Dear Ministers
When you return from the holly and the Christmas pudding please attend urgently to the energy shortages. The gas price has shot up to very high levels and electricity is expensive. The price caps will be moved upwards sharply in April hitting people’s heating and living costs badly.
It should come as no surprise. The price cap policy has bankrupted a large number of electricity suppliers. The policy of closing coal power stations, blocking more production of UK gas, failing to put in extra generating capacity other than wind and solar and relying more and more on imports was bound to lead to shortages and very high prices as some of us warned.
When thinking about how to abate the cost of living squeeze from dearer energy it is wise to remember the most basic lesson of economics. Supply and demand is balanced by market price. If something is in short supply its price rises in a free market until enough extra is produced. If something is in over supply the price falls until the surplus has been absorbed and production cut back.
If government sets a lower price than the market needs to balance supply and demand then there will be too little supply and a shortage. The government has to allow market prices to rise to bring forward additional energy. If it refuses to allow the suppliers to pass on the extra cost of the underlying energy then they will go bust unless the government subsidises them from taxes. Prices also of course hit or boost demand. On current policy energy will be worryingly dear for anyone on a lower income so government will need to boost their income somehow to make it more affordable. Taking VAT off fuel would be a welcome start.
The only reliable way to get the UK gas price down is to allow more domestic gas to boost supply. Much of this could then be offered as long term contract gas with sensible prices and price adjustments in the contract, to avoid more buying of very dear gas on an inflated spot market at times of shortage. The only reliable way to keep the lights on is to retain fossil fuel power stations as back up for when the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine, and to add more low or zero carbon generation from reliable sources that work in all weathers for the future.
There is also a crucial national security issue. Trying to rely more on gas and electricity imports from Europe gravely weakens our country. The EU is energy short and dependent on Putin’s Russia. Energy will increasingly be used as a diplomatic weapon against countries that cannot be bothered to generate their own power and extract their own energy.
December 26, 2021
Exactly, but the History graduate ministers who run energy and industry and Lord Debden at the committee for climate change and Theatre Studies lefty dope Carrie and Boris (Classics) think they know better and can amend the laws of physics and energy economics.
December 26, 2021
Your usual personal animus and superiority missing the point. They have taken a political decision that the increased costs related to going green will be acceptable to the public. They hadnât anticipated Putins shenanigans, who could and now, with renewables not contributing as much as hoped, are on the wrong end of the economic argument with the politics inevitably following.
Nothing to do with the laws of physics.
December 26, 2021
Not just that the public would accept the extra costs but also that the public would laud them for offshoring all our production without reducing any of our consumption. Complete smoke and mirrors incurring extra costs.
If the policy is not to reduce consumption then we MUST be self sufficient. No country should be beholden to other countries for its basic needs.
It needs to be shouted loud and wide that our policies are completely superficial for global production (even accounting for how small our footprint is) and our policy is pointless and (as ever with our civil service) self-flagellating.
December 26, 2021
Besides, Sir John is a history graduate. I remember when the two subjects most in demand by employers were physics and history. That is to say, numeracy and problem solving from the former, and the ability to assimilate and make judgements on vast amounts of information from the latter.
Sir John is a one man shadow front bench, covering all the departments, without any backup. And his priorities are always right.
December 26, 2021
@Nig l; “They hadnât anticipated Putins shenanigans, who could [..//..]”
Anyone with a clue, Putin is, and always has, harked back to the days of the (insecure) USSR, if not Warsaw Pact!
December 26, 2021
You mean that all this government âenergy planning assumptionsâ are wrong
December 26, 2021
“They hadn’t anticipated ……”
Really? So they’re as much use as a chocolate fireguard then.
December 26, 2021
This no longer merely about ‘Green Energy Policy’ it is about having ‘any’ energy at all!
December 26, 2021
The laws of physics have everything to do with energy density of renewables, versus carbon fuels and nuclear. Also the fracking process. Both issues have been completely misunderstood by the CCC, Westminster and the government. Read Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air for a numerate explanation of the figures.
December 26, 2021
Agreed. The people you mention live in the Metaverse where unreality is the norm.
December 26, 2021
They live in an âAppâ where everything can be brought or traded âŠand going green is only a couple of clicks away
December 26, 2021
Patrick Vallance in the Times two days back – it is not the job of Sage to take a particular line or to spread gloom – so why have they so very clearly done exactly this then? Wrong and always in the same alarmist direction just like the climate alarmist âexpertsâ. Plenty of snow here in the Italian alps – was skiing here not predicted to be done for about 20 years back by these warmist, climate experts?
December 26, 2021
More climate change obsession.
There are lots of lower resorts that have closed because of no snow. Having skied in Livigno since itâs early years as a resort I know that although with its altitude snow has been generally OK it is nowhere near as plentiful 30 years ago.
Indeed I left early 4 years ago because it rained late Jan with the lower slopes turning to slush.
December 26, 2021
@LL; The job of SAGE, or any other advisory groups for that matter, is to set out the known facts (a;long with statistically proven forecasts), not sell a PR message for your favored politicos! Unfortunately SAGE appears to be morphing into just such a PR role…
It is true, we do need to learn to live with CV19, and that likely means far less hospitality,. far less international travel, perhaps far more Working From Home, the latter will impact on future home design, the need for a dedicated home office, and the need for (retro-fit) FTTP etc.
December 26, 2021
Exactly.
It is also not their job to rubbish scientists who put forward a different view. They have denigrated many leading specialists without any attempt to refute their opinions with verifiable facts.
December 26, 2021
The Tories have always depended on anti-intellectualism amongst many voters to maintain power, as have the Republicans in the US.
Boy, does it show.
December 26, 2021
Oh. That’s why a Classics graduate of Balliol College is leading the show.
December 26, 2021
The Labour Party is the only left wing party in Europe which is anti intellectual. The Liberals are not much better.
December 26, 2021
You probably have a case, Rose.
December 26, 2021
good job you are here to guide us…
December 26, 2021
@Maylor; Indeed the Govt, Cabinet and backbench MP’s have denigrated many leading specialists without any attempt to refute their opinions with verifiable facts.
December 26, 2021
My career in engineering has spanned 10 different governments and it i clear none of them hold any degree of respect for science and engineering. “Left” or “right” it does not matter, the disdain shown by politicians and bureaucrats alike for STEM is the same.
Your attempt to politicise the issue and claim it is solely the fault of one flavour of party is both purile and false.
December 26, 2021
@dixie; I merely commented on the current actions of the current govt -and their parliamentary party.
