Dreigende elektriciteitsschaarste in Engeland
On BBC Look North on friday I reported that during the recent intense cold weather, it's been our traditional coal and gas fired power stations that have been working flat out to keep our homes and businesses warm.
And for the third winter running, the intense cold has gone hand in hand with periods of little or no wind. This should come as no surprise since prolonged cold is invariably associated with areas of high pressure.
Peak demand also comes during summer heat waves - as we all turn on our air conditioning units - again usually associated with areas of high pressure, with little or no wind.
December 21st 2010 was one of the coldest days on record in Yorkshire. The bar chart gives an idea of how much electricity was being generated by which type of power facility, when temperatures were at their lowest.
