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The UK was promised a bold and far-sighted energy plan. But we were sold dud | Jim Watson

Tit’s disturbing times. As scientists warn of the dangers we face due to the continued burning of fossil fuels, the energy crisis triggered Russian invasion of Ukraine. This is unprecedented double the threat clearly requires an urgent response, which government supplied last week in the form of its energy security strategy. And that includes some eyes-catching headlines, especially on extension of nuclear power.

But does it deliver what says on tin?

The answer is simple. It fails. In the heart of most definitions of energy security is reliability of reserves for households and businesses. This is usually accompanied by an accent on availability. Is not good if energy is available price too high for businesses to function or households to keep warm.

new strategy does very little to deal with with immediate consequences of high prices for fossil fuels. While government It has announced some help for households via loans and council tax cuts, it’s just not enough. Energy price cover has already rose to almost £2,000 a year. year and further rise should in autumn. It’s coming on upper of Wider cost of life crisis and high levels of inflation.

Till more money to help people need to pay their bills, this must be accompanied by actions to prevent these acute consequences in future. It means to do homes more efficient and moving away from fossil fuels for heating. Almost a decade has passed since an effective policy for home energy efficiency have been abolished and replaced with new approaches such as the Green Deal, which failed effectively. As a result sustainable improvements in efficiency and financial payments to households have practically ceased. BUT new program of home upgrades are urgently needed. It’s not only reduce our addiction on gas, but also reduce bills and carbon emissions.

Judging by many headlines, nuclear power is the “central element” of in strategy. governments plans ambitious, but delivery will be difficult. New nuclear power plants will not have an impact for many years. Treasury’s fingerprints are visible in careful warnings in in strategy, including insisting that new projects are cost dependent for money and appropriate permits. This reflects the long history of rising costs in the nuclear industry and financial risks to which consumers or taxpayers will be exposed.

British nuclear power programs were the subject of many false dawns. In 1979 the energy minister David Howell announced program of 10 nuclear reactors over in next decade. Only one the reactor was built in Sizewell in Suffolk. In 2010 coalition government another program with eight reactors has been agreed. That new the program has also produced only one Plant: Hinckley S in Somerset, which is associated with start operating in 2026. Until the nuclear bomb reduce emissions and improve some aspects of energy security, new plans will be realized only if the industry can bring down expenses.

real a heart of in strategy heightened ambitions for offshore wind power, which should at least quadruple by 2030. This is real British success story from which politicians should learn lessons. Initially very expensive, it was maintained series of policies of successive governments, and this led to the costs down sharp. Moving on with increased target does a lot of meaning. But this will require more investments in electricity network infrastructure, not just the windmills themselves.

governmentwillingness to learn from success It has clear limits, however. When strategy pays attention to offshore wind and solar energy, logic is failing. Expenses of both technologies have also fell sharply in last years. They receive a few warm words, including a wish that solar power could be increased by five times. times by 2035. also innovative plans for several local communities share benefits of new onshore wind farms. But the goal for double capacity by 2030 was taken out at 11 o’clock and very strict planning rules for coastal wind remain.

Awareness of these increased ambitions for renewable electricity will require further market reforms. Currently cheap renewable power not translate in low bills for consumers. This is due to the fact that gas installations are often set wholesale price and their cost is very high. Reforms are needed to enable businesses and households to access to economic benefit of cheaper renewable energy sources. reforms also need ensure enough flexibility in in system to deal with with higher and higher shares of generation that depends on wind and sun.

Finally, what of in role of fossil fuels underlying of a crisis? Production plans more in The UK is understandable, but not a long-term solution to climate change or energy security. They will have very little impact. on prices, but help squeeze out out some Russian imports. Promise of a new independent learning of However, fracking is distracting. This clear this fracturing in The UK is nowhere near as easy to implement as it used to be in United States. Its contribution to gas demand will be modest. best. The industry claims that fracking could lead to a big share of British gas demand untrustworthy, based on the evidence we have so far.

Shortly speaking, government held back his blows and avoided measures that might have more immediate impact on energy security – mainly by reducing amount of energy we need to use. Instead he produced a mixed bag of power supply proposals. While some of them are credible, a major nuclear power the program will require huge sums of political and financial capital. History tells us that this will be very difficult to implement.

Professor Jim Watson director UCL Institute for sustainable resources

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Adrian Ovalle
Adrian Ovalle
Adrian is working as the Editor at World Weekly News. He tries to provide our readers with the fastest news from all around the world before anywhere else.

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