Stop being so touchy, given how many of those 10 govts you claim to cite were Tory!.:razz: Not that I believe your claim anyway, given ten (distinct elected [1]) govts takes us back to Macmillan/Douglas-Home’s time in office. Their administrations and that of Wilson who followed were very strong on what we now call STEM subjects.
[1] if you just mean PM’s, then Heath is the starting point
December 26, 2021
@Jerry you are far too quick to accuse groups of being the Right/”hard” Right and being the root of all problems. I don’t recall you ever accusing the “hard left” of anything when their crimes are legion.
I don’t consider myself right wing so not being touchy at all. Just fed up of the simplistic tribalism being wheeled out every day on every topic when it is a distraction from what actually happens
December 26, 2021
@dixie; Do stop reading into my comments things I never said.
“I donât recall you ever accusing the âhard leftâ of anything when their crimes are legion.”
For someone who accused me of attempting to “politicise” the issue you are quite the hypocrite.
December 27, 2021
@Jerry/cirte (really? you think you embody “correctness”)
Only holding up a mirror to your tribalism.
You are the prime example of reading into people’s comments what they didn’t say or
think to the point of claiming telepathic powers eg in this blog;
“Jerry
“December 26, 2021
@Shirley M; â do not have any confidence in this government.â
I share your worries with regards energy policies but then I have been worried for the last 42 years, unlike you I suspect⊔
“
December 27, 2021
Jerry is back Dixie!
December 26, 2021
“so why have they so very clearly done exactly this then? ”
Because they aren’t all Sir Patrick Vallance. He is only the chairman. Look at the sub groups on that body and
you will find a lot of Labour and communist political activists who want to etc ed They have many friends in broadcasting and the press who are only too willing to give them a platform without declaring their political interests.
December 26, 2021
The main difference between Whitty and Vallance seems to be that while they are both doctors and civil servants, only Whitty specialised in dealing with Ebola. The Wuhan coronavirus is not Ebola.
December 26, 2021
Another important distinguishing feature is that Sir Patrick has worked in the private sector (and this came in handy for negotiating the vaccine contracts). Professor Whitty often sounds as if there isn’t a private sector.
December 26, 2021
the main difference is one made a fortune out of Big Pharma.
December 26, 2021
I think that he knows that, Rose.
December 26, 2021
The SAGE group members sold their soul to appear on TV in the propaganda covid briefs with the PMâŠthey shouldnât have been ask and they should have refused
December 27, 2021
There are 92 members in SAGE (gov.uk âList of participants of SAGE and related sub-groupsâ). How many of them have âsold their soul to appear on TV in the propaganda covid briefs with the PMâ? Please provide the list of those who actually appeared with the PM so that readers of this blog can figure out by themselves whether youâre right or simply, as I think, you talk pure rubbish.
December 26, 2021
Boris has a great opportunity here to regain popularity for himself and his party. All he has to do is to be seen to tell the hysterical SAGE bedwetters to get stuffed. He can also pin some of the hysteria on Labour. We don’t need new restrictions this week and after that we’ll be into gloomy January and February where few hold parties or pack hospitality venues.
December 26, 2021
Whilst I agree with the overall thrust of this article’s arguement for security & continuity of energy supplies ,I am not sure that increasing our own domestic supply will have much impact on prices which are ,I believe , largely set on world markets ?
Reply The gas price in the USA is several times lower than the gas price in Europe thanks to local supply.
December 26, 2021
Indeed transporting gas is expensive. Why locate energy intensive jobs in the uk? With this rip off by gov. design energy prices best not to.
December 26, 2021
Reply to reply – we could also tax the export of supplies to the global market to subsidise the domestic market when the price gets silly, as now, if we produced our own
December 26, 2021
For five days last week, the Germans were re-exporting Russian gas to Poland and probably Ukraine. Gazprom didn’t book any export space on the Yamal-Europe pipeline because there was a lack of orders from German customers on those days!
Have a look at page 25 and see the UK is nearing the bottom of its own barrel. There are no naive “Blue Peter” solutions to this problem. Not even US wildcat frackers go fracking in the geological conditions that pertain in the UK.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1032260/UK_Energy_in_Brief_2021.pdf
December 26, 2021
Presumably it is this short termism which has landed us in this mess. Someone worked out it was cheaper to import at the time than have the long term security of our own.
December 26, 2021
That someone would have been an utterly publicly unaccountable, unelected, managerial type in a private company.
Can you now begin to see the irony, in the inaccurate accusations made by libertarian free marketeers against the European Union’s institutions and offices, Rose?
December 26, 2021
US gas price varies between $2.8 and $3.3 per therm depending on the state., ÂŁ4.70 to ÂŁ5.20 per therm in the UK. To me, with a ÂŁ/$ at 1.3, that looks at most like a factor 6.8/2.8 = 2.42 and thatâs taking the minimum US price and the maximum UK price.
Could it be that the UK/European prices are also higher because higher additional taxes put by the UK/European states related to US federal and state taxes? Just a question.
December 26, 2021
US Spot natural gas is $3.73 per million BTU (MMBtu), equal to 10 Therms or 293 kWh. UK price is equivalent to $36.8 per million BTU.
December 26, 2021
Sorry, I did a mess mixing up the units. Apologies to all able to do the conversions properly.
December 27, 2021
You have your units wrong. The US gas prices are usually in $/MMBtu, with 1MMBtu equal to 10 therms.
December 26, 2021
@reply – yet fuel prices in the USA have always been significantly cheaper even when we had North Sea oil and gas on tap. The issu has been tax and the readiness to export the reserves.
December 26, 2021
It sounds so cute and fluffy to describe it as a âcost of living squeezeâ.
The reality is that these huge Brexit price hikes are having a massive negative impact on peopleâs lives. The poorest having to decide whether to eat or heat their home. If they have a home.
Meanwhile the hedge fund elites who bankrolled Brexit have identified what they consider a huge Brexit win. They want us to allow champagne to be sold in pints. Genuinely. The Telegraph tells us what a huge victory this is.
Voters in the Red Wall might be starving and living on the streets but at least they can get their champagne in smaller bottles.*
* It wonât actually be champagne of course because champagne comes from France. Itâll be British sparkling wine.
December 26, 2021
So British sparkling wine not good enough for our snobby Francophile. Shame, just like cheese, you have lost your superiority.
December 26, 2021
ours is better.
December 26, 2021
English vineyard-bottled wines are often really very good and congratulations to the producers.
So are English cask ales when well kept.
However, if it’s Chablis or Gevrey Chambertin that you want, then that’s what you want, as I sometimes do, just like Nigel Farage.
We can both afford that bit more though, so brexit doesn’t bother us in that way.
