Energy
There are plenty of scare stories about energy.
"There will soon be a world shortage of electricity,
oil, gas, coal and petrol." "The lights will soon start going out."
"There is a serious lack of investment in energy supplies and
production." Etc, etc.
It's certainly true that if we go on wasting energy
at the present rate, things could get very difficult.
Here in Britain the government regulator is OfGem - the Office of the Gas and
Electricity Markets. It's their job to make sure that the lights don't
go out. And their long-term commitment has been to rely on private
companies to supply energy.
The energy markets are controlled by the private
sector. All energy companies are privately owned. The Conservatives and
Labour have been united in privatising everything connected to energy.
Suddenly Ofgem is singing a different song. They
have realised that the private sector will be unable to deliver the
necessary power stations and energy supplies. They reckon that Britain
will need £200 billion of investment to keep things running. But
the energy companies have provided only a tiny fraction of this amount.
They are scared of spending such vast sums of money while the financial
system is in such a mess and while energy sources are very uncertain.
"We live in a different energy world," says
the Ofgem boss. He warns that there will be a shortage of power plants
and gas supplies by 2015. Old
coal and nuclear power stations are closing down and North Sea gas
reserves are falling. He says that we have only two years in which to
find solutions. If we wait any longer, consumer bills will go sky-high
to pay for emergency stop-gaps. We could see fuel bills of £2000
a year.
Will the new government have the nerve to
force
the energy companies to build enormous gas storage facilities and
wind/tide/gas generation capacity which is needed ? Will they
co-operate with our European neighbours in building a continental power
distribution network to pool all renewable energy sources and share the
load ? Will they dare to shelve their plans for new nuclear power
stations ? Could they find
themselves taking control away from the private sector and setting
fixed prices for energy ? Lots of questions but no answers so far.
Energy resources - www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/index.htm
Free book - 'Sustainable Energy -
without the hot air' - David MacKay - www.withouthotair.com
Can you save money on your gas and electricity bills ? www.money-deals.co.uk
Map of renewable energy
schemes in the U.K.
"No
wind farm here !"
UK
Energy Saving is a consumer resource on energy saving and related
topics including renewable energy, alternative fuels, recycling and
water saving as well as sections on fairtrade and organic
products
Renewable Energy Centre with links to local installers and
suppliers - www.therenewableenergycentre.co.uk
Renewable Energy U.K. www.reuk.co.uk
Energy
from the sea European
Marine Energy Centre
Energy meters
Energy
Saving
Trust - a lively
website, full of good ideas. Check your carbon footprint and see if
your neighbourhood is suitable for a wind turbine generator -
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Shocking stories
Wood as fuel - www.carbonneutralfuel.com
Zero Carbon Britain - www.zcb2030.org