Helen Blenkharn Climate Change Policy Officer
It’s that time of year again when our energy use soars through the roof as we warm our homes from the January weather - the extra couple of degrees on the central heating, the extra hour with the gas fire on in the evening, the higher setting on the electric blanket.... In the winter period it’s more important than ever that energy is available on demand and that we don’t have to worry about power cuts. Some suppliers would have us believe that the only way to ensure security of supply and a responsive energy system is to use fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas which can be stock-piled and put to use whenever they’re needed.
We're not quite having Arctic conditions yet... Photo: Psy Guy / Wiki Commons
However, the easiest solution isn’t always the right one and fossil fuels have three big disadvantages. Firstly, they’re in limited supply and as they get harder and more expensive to extract, energy bills will go up. Secondly, they’re the major cause of climate change. Carbon dioxide emissions made up over 84% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 and over 96% of these came from fossil fuels. Thirdly, the process of extracting fossil fuels causes environmental damage and is likely to become a far greater threat to wildlife as a result of growing interest in shale gas and high-risk oil extraction both in deeper waters and in areas that are more important for wildlife not just in the UK but also in the UK’s overseas territories, for example off the Falkland Islands. Is this the kind of energy we want in our homes?
Over the next few weeks we’re going to give a brief overview of the extent of fossil fuel extraction and use in the UK, and the climate and environmental risks associated with them. We’ll also have a look at the signals coming from Government in relation to fossil fuels. To be honest, its position isn’t entirely clear! What is clear, however, is that if the Government is serious about tackling climate change and protecting our natural environment, strong political leadership is needed and a supportive framework for investing in both energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
This would enable the UK to achieve secure and responsive energy supplies without needing to rely on fossil fuels. Doesn't that sound like the right thing to do?
Thanks for your comments Sooty. UK emissions may only be a small fraction of global emissions but we can still play a vital role by leading the way to an international agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and by developing technological advances that help to mitigate climate change. It’s also important for developed countries to take responsibility for their part in causing climate change and demonstrate that they’re doing what they can to put it right.
On the effectiveness of wind turbines, it might be worth looking at this report by the Institute for Public Policy Research which concludes that they do save carbon emissions. Wind is also one of the lowest cost renewable energy options around. Electricity from alternatives such as nuclear or tidal power is likely to be much more expensive in terms of £/MWh.
www.ippr.org/.../beyond-the-bluster-why-wind-power-is-an-effective-technology
Not a chance,No way we will manage without fossil fuels if you include nuclear in that unless we cut our energy use by about 90%.and indeed for the UK to go down the massive reduction route is ridiculous as most climate change pollution is coming from places like India,China and USA.There is a belief in some experts that turbines could well last only 12 years and then the carbon footprint of making them,damage to place where they were put and removing them and disposing of them would probably be greater than what they had saved.We would also all of us paid excessive amount for our energy while they were in use and made our industry less competitive.Absolute disaster awaits if we do without fossil fuels of some description.