December 26, 2021
thank you so much for advising us of your sommelier talent, much appreciated.
December 26, 2021
Inflation in the US is now 7%. The US has not joined and left the EU
Inflation is picking up all over the EU, theyâre worried about it in Germany. Germany is still in the EU.
Indeed the EU prohibition on 50 cc / 1 pint bottles is one of its many absurdities, and dis-applying it in the U.K. is a good idea. But itâs a small win compared with saving a net ÂŁ12bn pa in transfers to the EU. Or being off the hook for eurozone bailouts. Or being able to run a non-discriminatory immigration policy. Or being able to run an independent trade policy and being able eg to join CPTPP and Aukus.
But of course the jury remains out on Brexit. The govt needs to move to take advantage of its freedoms to justify the decision.
December 26, 2021
Just give us the main “freedom” and one idea as to how to take “advantage”?
December 26, 2021
Much lower and flatter taxes – if not like Singapore then at least like Switzerland. Proper Free trade – Singapore / NZ style. Cut swathes of regulation (eg MIFID 2, GDPR). Will that do for starters?
Not much sign of it I agree. But for Brexit to be really worthwhile thatâs what needs to happen.
December 26, 2021
Switzerland is effectively in the SM and CU
December 26, 2021
Vaccines …. trade with the world on our terms.
December 26, 2021
Freedom to control borders, money and trade.
1 By engaging more people and rules – so far Fail
2 By not joining a common currency and propping up others where we would be by now with a Remain win – so far a Win
3 By having aggressively pursued trade and set sensible employment and business rules and rates since June 16 – so far a singular Fail
December 26, 2021
Moreover, Germany has dispensed with clean green nuclear power, at the behest of the Greens, and is now dependent on open cast mining of dirty brown lignite, tearing up her ancient forests to do it. She is also dependent on Putin for oil and gas. And all this despite not having yet left the EU. If I had to point to a particular cause of this sad decline, I would say it is PR.
December 26, 2021
I would suggest that inflation has been spiked by a) the huge amount of money printed b) savings from home working and furloughed employees not being able to spend while locked down c) huge influxes of refugees who need to be set up with the basic of lives from scratch on the taxpayers’ dime , so without though of cost (have you tried to book a hotel room recently? prices are high and supply is short).
December 26, 2021
In Spain there have been massive increases in the cost of gas and electric. Food prices are higher than the UK with far less choice. Doing my Christmas shop here last week there were none of the shortages you predicted. Food was cheap and plentiful. Energy prices have risen worldwide and only those countries with their own production have the security of price and supply.
December 26, 2021
Andy. Brutish sparkling wine is every bit as good. Wish we could find it more easily in our supermarkets.
December 26, 2021
Nothing to do with Covid then.
Um. I see.
December 26, 2021
British sparkling wine has scored better than Champagne in blind taste tests with French citizens. Vive l’Angleterre.
December 26, 2021
It might be English sparkling wine.
December 26, 2021
very true – and mostly southern English wine.
December 30, 2021
Indeed, out of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes from the Champagne area that brilliantly adapted to Southern England soil and weather thanks to ⊠(sorry I cannot change for a smaller font) ⊠climate change ?
âEffects of climate change taking root in the wine industryâ, cbsnews.com, 26/12/2021.
A shame however that English champagne-like sparkling wine sells at ÂŁ20+/bottle when a French champagne brut can be bought from Auchan in Calais from âŹ17 or from Leclerc in Arras from âŹ14?
Iâll let the connoisseurs decide which is best.
December 26, 2021
Very good advice Sir John. I do not have any confidence in this government. They appear determined to place the UK in the weakest possible position regarding energy and everything else. Is this an underhand way to make the UK reliant on (and therefore subservient to) foreign powers?
December 26, 2021
@Shirley M; ” do not have any confidence in this government.”
I share your worries with regards energy policies but then I have been worried for the last 42 years, unlike you I suspect…
December 26, 2021
Shirley I feel like we are already subservient.
December 26, 2021
If only we had coal and gas reserves estimated to last a few hundred years. A balanced energy portfolio is common sense.
December 26, 2021
Let us hope they pay attention to what you say. My suspicion is they will want to kick the can down the road in the hope there will not be an actual breakdown in supplies causing the lights to go off. In that circumstance of power failure causing blackouts, immediate resignation of the irresponsible ministers is required – starting with the Prime Minister.
December 26, 2021
They will not resign. What they will do is blame others. The greedy energy suppliers. The Russians etc.
December 26, 2021
The only thing that will change this Government’s course of direction will be when thousands of old people die from hypothermia but no doubt these deaths will be attributed to COVID.
December 26, 2021
Well Christine, I have the answer to zero carbon. Every person and animal in the UK must stop breathing, for ever. There will then be no need for energy to cook or keep warm. The UK then no longer emits CO2 so job done! Not that it would have the slightest effect on global climate but hey! We’ve set the lead for all other nations to follow.
December 26, 2021
The government has been to slow to act .Another nail in their coffin come the next election. The removal of vat could be done tomorrow, but VAT alone isn’t enough.
This and many previous governments are to slow to act. The people deserve better if the Conservatives don’t deliver the people will find someone else who can.
December 26, 2021
They canât remove VAT without permission from the EU
December 26, 2021
I can’t help feeling that this quote from the historian A F Pollard about yet another crisis in Tudor times is quite appropriate:
“Reason was no match for pride, prejudice and vested interests”.
December 26, 2021
+1
December 26, 2021
as with the Chinese âŠthey have to ”save-face”
December 26, 2021
I don’t think that ‘face’ can be saved, disfigured for eternity.
December 26, 2021
There is not a fuel shortage only fossil fuel apartheid caused by narcissists who believe their virtue is saving the planet.
December 26, 2021
+1
And will not grow cold or hungary as they can afford to offset their Carbon Footprint.
December 26, 2021
100% correct – our price increase is all self inflicted
December 26, 2021
Well said. Will the Government get it..? No. They have their own, unannounced, agenda.
December 26, 2021
to rewrite – – ‘let them light candles’.
December 26, 2021
+1
And walk, and gather logs?
And no cake whatsoever let alone meat?
December 26, 2021
but given enough time the national problem with obesity will ease!
December 26, 2021
+1
Very true.
December 26, 2021
Of course growing the population with high birthrate people and building swathes of new housing estates for them isn’t the smartest thing to do when energy supplies are restricted.
December 26, 2021
To rely on energy from another hostile nation – yes, I do include France, is madness and a betrayal of our nation when we have our own supplies which would also supply employment.
