines which stop start as the wind blows.
As an island which is surrounded by tides and currents why has this not been exploited more.

[happy daze john in oz]

Read a recent report regarding off shore wind turbines.
It shows that just as is the case with ships at sea salt corrosion is effecting the blades, the supports and to some extent even the turbines.
According to the report the blades require replacement at almost twice the rate of those ashore.
Salt build up can, and does in some instances, put the blades out of balance.
If this is correct then why place them in such a position, and with replacement costs how will they provide cheaper power?

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Well I must be the only one without a Gas meter, the last meter I remember was the shilling power meter in the house where I was born, Put a shilling in, then if short take a shilling out with a knife. We have reasonable power charges down here with very high power as we are only one street away from the Snowy Hydro power distribution point, obviously we have power meters but our bills are not too bad.
Des

[j.sabourn]

Some families looked on those meters as their own piggy banks Des , there were all sorts of devious means of retrieving the money when families were short, especially when the wage earner was out of work usually wintertime due to weather. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Living in bed sit land for some time I had a gas meter in the room.
There was no lock on it so the same 2 shilling piece did a lot of extra work.