PowerSwitch

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 33129.html

A giant European network of electricity interconnectors is solution to high energy prices, says climate change minister

Underground interconnectors. You couldn't make it up.

Actually, those might help rather a lot with things like big renewables,, and the tech is already tried. It's a question of whether you believe in a fast crash (in which case it'll either never happen, or prove to be a white elephant, depending on timing), or a slow crash, in which case (bits of) it will happen and those bits might help with overall grid reliability.

Put it this way: it's far from being the daftest thing Ed's ever said...

Someone had the smart idea that the HVDC interconnectors should be in canals. The trench has already been dug, the cable will be water-cooled, out of sight and easily accessible for maintenance.

I don't suppose it will happen.