For goodness sake ministers have got to stop being saviours of the planet and start behaving like grown ups. Covid , illegal entry to the UK and energy security abd price will be the downfall of not only the government but the country.
December 26, 2021
+1 Everyone can see this. Why is this government so determined to impoverish the UK?
December 26, 2021
because they are disconnected from the people of this country. Their world and priorities are defined and dictated by other politicians and civil servants in this country and others.
Our politicians and civil servants have no sense of duty towards our people, we are merely subjects who they neither respect nor fear.
December 26, 2021
+1
December 26, 2021
Recently the UK was reduced to importing, at the last minute, tons of Russian coal on diesel trucks to burn at power stations being decomissioned to avoid power cuts – GROSS gov. incompetence!
December 26, 2021
The problem we have is that people just vote for alternative political parties who are just as misguided. Until people wake up to this fact nothing will change and we will continue down the path to our destruction.
December 26, 2021
Christine, so true.
December 26, 2021
F U S
+1 so true
December 26, 2021
Its beyond madness, whatâs happened to the checks & balance of government, what of the opposition
December 26, 2021
there’s an opposition? are you sure?
December 26, 2021
FUS
Absolutely agree
December 26, 2021
Amazing! Here we read a critical energy and national security analysis of a government seriously damaging our nation and citizens, made up of people of Sir John’s own political party, the Tories. Are we expected to believe Sir John will do anything, apart from this, given his total loyalty to the people who make up the party and government?
‘Boris’ PM knows Sir John can be ignored and the country destroyed while he advances his green crazy policies, pushed of course by his wife.
December 26, 2021
Prangwizard,
I am not sure ministers will listen. Certainly Boris will continue to bang the drum for COP26 stuff, as he sees it in his long term personal interest to do so.
Other ministers might find it easier to avoid the issue until as late as possible and then shift the blame to other colleagues. Which ministers would rock the boat and challenge current energy plans?
December 26, 2021
He is wrong net zero and rip-off intermittent energy is and will be an economic and political disaster for Boris once people the v. real and pointless costs.
December 26, 2021
That’s what you get from leaving it to the market, Sir John.
December 26, 2021
Trouble is they haven’t been leaving it to the market , they have distorted the market with their Climate Change Act , that at a high cost as prioritised wind and solar, and have stopped the development of our own oil, gas and coal reserves. Many of the problems we face are the result of decisions made in Washington, Berlin and Westminster.
December 26, 2021
OK, that’s global agreed regulation.
What I mean is leaving it to suppliers as to where and from whom they can source their wholesale most cheaply, and leaving it to them how much contingency storage they need bother to pay to maintain.
December 26, 2021
Noit Globally agreed though, is it?
Your argument breaks down there.
December 26, 2021
Yourpals in government have been changing the direction of supply by allowing foreign ownership of key suppliers and switching to dependency on continental sources for gas and electricity.
All cheered along by the anti-UK EU and continental politciancs.
But you and your euphilic friends would never accept they are a key part of the problem, so much easier to cast blame towards the private sector.
December 26, 2021
Globally agreed or nationally applied it is still trying to buck the market which always ends in failure and big bills. They tried it in the 1980s , the commodity price stabilisation agendas under UNCTAD , UN trade association, they created buffer stock managers in various commodities , amongst them natural rubber and metals, both ended in disaster , in this case the over supply costing the tax payers a small fortune as the politicians couldn’t take the hard decisions to reduce the price to balance supply with demand. In the metals the International Tin Council buffer stock manager ran out of money , the 22 states backing him tried to walk away from the mess, though I believe the courts made them pay up.
December 26, 2021
Ultimately the government policy is to reduce fossil fuel use by economically penalising its use. Odd they arenât celebrating the fact this is happening.
December 26, 2021
Well Said!
December 26, 2021
Spot On Iain
December 26, 2021
One of your more fatuous interventions Nottingham boy . Analysis worthy of that other child from Sweden.
You would be the first to complain if a cartel prevented available supply to drive prices up the way our Government has by restricting domestic production.
December 27, 2021
I have read the many comments and replies, correctly criticizing our successive governments and our Civil Service over the years, yet no-one seems to have mentioned to date the massive effect on our population of the sub-liminal continual drip feed of BBC propaganda to “Save the Planet” from the release of harmless life supporting CO2, based on the same type of computer modelling used to “Save the People” from Covid-19.
As though bought by some foreign hostile power, Who or What I ask is controlling our Civil Service, Our School curriculums and Universities, our entire Political Class, and not least our televised and printed media, for as Brexit should have shown them, WE ARE NOT FOOLED.
December 26, 2021
It has not been left to the market. The market itself has been culled leaving only wind, sun, imported gas, imported coal, interconnected electricity, and very expensive replacement atomic energy. All when we are sitting on our own coal, frackable gas, undersea gas, and modular atomic energy. What sort of degree qualifies you to create such a balls up.
December 26, 2021
Great post agricola.
December 26, 2021
Love your post Agricola
December 26, 2021
The UK has been living off its membership of the EU for the last four decades. Living was cheap and easy for a UK lazy population that struggled to get its arse out of bed in a morning and create some value added for the UK economy. Even our next PM, Liz Truss, was co-author of a book describing Brits as the worldâs biggest wasters.
Particularly in the world’s basic commodity markets like energy, the UK will come to deeply regret leaving the EU internal energy market. Hence, Lizzy needs to do a deal with Biden for a long term deal for US LNG into a greatly expanded Milford Haven; possibly Bacton, terminal; even if he insists we cede Northern Ireland to the Republic. As said in the film “The Italian Job”, this is a self preservation society.
December 26, 2021
+1
December 26, 2021
Is it true that we can’t remove VAT on energy and insulation products because of the level playing field with the EU.
If so we need to scrap the whole agreement and go to WTO rules Immediately.
December 26, 2021
Have you done a proper analysis of the consequences of your suggestion?
December 26, 2021
yawn…
December 26, 2021
You euphilics never did a proper analysis of the consequences of EEC-EU membership in the first place so it’s a bit rich to complain now.
December 26, 2021
The relevant authorities did exactly that, Dixie, and found that it would be highly beneficial.
It’s for you nEurotics to prove your case for ever further isolationism.
December 26, 2021
Your “relevant authorities” failed spectacularly to convince people of the real value of their supposed benefits – shorter airport queues wasn’t it plus cheap French plonk for the pseuds.
Keep on sneering.
December 26, 2021
“The government has to allow market prices to rise to bring forward additional energy.”
