Laura Sandys press release
Some of us have been warning the UK Government that sitting around waiting for Russia to take control of our energy security is a dangerous strategy. I have seen for myself the impact of countries under the thumb of Russian energy dominance. In Georgia I saw a man shot in the head allegedly at the instructions of Russian energy interests; I have been in a former Soviet country’s capital city where the whole city’s electricity was turned off to get the attention of the population sending a clear message that although they might pretend to be independent, Russia still is in control.
This is not a friendly world and energy even more than the 1970’s is being used as a highly toxic political tool. In the 70s at least OPEC was only interested in taking our money – now we face a threat that resides with geo-politics – control, spheres of influence and a form of energy war being played out in the former Soviet Union countries with clear impacts to be felt in the UK. What happens in Baku can turn the lights out in Darlington!
For over ten years this emergence of energy politics has been raising its head – it is not a new phenomenon. Despite Government reviews; white papers; independent assessment absolutely nothing has happened in this country to secure our energy sources. The UK renewable sector is only just starting and is getting less support than in other countries, our gas storage capacity is negligible, nuclear energy has been an on-off option, and energy efficiency has been a Government mantra with no policies of substance to back up the headlines.
Internationally this Government has not engaged effectively either. Our diplomatic presence in Central Asia is pitiful, our energy strategy in the region does not exist; our commercial impact is limited and our political interests are not understood by potential Central Asian partners.
If a Government’s prime responsibility is security, then energy security is one of the most important components. In my view this Government has ducked the real decisions to secure our energy supply and left us in a vulnerable negotiating position. Not an impressive track record!
News, Local history and Thanet issues from Michael's Bookshop in Ramsgate see www.michaelsbookshop.com I publish over 200 books about the history of this area click here to look at them.
Monday 12 January 2009
1 comment:
Comments, since I started writing this blog in 2007 the way the internet works has changed a lot, comments and dialogue here were once viable in an open and anonymous sense. Now if you comment here I will only allow the comment if it seems to make sense and be related to what the post is about. I link the majority of my posts to the main local Facebook groups and to my Facebook account, “Michael Child” I guess the main Ramsgate Facebook group is We Love Ramsgate. For the most part the comments and dialogue related to the posts here goes on there. As for the rest of it, well this blog handles images better than Facebook, which is why I don’t post directly to my Facebook account, although if I take a lot of photos I am so lazy that I paste them directly from my camera card to my bookshop website and put a link on this blog.
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Yep, that looks about right. The idea that the renewable sector will miraculously provide the for shortfall in required energy while reducing the carbon footprint is wishfull thinking though.
ReplyDeleteLooking at my electricity bill from the other side of the channel, the breakdown of generation percentages in 2007 was:
84.2% nuclear
7.1% renewables (5.7% hydroelectric)
3.7% coal
3.2% gas
1.5% oil
0.3% others
It's worth noting that under renewables that the grand maison dam is classified as hydronuclear. Pumps water during off peak and has a nominal power of 1800 MWe (equal to 2 nuclear plants).
Germany with its green credentials produces 10 tons CO2 per person per year against 6 tons per person for France.
If anyone is interested in my French electricity bill:
cheap rate 0.0463€ / kWh 01H – 07H00 & 15H00 – 17H00
full rate 0.0787€ / kWh
all rates less VAT
On the bill there is an addition there is a charge of 0.0045€/kWh to the global sum to compensate for the 1.5 to 2.2 times extra cost of generation by renewables over nuclear / thermal.