I cant support the building of ever more gas burning plant, the gas is in short supply and is imported from or via unstable places.

The answer is more wind and more solar generating capacity, a bit more hydroelectric and more storage. A large new pumped storage scheme is proposed in Scotland, at Coire Glas. We will still need some natural gas capacity for the foreseeable future, but the aim should be to reduce this and not to expand it.

I think we should utilise tidal energy production.

I agree. Tidal power is not the complete answer as it is inherently variable, it could however play a significant part. Tidal power plants situated in different locations, COULD in total meet a large proportion of the UK demand as tide times differ in different locations.

It is in fact possible to generate tidal power 24/7 at any one location, but this adds considerable cost and complexity and therefore seldom finds favour.

A large tidal power plant has frequently been proposed in the Severn estuary, near me. I think that the NIMBYs won, with the great increase in natural gas prices, the idea should be re-visited.

broadgage said:

The answer is more wind and more solar generating capacity, a bit more hydroelectric and more storage.

I think more solar and more electric on a small scale. I have the advantage of living on the south coast and that means that I could probably generate, and store on a short cycle (over-night), sufficient electricity for 10 months of the year. In the event of a power cut, I might survive for several hours by keeping to essentials.

I can see that if the majority of a neighbourhood (i.e. supplied by one transformer) has solar and battery storage, everybody could survive for a few hours.

Unfortunately, this may be less helpful for a N-S oriented terrace in the north.

broadgage said:

The answer is more wind and more solar generating capacity, a bit more hydroelectric and more storage.

I think more solar and more electric on a small scale. I have the advantage of living on the south coast and that means that I could probably generate, and store on a short cycle (over-night), sufficient electricity for 10 months of the year. In the event of a power cut, I might survive for several hours by keeping to essentials.

I can see that if the majority of a neighbourhood (i.e. supplied by one transformer) has solar and battery storage, everybody could survive for a few hours.

Unfortunately, this may be less helpful for a N-S oriented terrace in the north.

More network connected battery storage is needed, this could be done over night by signing a deal with Tesla to allow their vehicle to do C2G Car2Grid.  Tesla would then need to have the discussion with its customers.  The trick is in getting all the vehicles to discharge unto the network at the correct time and in the correct phase and sequence.  This may require a newer version of a SMART meter.  If this proves successful then it could be made law that all EV made or sold in the UK must have this capability.

Other long term options are to store energy by other means like build a water reservoir at altitude that could be opened up via a turbine when power was required