They can’t do that, energy prices are already far to high and thus cause some to choose between eating and heating, our hosts idea will make energy poverty even worse next winter (with no assurances prices will fall). There is no way our current energy supply problems can be solved by a market that had failed many years ago due to fragmentation or mergers, hence why Ofgem had to be created. Perhaps there is a greater roll for the CMA along side Ofgem?…
The Tory party need to eat some 40 year old humble pie, admit that their privatization policy has failed, the ‘market’ is the problem, not the solution! All of what our host calls for was and could still be better done via BNOC in collaboration with the CEGB and the BGC.
December 27, 2021
The problem is that the market has been replaced by central regulation. That started with Labour’s Utilities Act that promoted EU state companies taking over, followed by David Miliband’s nuclear moratorium that prevented timely replacement of nuclear power, his brother’s Climate Change Act that required that renewables be subsidised and given grid priority and his 2010 Energy Act the required OFGEM to give primacy to green interests over consumers and proper competition among generators.
December 26, 2021
Let’s be clear about this. There is no shortage of energy here at the moment. The lights have not – and will not – go out. The grid is under no pressure. You scaremongering comments this morning are part of a new “project fear” that you and the extreme far-right of the party are using to frighten people into accepting yet more direct subsidy to the fossil fuel industry, in the form of tax breaks etc to “develop” the Jackdaw etc – and to allow fracking
Even if we did allow more domestic production of hydrocarbons the price would not change, the producers would want the market price. The huge rise in the energy price is NOT the result of shortages of energy here, as you allege. It has been caused by the 11-year failure of government energy policy and price rises imposed by the fossil fuel industry.
Wind is producing 11.5GW of energy this morning. About 45% of demand. This is what concerns the fossil fuel lobby, the renewables industry is hitting their profits
Reply dream on. Delighted wind sometimes works when it gets priority. Try answering the big question what do we do when there is no wind or too strong a wind?
December 26, 2021
@Sir John reply
We need a grid scale energy storage system. There are many options available, several developed by British universities. A few ÂŁmillion spent on a Levelised Cost of Electricity competition between the main contenders would be money well spent. Not more ÂŁbillions wasted subsidising the fossil fuel industry
December 26, 2021
Where are there current successful examples of grid scale energy storage systems SG?
It rather like carbon capture and storage where despite many hundreds of millions of R and D invested by governments we are still waiting for scaled up examples.
December 26, 2021
Sakara Gold, I gather from a trawl online that lithium-ion batteries are currently the most popular technology for the energy storage systems you recommend. Do we know where all the extra lithium is going to come from, that your favoured solution would presumably require? I understand one forecast is that by 2040 electric cars will by themselves have used up 20 million tons of lithium (PV Magazine). It would be nice to think the ‘energy transition’ has all been carefully thought through by experts and our political masters, but I’m not sure if that’s the case.
December 26, 2021
@SG; So basically you want massive subsidies to go to an unproven theory, sorry but most people would call that playing (Russian?) Roulette with our critical energy needs, sure if we bet the entire house on 14 Red and we hit the jackpot … but what if the ball lands on 15 black?
December 26, 2021
answer: we get cold and sit in the dark? – some will even get hungry relying on electric cookers and microwaves.
December 26, 2021
@JR reply; “what do we do when there is no wind or too strong a wind?”
Well we could always burn some of our 500-700 year reserves of coal …. oh hang on, some past govt chose to close our coal industry down, using environmental nonsense as grounds, out of simple political spite.
December 26, 2021
Sakara Gold : âWind is producing 11.5GW of energy this morning. About 45% of demand. This is what concerns the fossil fuel lobby, the renewables industry is hitting their profits.â
And earlier this year wind was supplying less than 3% of demand.
The costs to balance the grid to prevent blackouts, now that wind is a major proportion of our electricity, is costing ÂŁ5bn/year, a large proportion on the supply side being paid to fossil fuel generators at great expense because non-fossil fuel backup does not yet exist.
December 26, 2021
@Original Richard
Wrong. There are numerous grid-scale electricity storage solutions under development and pilot plant have been built and succesfuly tested. These have been debated on this blog for weeks. The purpose of building full-scale plant is to establish LCOE for each of them. Renewables on most days are providing up to 45% of our energy demand i.e. ~15GW. Which is a phenomenal amount of energy.
The above was posted in reply to you here, on 15/20/2021. Do you have early stage dementia? You are very forgetful
Reply Not true
December 26, 2021
Sakara Gold : “There are numerous grid-scale electricity storage solutions under development and pilot plant have been built and succesfuly tested.”
So why hasn’t one been selected and gone into full scale production?
Please also note that as the capacity factor for wind turbines is around 50% this will mean that to achieve the continuous 40GW currently required for electricity alone (not taking into account increased population or heat pumps or evs) it will be necessary to build 80GW of installed wind turbine capacity.
In fact more than 80GW will be required as even 80GW will at times give just 8GW or less. This means that a storage system is required and this will only have a 50% to 75% efficiency.
So for 40GW of electricity we could need up to 120GW of installed wind power capacity.
And electricity only represents 20% of all the power we currently consume.
December 26, 2021
Note that SG says “pilot plant” and “under development ”
You are just fooling yourself SG
Grid size examples are many years away.
And Carbon Capture and Storage is still further away.
One day it may happen and that breakthrough will be great.
But in 2022 or even 2023
No way.
December 26, 2021
And when SG says energy SG really means just electricity.
December 27, 2021
The Grid has been under extreme pressure, with supplies limited below capacity on several of the interconnectors, the lack of wind generation, available CCGT used at capacity, the need to resort to coal, OCGT and diesel generators, sky high balancing costs that have included paying some segments of industry with contracted fixed cost supply to shut down. There have been a number of incidents where the grid frequency has dropped alarmingly, threatening a repeat of the August 2019 blackouts if anything else had been tripped into failure.
December 26, 2021
The other small point is we know from what theyâve said that there are forces in the European Commission that intend to use our current dependence on energy imports via the EU for blackmail purposes, when fishing quotas are next up for renegotiation. Perhaps ministers donât particularly care about that either.
December 26, 2021
Nail on head, nail on head. Dependency is one of the most useful of all political weapons
December 26, 2021
MPC. You couldn’t possibly be talking about our ‘friends and neighbours ‘the French, could you??
December 26, 2021
Agreed. I do not understand why our government does not do this.
December 26, 2021
Pardon me for commenting but they are detached from us and grossly arrogant, especially ‘Boris’ a senior member of the elite strata.
They do not think our concerns are worth bothering about as they are convinced we can do nothing and are happy to keep lying. Only more Tory losses will bring them closer to reality. Action to remove them is urgent and vital.
Only if ‘Boris’ could be frightened will there be change.
