Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile
Richard J 🍞🍺

@half_tree

Retired geologist still with a curiosity about lumps of rock, especially if they came from the mantle in a kimberlite. Lived in lots of countries.

ID: 327849501

calendar_today02-07-2011 07:57:05

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Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile Photo

A very warm 2nd April in the record of Central England Temperature #CET since 1878. Maximum was warmer than >90% of years, but minimum very average. #ClimateCrisis

A very warm 2nd April in the record of Central England Temperature #CET since 1878. Maximum was warmer than >90% of years, but minimum very average. #ClimateCrisis
British Poles (@britishpoles) 's Twitter Profile Photo

#OTD in 1943, German forces discovered mass graves of Polish prisoners murdered by the Soviets. The execution of 22,000 Polish officers began in 1940. The initiative to honour the Poles murdered in Katyń faced endless political obstacles in London. Why? britishpoles.uk/the-turbulent-…

David Turver (@7kiwi) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Latest Energy Trends figures show steady increase in wind and solar capacity. But how does this compare to Ed Miliband’s CP2030 plan? A thread (1/n)

Latest Energy Trends figures show steady increase in wind and solar capacity. But how does this compare to Ed Miliband’s CP2030 plan? A thread (1/n)
Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Lamentable performance for unreliable renewable energy this evening. The grid is dependent on French and domestic nuclear, tree burning at Drax and propped up by reliable gas. Why double the system costs with parallel renewables when all the conventional backup is needed anyway?

Lamentable performance for unreliable renewable energy this evening. The grid is dependent on French  and domestic nuclear, tree burning at Drax and propped up by reliable gas. Why double the system costs with parallel renewables when all the conventional backup is needed anyway?
Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Tuesday morning was one of the coldest days in 148 years in England (although nowhere near as cold as 1914), but fortunately the sun came out and the high for the day was typical. Summer is over?

Tuesday morning was one of the coldest days in 148 years in England (although nowhere near as cold as 1914), but fortunately the sun came out and the high for the day was typical. Summer is over?
Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile Photo

As we enter autumn it is worth looking back at the "hottest summer ever" in England. The record back to 1772 shows that only one day in summer 2025 was the hottest ever recorded, most of the time temperature was typical apart from 3 brief heatwaves and a couple of hot days.

As we enter autumn it is worth looking back at the "hottest summer ever" in England. The record back to 1772 shows that only one day in summer 2025 was the hottest ever recorded, most of the time temperature was typical apart from 3 brief heatwaves and a couple of hot days.
Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile Photo

A high pressure system has brought a massive wind drought to the UK. By the time it moves on we will have had a full week where the £billions of wind farm infrastructure power the square root of sod all and the lights are only on thanks to gas.

A high pressure system has brought a massive wind drought to the UK.  By the time it moves on we will have had a full week where the £billions of wind farm infrastructure power the square root of sod all and the lights are only on thanks to gas.
Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile Photo

£250 billion of spend on renewables has yielded 15% of UK power over the last 7 days. Sun is low on the horizon with virtually no wind either. Weather-dependent unreliables are hopeless in these conditions. Thank goodness for fossil fuels to keep the lights on!

£250 billion of spend on renewables has yielded 15% of UK power over the last 7 days. Sun is low on the horizon with virtually no wind either. Weather-dependent unreliables are hopeless in these conditions. Thank goodness for fossil fuels to keep the lights on!
Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile Photo

This is no way to power a modern economy. £250 billion of heavily subsidised intermittent renewables contributed just 16% of UK power over the last week. Thanks goodness for reliable fossil fuels (55%).

This is no way to power a modern economy. £250 billion of heavily subsidised intermittent renewables contributed just 16% of UK power over the last week. Thanks goodness for reliable fossil fuels (55%).
Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile Photo

For UK renewable energy aficionados, the last week is an object lesson as to why they are hopeless. No wind, little sun, lights on only thanks to gas (and imports, nuclear and tree-burning). Batteries? Maybe, if we have £300 billion to spare.

For UK renewable energy aficionados, the last week is an object lesson as to why they are hopeless. No wind, little sun, lights on only thanks to gas (and imports, nuclear and tree-burning). Batteries? Maybe, if we have £300 billion to spare.
Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile Photo

October has proven that renewables are useless to power the UK. In the last week there has been no wind and little sun. Fossil fuels supplied 60% of UK electricity and renewables just 10%. Even with 5x renewables and a £400 bln battery the lights would still be off Ed Miliband

October has proven that renewables are useless to power the UK. In the last week there has been no wind and little sun. Fossil fuels supplied 60% of UK electricity and renewables just 10%. Even with 5x renewables and a £400 bln battery the lights would still be off <a href="/Ed_Miliband/">Ed Miliband</a>
Richard J 🍞🍺 (@half_tree) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Average heavy rain days (>10mm) per year increased from 17 to 19 over the last 50 years, but average rainfall on a heavy rain day remained the same (14mm). NO sign of floodmageddon #climatecrisis in England, anyway.

Average heavy rain days (&gt;10mm) per year increased from 17 to 19 over the last 50 years, but average rainfall on a heavy rain day remained the same (14mm). NO sign of floodmageddon #climatecrisis in England, anyway.