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**Chris** · 03-01-2016, 20:30

Old Boy, News discussing the power demands of the UK's internet infrastructure is here:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/sc...-10222638.html

I'm pretty sure that's the same link that was previously contributed to this thread.

Ignore the slightly hysterical tone of the piece and concentrate on the one, cold, hard, unavoidable fact: At its current rate of expansion, the UK part of the Internet would soak up the entire national electricity generating capacity (as at 2015), within 20 years from now. Say what you like about how quickly ISPs can lay fibre; lack of electricity generating capacity is a far harder nut to crack. It is simply inconceivable that enough extra generating capacity could be brought on stream to power the size of Internet needed to support your vision of a 100% streamed on-demand news and entertainment system. By the time the new Hinkley Point nuclear power station comes on stream, for example, it will have taken at least 15 years from the time the project was first approved, to the first few megawatts being sent to the Grid. Other, smaller, conventional plants could be brought on stream more quickly, but enough to generate the 70 Terawatt-Hours per annum that the Internet is projected to require by 2035, at current rates of expansion? Absolutely no chance whatsoever.

Even if everyone wanted to consume their news and entertainment from a variety of on-demand, streamed platforms, it is simply not possible for that to be achieved within 20 years. The economics don't add up. The practicalities don't add up. It-will-not-happen.

03-01-2016, 20:30	#515
Chris Trollsplatter Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: North of Watford Services: Humane elimination of all common Internet pests Posts: 38,134	Re: The future for linear TV channels Old Boy, News discussing the power demands of the UK's internet infrastructure is here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/sc...-10222638.html I'm pretty sure that's the same link that was previously contributed to this thread. Ignore the slightly hysterical tone of the piece and concentrate on the one, cold, hard, unavoidable fact: At its current rate of expansion, the UK part of the Internet would soak up the entire national electricity generating capacity (as at 2015), within 20 years from now. Say what you like about how quickly ISPs can lay fibre; lack of electricity generating capacity is a far harder nut to crack. It is simply inconceivable that enough extra generating capacity could be brought on stream to power the size of Internet needed to support your vision of a 100% streamed on-demand news and entertainment system. By the time the new Hinkley Point nuclear power station comes on stream, for example, it will have taken at least 15 years from the time the project was first approved, to the first few megawatts being sent to the Grid. Other, smaller, conventional plants could be brought on stream more quickly, but enough to generate the 70 Terawatt-Hours per annum that the Internet is projected to require by 2035, at current rates of expansion? Absolutely no chance whatsoever. Even if everyone wanted to consume their news and entertainment from a variety of on-demand, streamed platforms, it is simply not possible for that to be achieved within 20 years. The economics don't add up. The practicalities don't add up. It-will-not-happen.