December 26, 2021
Perhaps we need to formally recognise that the public sector is a parasite on the private sector. Like all parasites it takes resources from its host. It weakens its host but does not kill it. It hides in its host. Yet it offers almost no benefit to its host.
A parasitic public sector should be measured by the amount of harm it does to its host private sector. Harm should be measured by things like tac, productivity given to the private sector.
So for example if the Government/public sector wants green energy then there needs to be transparency on the cost this makes to the private sector. For mass immigration it needs to be made transparent the cost of housing, benefits, crime, tax dilution etc.
All these various âgrand projectsâ need fully costing.
December 26, 2021
The Private Sector creates and the Public Sector consumes. As the Public Sector gets bigger it needs to consumer more. This is what we are seeing. It is out of control and will eat up all the resources until there is nothing left, not even a Public Sector.
December 26, 2021
And what of the companies and consumers choosing to buy foreign imports and companies outsourcing work which were cheaper, but only because people didn’t fully cost the consequences?
December 27, 2021
Even our enemies, could not have designed a better more fool-proof system for our National destruction.
December 26, 2021
Boris’s Government needs yet more warnings about about energy security?
We see its failure to act effectively has allowed cost of living concerns to arise. Has it sat too long for any good it may do?
December 26, 2021
Good morning.
And
You can always tell where government has been by the mess it leaves behind.
We are turning more and more Communist every day. It is the natural progression of all governments who have too much power and control.
December 26, 2021
MARK B. +1
December 26, 2021
They mostly focus on multi-year but ‘failed’ Plans.
Ours can’t go a few days before it is seen as ‘Failed’.
December 26, 2021
Today, all is progressive. Even energy has fallen victim to this sinister political creed. This is what the British people have voted for, unwittingly and continue to do so. The full and destructive cost has not yet been borne by those who have niavely chosen such a course of action.
December 26, 2021
Good points from our host. It is frustrating that unlike him, so many other politicians either don’t understand that their policies will screw up the lives of ordinary people, or don’t care if that is the consequence.
December 26, 2021
“It’s the economy, stupid !”
Bear those words in mind for the next general election. Those will form the slogan of the day.
“Labour are worse” simply won’t cut it any more. Boris’s gift is to be all things to all men during elections and then out Labouring Labour when in office.
The coming hardships are actually a good thing. They will be highly motivational.
PS
Fourth jab, anyone ? Fifth ? Sixth…. ?????
One every two months ?
Political. Just like masks. An utterly wicked thing to do, just to give us state permission to celebrate Christmas. Especially to young people and children – I’m bored with going into the illogicality of it all.
December 26, 2021
N L A. +1
December 26, 2021
bored with it? — then don’t go into it!
December 26, 2021
I’d like to direct attention to an article that accurately describes why we so badly need gas as an energy.
conservativewoman.co.uk/net-zero-chance-of-coping-with-storms/
Relying on the part time electricity generating windmills will mean disaster.
December 26, 2021
+1
December 26, 2021
Well said.
I fear they do not care about the implications of their dogmatic policies – Of course they will pay lip service to such comments, but net-zero like unrestrained immigration has a much higher priority than simply keeping the lights on.
December 26, 2021
All due to the greencra*p energy policies followed and expanded on by the Conservative party since that idiot Miliband gave us the Climate Change Act. This, remember, was voted in by an overwhelming majority.
With an extraordinary lack of self awareness successive Parliaments and Governments fail to see the damage caused to the country with cost implications, the cost to the consumer due to the failure of wind and solar. At the same time all of the dire predictions fail to materialise and we make no material difference to Co2 levels, which are not a problem anyway. Most of the world takes no notice while paying lip service.
I can only conclude that the Govt. is deliberately trying to harm our country by making us reliant on foreign powers.
December 26, 2021
We could also reverse our policy of decommissioning gas storage facilities.
December 26, 2021
Agree – we could stop HS2 and put all our resources, money and manpower into build new storage facilities, power stations and mining for gas, oil and coal….and put every university to work ensuring clean fossil fuel power
December 26, 2021
There is no government “policy” to do that.
There is simply a lack of proper regulation to stop the only-for-profit lads from doing it and pocketing the savings.
December 26, 2021
There is a strong government policy NHL
It is founded on the Climate Change Act and our Net Zero policy.
Energy suppliers are following UK and European government policy wishes.
Surely you welcome high gas prices?
December 26, 2021
‘The price cap policy has bankrupted a large number of electricity suppliers.’ The price-cap policy defied common-sense – and was un-Conservative. All I want in 2022 is for this government to ditch all policies that smack of being originated by the ‘loony left’. Perhaps we could call the effort ‘The Great Re-set’.
December 26, 2021
I see our SAGE team have been taking to the airways to support the poor fellow who admitted that the models provided gloomy forcasts! In doing so they are contradicting each other which usually means a lack of truthfulness. Surely not, from such eminent people!
‘K’s and Ermine all round, if not already bestowed.
December 26, 2021
You are absolutely right Sir John, and the problem started many years ago when successive governments turned down nuclear power and then went and hooked us up to the French system of 16 nuclear stations followed by allowing EDF to buy a section of our domestic supply.
This all started when we were part of the EU and was perpetuated initially by Cameron et al and subsequently by the Remainers in the forlorn hope it will reverse Brexit. This, unfortunately has been camouflaged by some wild promises at COP26 whereby Boris has driven himself up a cul-de-sac.
Climate change is very important but we won’t achieve anything in this respect by driving the nation into poverty. Open up the North Sea gas field, install a series of small nuclear stations around the country and harness the many tidal streams around our coast and we will become self sufficient. We won’t say ”we told you so” but reliance on wind power was a daft idea and the weather gods have been telling you this for months.
The ten or fifteen companies described as ‘energy suppliers’ and which have gone bust, were nothing of the sort. They were smart market traders buying ahead in the energy market. Nothing new, and they operate in many other markets around the world and will continue to do so.
December 26, 2021
Just been to drop a bottle round to my car mechanics garage and he told me heâs closing down after 35 years due to uncertainty with government âice car banâ policy and the high cost of energy, he also told me that the MOT station (5 jobs) next door is selling up and closing down within the yearâŠ.thanks Boris and thanks to this Tory governments green energy policy
December 26, 2021
Plus several of the pubs I visited today haven’t bothered to stock up for New Year. The red eyed landlords telling me they’re not prepared to tip away thousands in beer yet again so would sooner shut up business for the busy time of year.
Good. (I’ve tried myself to help keep all this going with tips and big spending.)
Wasteland under Tory rule by the next general election.
