Come along to CND’s first major conference after the general election on Saturday 17th June. Hear the facts about nuclear power and renewable energy from a brilliant range of experts. They will explore a number of topics including what’s wrong with nuclear power, the politics of nuclear power, energy demand & energy efficiency, and the scope of renewables in the UK.
CND (accesed) 2nd June 2017 read more »
It still may require a slight touch on Douglas Adams’ improbability drive to imagine that a Labour Government could emerge from this general election, but let us assume that it happens and we can talk about what this might mean for green energy prospects. Basing my analysis solely on what Labour’s manifesto says, perhaps two words sum it all up: benign confusion. But within that, there’s no way around it. Labour are pledging to achieve a massive target for renewable energy. The manifesto says, in a sort of summary ‘We will transform our energy systems, investing in new, state of the art low carbon gas and renewable electricity production’. That’s not too bad, and there is even the implication that ‘low carbon gas’ could be biogas from grass, suggested by Ecotricity, Jo Abess and Keith Barnham (now what a coalition that is!). Fracking gas is to be banned. Jolly good, Makes a change from the Conservatives who to want to make compulsory for local authorities to accept planning applications for exploratory drilling. Perhaps the biggest piece of confusion generated by the manifesto is the statement that a Labour Government would ‘ensure that 60 per cent of the UK’s energy comes from zero-carbon or renewable sources by 2030’, not least because, as all energy nerds of whatever prejudice will tell you, there is no such thing as a zero carbon energy source. Now, yes you can have rules about zero carbon homes (about which Labour will ‘consult’) since low energy usage can be balanced by energy production from, say, solar panels, but zero carbon energy source itself? No, not really – low carbon is the term to use, please. Some have suggested that the ’60 per cent of the UK’s energy’ ‘by 2030’ pledge is itself a mistake, and that they really meant ‘electricity’ rather than ‘energy’, but of course that’s not what the manifesto says. 60 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2030 is a much less radical target, although this in itself is similar to the Liberal Democrat pledge and much better than the Conservatives.
Dave Toke’s Blog 1st June 2017 read more »
Ed Davey: May’s lack of leadership on [climate change] is appalling, but perhaps not all that surprising. One of her first acts as prime minister was to abolish the Department of Energy and Climate Change. She’s sold off the Green Investment Bank that we established in coalition, and is now calling for a fracking “revolution”. Nick Timothy, her chief of staff and righthand man, wrongly called the Climate Change Act a “monstrous act of self-harm”. No wonder her policy on climate change is so weak. With Donald Trump in the White House, British leadership on the world stage is more important than ever. We should be working with our European allies, not turning them into opponents. We should be redoubling our own efforts to combat climate change, not watering them down. And we should be speaking out loud and clear against Trump’s irresponsibility. If this election is about leadership, it’s clear yet again that Theresa May has been found wanting.
Guardian 1st June 2017 read more »