Leaked documents reveal UK fight to dilute EU green energy targets
Source: Guardian
Leaked documents reveal UK fight to dilute EU green energy targets
Allegations of coalition hypocrisy over green issues as critics say documents show UK has caved in to fossil fuel lobbyists
Fiona Harvey, environment correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 3 June 2012 13.11 EDT
The government has been trying to water down key environmental regulations in Brussels despite trumpeting its commitment to green issues at home, leaked documents show.
The papers, seen by the Guardian, reveal British officials repeatedly trying to prevent the adoption of EU rules on energy efficiency, curtailing the proposals and making them voluntary rather than mandatory in many cases. In addition, the UK has tried repeatedly to ensure that the EU does not adopt a new target for renewable energy generation.
They are significant because they indicate that Ed Davey, the energy secretary since February, has given his blessing to lobbying begun under his predecessor Chris Huhne. These government efforts have the backing of the UK's big six energy firms, according to other documents obtained under freedom of information rules.
Both issues remain key to plans to reduce European greenhouse gas emissions – putting the government's position in Europe at odds with its fanfare over the last few weeks for the proposed "green" energy bill. Ministers have described the bill, the centrepiece claims to be "the greenest government ever", as likely to generate £110bn in investment in low-carbon and efficient energy infrastructure in the UK in the biggest shakeup of the market since privatisation in the 1980s.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jun/03/coalition-dilute-eu-green-energy-targets
= new reply since forum marked as read
They are starting to really feel the impact of renewables and energy efficiency. New nuclear and coal plants are dying on the vine because if (repeat "if"
energy efficiency and renewable energy targets are met, there is simply no market for power from the new plants they hope to build.
The Cameron government is going all out to build an economic platform that will support new nuclear plants. They know that should energy efficiency measures deliver the goods, they will be reducing the potential electricity sales they must have to enable the nuclear plants to run enough to pay for themselves (and even then they'll have to use subsidies).
That answers the questions "why is their energy efficiency program was designed to fail", and "why they haven't responded to continued warnings that it will fail", doesn't it?
From December 2011
Scheme to make 14m UK homes more energy efficient will only reach 2-3m households, Committee on Climate Change says
Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 December 2011 11.38 EST
...The daft thing is that at the same time [as delivering the green deal plan], the government has put out a national carbon budget plan that states with complete confidence that they will get all the lofts and cavity walls done - but there is no programme to do it," said Warren.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/20/green-deal-fail
May 2012
Impact assessment shows loft insulations and cavity wall insulations are set to fall dramatically under current plans
Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 16 May 2012 11.43 EDT
...The green deal aims to provide "pay as you save" loans to homeowners to improve their energy efficiency and cut bills. It is due to launch in October but has faced widespread criticism from energy companies, the building industry, consumer groups and charities. The government's own impact assessment shows loft insulations and cavity wall insulations – the most cost-effective measures by far – are set to fall by 93% and 67% respectively under current plans. "The impact assessment says it is going to be a train crash," said Andrew Warren, director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy.
The escalation of the issue to Downing Street came on the same day as official data revealed that average home energy bills have shot up by up 12% – £140 – in 12 months, following a doubling in the past six years due largely to rising gas prices. Furthermore, national statistics on fuel poverty due to be published on Thursday are certain to show a rise from the current 5 million homes, a quarter of the total.
The green deal is intended to address fuel poverty, as well as being a crucial policy in cutting the carbon emissions driving climate change, but the Cabinet Office has been told it will flop unless fundamental changes are made. Warren and a series of other senior stakeholders were interviewed by Cabinet Office officials, who reported to Cameron, Clegg and energy secretary Ed Davey on Wednesday.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "As we implement all policy, we maintain constant dialogue with stakeholders and businesses who have an interest. The deputy prime minister and prime minister are fully committed to the green deal." While the commitment to the green deal is not under review, government sources said the implementation of the policy is being discussed...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/16/david-cameron-green-deal-homeowners
Ooooops. What do you know, it didn't work. Well, at least they'll have a larger market for the desired nuclear plants.
See also this study that looked at the relationship of nuclear power and the alternatives of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The study looks at the US and France, with a separate comparison among the states within the US.
- had three times as much renewable energy and ten times as much non-hydro renewable energy in their 1990 generation mix and
- set RPS goals for the next decade that are 50 percent higher;
- spent three times as much on efficiency in 2006;
- saved over three times as much energy in the 1992-2006 period, and
- have much stronger utility efficiency programs in place.
Policy Challenges of Nuclear Reactor Construction: Cost Escalation and Crowding Out
LESSONS FROM THE U.S. AND FRANCE FOR THE EFFORT TO REVIVE THE U.S. INDUSTRY WITH LOAN GUARANTEES AND TAX SUBSIDIES
(September 2010). Dr. Mark Cooper, Vermont Law School.
Access pdf here: http://www.psr.org/nuclear-bailout/resources/policy-challenges-of-nuclear.html
Trying to tackle the huge challenge with policies that contradict each other and silly spin makes a tough job unnecessarily harder
No one thinks it will be easy to slash the carbon emissions driving climate change while keeping the lights on and at an affordable price. But trying to tackle the challenge with policies that contradict each other and silly spin makes a tough job unnecessarily harder.
Ed Davey, the energy and climate change secretary, launched a good report on Friday, suggesting the damage wrought on the UK's economy by spikes in global oil, gas and coal prices could be reduced by over half in 2050 as a result of climate change policies.
"Only last year, the impact of the Arab spring on wholesale gas prices, pushed up UK household bills by 20%," he said. "Every step the UK takes towards building a low-carbon economy reduces our dependency on fossil fuels, and on volatile global energy prices."
"The more we can shift to alternative fuels, and use energy efficiently, the more we can ensure that our economy does not become hostage to far-flung events and to the volatility of market forces," he added. So far, so sensible.
But what about the impact of far-flung events on the UK's faltering ambition to build new nuclear power stations? Well, that's a completely different story, apparently. Energy minister Charles Hendry was asked exactly that on Tuesday by MPs...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2012/may/18/energy-climate-davey-fossil-fuel-nuclear
More at:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/112714465 (note post 12)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/112716580
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101630114