Jabbing of kids and children is utterly wicked. It does not stop infection and it does not stop transmission and only puts children and young people at risk when they weren’t at risk before – it is political (just like masks) and a sop to Marxists to keep Tories in power.
Covid.
God’s gift to the Left.
December 26, 2021
You state too much common sense, this is not acceptable in these days of the Climate Inquisition.
The UK’s energy policies are so insane, it beggars belief. However, with Carrie controlling the government’s climate/energy policies, it is only going to get worse.
December 26, 2021
The other side of this coin is that you pay NHS stars handsomely to offset the extra costs. See the Telegraph. ÂŁ250k plus becoming the norm for NHS exec stars.
December 26, 2021
A belated Merry Christmas Sir John and thank you as always for being a lone voice of reason. Iâm starting to despair that maybe that is all you are as the lunatics are running the asylum. I have read your blog daily for a decade or so and sense your tone is changing to being more exasperated since the PartyGate implosion of Boris and can feedback that every usually supportive person I know now despairs and is out of patience with him. Starting to reflect more on prophecies under May that we would reap none of the benefits of leaving whilst losing the benefits of remaining. You could now say the same about voting Tory. That we get none of the benefits of conservatism nor the benefits of a strong infrastructure from becoming a high taxation state. I believe in optimism but this combined with the fact that your common sense, experience and wisdom are so marginalised by this government offers little hope for positive change.
December 26, 2021
Yes Sir John, you and contributers to this diary have said it all before. When is the realisation going to settle in the minds of government and those who serve them at No 10. Energy, its cost, and strategic importance to the future of the UK should be the subject of a 25 year plan totally divorced from politics. I await the dawn of logic and action.
In the immediate short term government has control of VAT, an EU conceived tax, a tool that could be used to limit, to the tune of 20%, the burden of escalating fuel prices. Failure will cost, extensively.
December 26, 2021
Thousands of people have over the last 25 years have been banging their gums trying to bring reason to the conundrum known as energy supply and distribution. For too long is was virtually ignored and this created the fertile breeding ground for a new religion which has grown out of all proportion to the problem. These people are now entrenched in every nook and cranny of political and public life all driven by a well orchestrated and organised fifth column peddling fear.
It will only change when the lights go out, industries collapse and our whole way of life as we know it changes for the worse. So many qualified experts against the lemming like charge to destruction are and have been sacrificed on the altar of the Church of Total Renewable Energy. For no other reason they dared to let their research do the talking and have been ignored by the media, politicians and public service authorities for fear of rocking the boat.
December 26, 2021
Quite right Turbo.
December 26, 2021
I read a report (BBC) of the âgovernmentâ further relaxing immigration laws ( how is that possible?) to fill the âgapâ created by them through obligatory jabbing of care and health staff.
Amazing.
It was done on Christmas Eve apparently âŠwhen few would notice.
December 26, 2021
Deliberate and manufactured
December 26, 2021
+1
Yup.
December 26, 2021
E H. Thanks for pointing this out! They could be heading for the most despised Govt. in history.
December 26, 2021
+1
I should definitely say so.
Their underhandedness is utterly astounding.
December 26, 2021
+1
Worst PM too.
December 26, 2021
So obligatory jabbing puts some on the bench on benefits and we bring others in to soak up more tax money. Idiotic.
December 26, 2021
+1
And presumably jabs too?
Or only jabbed âinvitedâ?
Or jabbed immediately on arrival?
December 26, 2021
The poor people who write the April Fool’s stories have their work cut out for them. They can’t outdo this sort of thing.
December 26, 2021
+1
Agree.
A comment in one of the rags asked whether it was April 1st today and I thought âŠEVERY day is Foolâs Day now!
December 26, 2021
It is perfectly understandable that the Marxist Ed Miliband when as Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change would bring in the 2008 suicide Climate Change Act to cut 80% of our CO2 emissions by 2050 followed by the pro-EU Britphobe Mrs. May, upset by Brexit, making it law to cut CO2 emissions to zero by 2050.
But why a Brexit supporting PM should want to destroy our economy through the unilateral implementation of this suicidal dash for net zero CO2 emissions without the existence of the technology to produce reliable power at the price obtained by our most serious competition is inexplicable.
Surely this was not simply to look good on the world stage at COP26?
Or is it that our PM, who studied classics, ancient literature and classical philosophy at University, does not understand the difference between pollution (âgreat puffs of acrid smokeâ â see UN speech in September) and CO2 (plant food) and has been bamboozled by the Marxists civil servants at BEIS?
Or is it to make us again the âsick man of Europeâ, and this time even dependent upon the EU for our power and food, in preparation for an incoming government to re-join the EU?
December 26, 2021
Boris is just beefing up his cv for his next job in a couple of years
Tony Blair the United Nations Special Envoy for Middle East
Gordon Brown the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education
David Cameron the board director of One-Campaignâ & Council on State Fragility
December 26, 2021
Apparently these career politicians look upon being PM as a rite of passage.
A means to an end.
Next, as you say, come the real spondulicks.
They donât give a tinkerâs cuss about the country.
December 27, 2021
There are already too many pantomime clowns.
December 26, 2021
Original Richard, are you trying to suggest that Johnson might take the time to try and ‘understand’ things, and might have any purpose in life beyond his own gratification?
If so, can I politely ask where you have been for these last two years? If you’ve somehow missed it all, lucky you is all I can say!
December 26, 2021
This is the letter I would have expected you to have had to write to a Liberal Democrat Minister. Basic supply and demand, taxing a product which because of government policy is in short supply, etc. I donât know where you find the patience and fortitude. Thank you from those of us who do not wish to perish of hyperthermia.
Oops – did you mention that this country is situated in the far north, suffers loss of light and heat in winter? I donât think the front bench are aware of this detail.
December 26, 2021
Re your last para: the poor dears spend their extended winter break in the carribean, how would they know what it’s like here?
December 26, 2021
The All Party Group on the Caribbean is always over subscribed
December 26, 2021
This wasn’t only entirely predictable, it was also predicted. But the Eco Obsessives in the Quangocracy/BBC (and Highgrove) aren’t interested in facts or the impact on “the little people.” And neither are the Eco Obsessives and virtue-signallers in Parliament.
They all expect to carry on with their comfortable and, in some cases, luxury life-styles. The impact on “the peasants” is inconsequential ….. including the virtue-signallers in Parliament, most of whom know they are protected by the FPTP electoral system.
Ultimately, this is a UN Agenda, intended to transfer taxes from “rich” western countries to poorer 2nd and 3rd world ones; the ultimate levelling down which Socialists are so keen on (as long as it doesn’t affect them personally).
I have no confidence whatsoever that the big lump of jelly in Downing Street will listen to Sir John’s wise counsel since Sir John isn’t capable of nagging him to death or withdrawing privileges.
December 26, 2021
The Basics of life, Energy and Food.
December 26, 2021
And shelter. All out of control in pricing.
December 26, 2021
Why is there no select committee demanding the fullest details on plans, costs and consequences?
December 26, 2021
dixie :
You may like to watch the proceedings of the Public Accounts Committee on Monday 25 October 2021 Meeting started at 4.02pm, ended 6.04pm with evidence being given by BEIS :
Particularly Craig MacKinlay MP starting at 16:35pm and Mark Francois MP starting at 17:08pm
https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/e7153087-35c9-44c4-8d7f-6522b4acf8e1
But it may make you cry.
December 26, 2021
thanks for the link, will view and cry later.
December 26, 2021
That would mean accountability to Parliament, Dixie, which isn’t the idea at all. The Great Green Reset is post-democratic, I would have thought that’s clear by now.
December 26, 2021
“Gas and electricity imports from Europe”
I read the other day that full LNG tankers are now on their way here from………AUSTRALIA! If that doesn’t show the absurdity of present UK energy policy, I don’t know what does…
December 26, 2021
The UK, when Johnson is removed before it destroys it all, should buy an option over a % of the future gas output of the newly discovered Beetaloo gas field which by all accounts is one of the largest ever gas fields to be discovered.
December 26, 2021
sometimes you have to take a long hard look at who your friends are, and might remain!
December 26, 2021
You speak the truth as usual Sir John.
What is not clear and it affects me personally, is whether I shall die of hypothermia this Winter or next.
When will it be the case that there is just no electricity in the National Grid?
It is obvious that the ridiculous policies of the government (run by her upstairs), the civil service, the media and the U.N., will eventually lead to there being no energy available in the U.K..
December 26, 2021
But your death wonât be in vain â your ultimate sacrifice is helping Boris and the Tory Party green revolution
December 26, 2021
There is a very sad story in The Observer about the collapse in school trips to the UK. Children used to come here from
France, Germany and all over Europe to see our fantastic cities and learn about our history. Many of them were language courses for those children learning English which, because of the power of -the United States, most European children do. But nearly all of these trips have now been cancelled as the Tories have made the process of coming here such a bureaucratic nightmare.
Tells us Mr Redwood what do you think it is about your Tory Brexit Plague Island that young Europeans now find so repellant?
December 26, 2021
There is a worldwide energy crunch – and it’s exposed our weakness, really nothing to do with Brexit, ole Andy…. a one track record.
Sir John, well put & as others have mentioned these history qualified ministers are indeed accountable…. so lets help them by writing the strategy and then next level of detail, policy and framework, sort out programmes and major projects with National Grid and DNOs, Direct Network Operators..
The UK energy strategy should be:
SELF SUFFICIENCY IN ENERGY so we cannot be held to ransom and industry/consumers know their future sensibly priced bills.
* Baseload from growing nuclear and new hydrogen over transitional north sea oil/gas and UK coal/biomass.
* Use traditional friendly countries like Qatar, UAE as transitional oil/gas suppliers.
* Use intermitant Solar, Wind, Hydro and new predictable tidal when it’s available or from storage.
* Continue insulation and lower consumption.
Plenty to keep the UK energy industries & UK/Global energy equipment suppliers busy, work with them & crack on.
December 26, 2021
Two thumbs up, Sir John, for what should be stating the blindingly obvious to Government ministers, but living in cloud cuckoo land the majority appear entirely out of touch with any form of reality.
December 26, 2021
If our PM believes we will become the âSaudi Arabia of windâ, then we had better start worshipping the gods of wind :
Boreas, god of the north wind and of winter
Eurus, god of the east or southeast wind
Notus, god of the south wind
Zephyrus, god of the west wind
December 26, 2021
My dual fuel fixed price o
18 month gas and electric contract expires in March 2022 for our home.
Currently we pay ÂŁ160 per month.
I had a look today on a well known comparison site and the best current deal I could swop to would be over ÂŁ360 per month.
Came as a bit of a shock.
December 26, 2021
With the cost of electricity going sky high, and by all predictions going stratospheric in the coming years âŠdoes the cost of EVs still make sense since the number one selling point was the cheap cost to run compared with the internal combustion engine?
December 27, 2021
I noted the other day that wholesale electricity was trading for over ÂŁ500/MWh for baseload, which would imply a retail price of over 60p/kWh. At 3 miles per kWh, that would be over 20p per mile. I filled up with diesel for 141.9ppl, and I get 10 miles per litre, which is somewhat cheaper.
As I completed about 180 miles of driving on Christmas Eve, I thought about how long journeys at such times of year would completely overwhelm EV charging stations en route. Most people doing longer journeys would have to plan to stay part way overnight to recharge. A larger family reunion with siblings visiting parents might also be fraught with arguments about who gets to use the charging facilities at their parents’ – assuming they had them to begin with.
December 27, 2021
They don’t make it easy to make direct comparisons
December 27, 2021
glen cullen :
Forget about evs being cheaper to run than ices.
The government will need the money it will be losing on fuel duty and will find ways to tax evs to compensate. If this isnât possible through electricity prices it will be done via vehicle duty or road charges.
Note also that the Marxist BEISâ bible âNet Zero Strategyâ doesnât think private cars have a future. It will be âactive travelâ (walking and cycling), public transport and car sharing.
Net Zero Strategy also explains that ev car batteries will be used at night to supply electricity to balance the grid, so it will be possible to have less charge in the morning than when the vehicle was connected to the grid the evening before.
Making ârange anxietyâ even worse!
December 27, 2021
You make some valid points
December 27, 2021
Sir John, season’s greetings.
A post above mentions grid-scale energy storage. There are problems with this as spelled out in a Daily Mail article in, I think, July. Lithium ion batteries have an unfortunate habit of spontaneously combusting, are extremely difficult to extinguish and when burning emit hydrogen fluoride, etc ed
The DM article mentions explosions.
These schemes are inherently risky. Perhaps there is a reason that the HSE refuses to assess, for example, lithium ion based storage systems etc ed.If there is such a reason it needs to be declared before we end up with another Grenfell.
Perhaps we should convene the disaster enquiry now, not waiting for the guilty parties to hide. Our MP has other things on his mind so is understandably not fully engaged.
Sack the Climate Change Committee. Buy the Cuadrilla data back from China and get the gas flowing. I cannot but feel apprehensive about how all this is going to end.
JF